James Pennethorne | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1801-06-04)4 June 1801 |
| Died | 1 September 1871(1871-09-01) (aged 70) |
| Resting place | Highgate Cemetery (west side) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Architect |
Sir James Pennethorne (4 June 1801 – 1 September 1871) was a British architect and planner, particularly associated with buildings and parks in central London.
Pennethorne was born inWorcester, and travelled to London in 1820 to study architecture, first underAugustus Charles Pugin and then underJohn Nash. Pennethorne's father, Thomas was a first cousin of Nash's wife.[1]
In October 1824 he set off on a tour of France, Italy, and Sicily. At Rome he studied antiquities, and made a design for the restoration of theForum, which he subsequently exhibited and was elected a member of theAccademia di San Luca.[2]
On his return to London, at the end of 1826, he entered the office ofJohn Nash, and, as his principal assistant, directed the WestStrand,King William Street, and other important improvements,[2] completing the Park Village East and Park Village West inRegent's Park after Nash's death.[3]
Until 1840 Pennethorne engaged in some private practice, his works including the Bazaar, inSt. James's Street;Swithland Hall, Leicestershire;Dillington House,Ilminster; St. Julian's (a house at Sevenoaks); andChrist Church, Albany Street. During this time he also began the work for the government, which would come to dominate his career. In 1832 he was directly employed by theCommissioners of Woods and Forests to prepare plans for further improvements in the capital. One of his aims was to form a great street running from the extreme east to the extreme west of London, but this proved too ambitious for the government. However four streets were constructed to modified versions of his plans:New Oxford Street,Endell Street,Cranbourn Street andCommercial Street. In 1846 an act was obtained for the extension of Commercial Street fromSpitalfields Church toShoreditch, but this was not completed until 1858. In 1855 the newly formedMetropolitan Board of Works constructed Garrick Street,Southwark Street,Old Street toShoreditch, and other thoroughfares from Pennethorne's earlier designs.
After 1840 Pennethorne's time was wholly absorbed by his work for the government. In that year he was appointed (withThomas Chawner) joint surveyor of houses in London, in the land revenue department; in 1843 he became sole surveyor and architect of the Office of Woods, and was appointed a commissioner to inquire into the construction of workhouses in Ireland.[2] TheMuseum of Practical Geology, which also housed the offices and laboratories of theGeological Survey was built to Pennethorne's designs in 1847–9, on a long, narrow site with frontages inPiccadilly andJermyn Street. It opened in 1851.[4] In 1847 he drew up designs for thePublic Record Office inFetter Lane. A much modified version of the scheme was adopted in 1850, though only portions of it were ever built. In 1848 he modified Nash's Quadrant inRegent Street, removing the colonnade and inserting a balcony and mezzanine story. In 1852 he worked on improvements toBuckingham Palace and the area betweenSt. James's Park and theRoyal Mews. His works at the palace included the ballroom, supper-room, and connecting galleries. To the south of the palace he erected the Duchy of Cornwall office, the district post office, and other buildings. Between 1852 and 1856 he completed the west wing ofWilliam Chambers'Somerset House.[2]
He was responsible for laying outVictoria Park inTower Hamlets,Battersea Park, and prepared plans and estimates for a proposed "Albert Park" at Islington,[5] which was never carried out.[2]
In 1853 he drew up several different ambitious plans for the laying out of the estate owned by the Commissioners of the1851 Exhibition atSouth Kensington, one of which included a relocatedNational Gallery. In the event the area was developed piecemeal, and Pennethorne's contribution to the scheme, in his role as architect to the Office of Works, was a simple "junction" building containing offices and lecture theatre, linking the new iron museum buildings with existing structures, which had been adapted for use as an art school.[6] He was one of the architects invited, in 1862, to submit designs for a memorial toAlbert, Prince Consort, but his suggestion for a monument in the form of a Classical mausoleum was rejected in favour ofGeorge Gilbert Scott'sGothic construction.[7] Unbuilt plans commissioned from Pennethorne included designs for new public offices inDowning Street, and a newWar Office intended to be built inPall Mall.[2]
His last work was for theUniversity of London at6 Burlington Gardens. The adjoiningBurlington House, inPiccadilly, had been acquired by the government on his advice, to accommodate the learned societies removed from Somerset House, and theRoyal Academy of Arts. The plans for the University of London were approved in 1866, but underwent some modification.[2]
Pennethorne was knighted, in recognition of his public services, in November 1870.[2]
His pupils includedHenry Saxon Snell (1830–1904). His brotherJohn Pennethorne (1808–1888) was also an architect.
He died on 1 September 1871 and was buried on the western side ofHighgate Cemetery.
In private practice:
