Alan Borg, 'Theodore Jacobsen and the Building of the Foundling
Alan Borg, ‘Theodore Jacobsen and the building of the Foundling Hospital’, The Georgian Group Journal, Vol. xII, 2002, pp. 12–53
text © the authors 2003 THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL
ALAN BORG
heodore Jacobsen ( c. – ) was responsible were drawn, and perhaps designed by Keene. It Tfor designing a number of important public identifies all the other building contractors, and an buildings, including East India House, the Foundling appendix lists the unsuccessful tenderers as well. It Hospital, the Royal Hospital at Haslar, and Trinity also reveals that John Spencer, the carpenter, was College, Dublin (Fig. ). He advised on and made surveyor to the Antiquaries’ House in . It dates major modifications to George Sampson’s plans for Hudson’s portrait of Jacobsen. It sets out the process the new Bank of England. He built himself a country by which Jacobsen was appointed and shows that he house in Surrey and he left plans for an unusual designed all the separate blocks up to , ending triangular house, which may relate to additions and speculation, for instance, that the chapel was designed alterations carried out at Longford Castle in by someone else. Wiltshire. Among his unexecuted projects was a The origins of the Foundling Hospital are well House for the recently formed Society of Antiquaries known. Captain Thomas Coram, who had spent of London. He is often referred to as an amateur much of his life developing trade and settlement in architect, although the term gentleman architect, the American Colonies, retired to London, but, proposed by Howard Colvin, seems more accurate, shocked by the plight of abandoned children in the and his projects were certainly prestigious. capital, set about establishing a Hospital to receive Jacobsen’s career and designs are surveyed homeless infants, where they might be safely brought elsewhere; this paper is solely concerned with his up and given a useful education. He secured the work for the Foundling Hospital, which is particularly support of numerous members of the aristocracy and fully documented. Although he was identified as the gentry, petitioned the King in and secured a architect in The History of The Foundling Hospital in Royal Charter to establish the Hospital in . , that work also disclosed that three other One of the original signatories named in the architects competed unsuccessfully in , but did Charter was Theodore Jacobsen. Of German not name them. This article reveals that they were descent, he was a successful merchant in the John James, George Dance and George Sampson, Steelyard, the London headquarters of the Hanseatic and establishes that the architect John Sanderson was trade. His interest in and knowledge of architecture the surveyor before James Horne, and had himself had already been displayed when his proposals for produced a design in January ; as had George rebuilding East India House, the Company’s Dance. Thereafter Sanderson had the bricklaying headquarters, had been accepted in . Despite contract. It shows that Horne, who was also being involved in a lengthy legal dispute with the responsible for some practical design details, had Hanse towns, his business activities clearly left him been succeeded as surveyor by Henry Keene by May well off and with enough leisure to pursue other . The elevations of the forecourt colonnades interests. The new Foundling Hospital was among
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Fig. . Thomas Hudson, Theodore Jacobsen , , presented to the Foundling Hospital by the artist. By courtesy of the Trustees of the Foundling Museum.
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL the most important of these activities. He was one of pipes, etc.”. Curiously, nothing more is heard of thirty people present at the first recorded meeting of Sanderson’s plan, but at the same meeting ( January the charity in November , and contributed £ ) the Committee “received a Plan from Mr George as a founding Governor. Dance for a new Hospital of a square of feet Thereafter Jacobsen was among the most active within the Walls with a Collonade all round, and an Governors and attended meetings regularly for the area of feet between the columns and to contain next eighteen years. All Governors were members of Wards; which he estimated to cost £ , and the Court, which met four times a year, but the day- computed that in the Wards Beds may be to-day business was conducted by the General conveniently placed” . This was George Dance senior, Committee, meeting fortnightly and often more Clerk of Works to the City of London, who had just frequently, to which fifty Governors, including completed his best-known work, the Mansion House. Jacobsen, were initially elected. In practice only It soon became clear that there were objections to around ten regularly attended the General Committee; the Montagu House scheme, not least that the Duke Jacobsen remained a member of it until April , might not be entitled to sanction the proposed hardly ever missing a meeting, apart from a gap of conversion. Moreover, an alternative proposal was to some three months in the winter of /. hand, for the Earl of Salisbury was prepared to sell his The new Charity needed a home and the first fields “against Great Ormond Street” as the site for a meetings were devoted to finding one. The Duke of new building. It was therefore “Resolved that it is the Montagu offered to lease Montagu House (later opinion of this Committee not at present to engage in taken by the British Museum) and in December building”, and other Governors, including Captain Jacobsen was one of those sent, with John Sanderson, Coram, were deputed to negotiate the purchase of the already the Hospital’s surveyor, to view it and assess land. At a meeting on October the General the cost of conversion. This immediately introduces Committee was “empowered to purchase of the earl of us to the closely-knit world of architects, surveyors, Salisbury his two pasture fields, containing thirty four and craftsmen, for Jacobsen would also work with acres of land on the north side of Ormond Street, Sanderson on Trinity College, Dublin, together with between Lamb’s Conduit and Southampton Row for another who would be later involved with the a scite to build an Hospital upon” . building of the Hospital, Henry Keene. A temporary home for the charity was found in a The General Committee also called for information house belonging to Sir Fisher Tench in Hatton to be collected about similar establishments abroad, Garden. In December , the Committee directed including those in Paris and Amsterdam, and in four Governors, Captain Coram, Theodore Jacobsen, January Sanderson was requested to view other Robert Nesbitt and Nathaniel Newnham to view it hospitals, as well as to estimate for the cost of and see what was necessary to be done to the house. conversion of Montagu House. He concluded that The composition of this group is interesting, in view repairs to the house would cost £, s d, and of the dramatic dispute which broke out amongst the redoing the rooms a further £ , but that the result governing body less than a year later. The report on would provide beds. Already the idea of a purpose- the property was favourable and a lease was taken out built Hospital was being discussed and Sanderson on it. Staff were engaged and the first foundlings produced his own plan for a new building, to contain admitted in April . At the same time negotiations as many beds as the conversion of Montagu House. proceeded for the purchase of the Earl of Salisbury’s He estimated this to cost £ , , “besides all fields and a satisfactory price of £, was agreed outside paveing, fence, walling, draines, shores, lead for four fields, comprising acres, with the Earl
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL making a donation of £ to the charity, thus reducing Consideration upon Monday next the th instant at the price to £, . eleven in the forenoon precisely, and that the Secretary Shortly after this a dispute occurred, involving do send a particular Summons to every Member of this Committee to attend upon this Occasion Jacobsen, which resulted in a permanent rift between acquainting them with the Business. Thomas Coram and the rest of the Governors. As noted above, Coram and Jacobsen had worked Seventeen members (including Captain Coram) together to find a home for the Hospital and there is attended the next meeting but, before the report was no obvious sign of friction between them. However, considered, Jacobsen and Martin Folkes, a Vice the minutes of the General Committee on October President, withdrew. It was record that Resolved, nemine contradicente, that after the strictest Whereas the Committee is informed that some Examination and Inquiry it appears to this Committee Gentlemen who have attended the Execution of this that the Information given by Mary Rayner and others Charity have been grossly aspersed in their late Nurses in this Hospital containing several Characters, resolved that it be referred to Lord Charles scandalous Insinuations and Aspersions upon Martin Cavandish, Mr Milner, Mr Hume Campbell, Mr Folkes and Theodore Jacobsen Esquires, two of the Taylor White, Mr Waple, Mr Joseph Hankey, Mr Governors of this Hospital are Unjust, False, Adair, Mr Hucks and Mr Nettleton or any three of Groundless and Malicious. Resolved that the them to inquire into the Promoters of such Reports promoting and spreading of Accusations or and to report the Facts as they shall appear to them Aspersions upon the Characters of Gentlemen who and that they do meet on Saturday next at five in the are diligent in the Execution of this Charity tends to Afternoon exactly and have a power to adjourn and the ruin of it, by preventing their attendance. Resolved that the Secretary do acquaint them therewith. that it appears to this Committee that Mr Thomas Coram one of the Governors of this Hospital has been It is usually stated that the origin of these aspersions principally concerned in promoting and spreading the was a letter, signed only with the initials G.W. said Aspersions on the said two Governors. Resolved However, the reference to the slander is the first item that it appears to this Committee that Dr Nesbitt another of the Governors of this Hospital was very in the minutes, after which the Committee moved on early acquainted by Mary Rayner and other Nurses to regular business, and only at the very end of the with the said Aspersions and did not take Measures meeting did the Secretary “read a letter from G.W. proper to discountenance the same contrary to what in dated th of September representing many Justice was due to the Governors of this Hospital and Irregularities in the Hospital and proceeded to the Character of the Gentlemen aspersed. Resolved examine Evidence concerning same” . It seems likely that the diligent and constant Attendance of Martin Folkes and Theodore Jacobsen Esquires, two of the that the slander and the complaint by G.W. may have Governors of this Hospital, and their indefatigable been connected, but it is not certain. Zeal in the Execution of their Trust have been highly Whatever the truth of the matter, the General beneficial to this Charity and deserve the Thanks of all Committee on October proceeded to examine the who wish well to it, and that the Thanks of this evidence concerning the irregularities in the Committee be returned accordingly, and that this Committee hope they will continue to act in the same Hospital set out in the letter, while on November Manner. They being satisfied nothing can contribute Mr Taylor White reported from the Gentlemen to more to the Welfare and Prosperity of the Hospital. whom it was referred to inquire into the Promoters of Resolved that the Papers this Day read to the Reports grossly aspersing the Characters of some Committee from the Gentlemen to whom it was Gentlemen who have attended the execution of this referred to inquire into the Promoters of the before Charity; and delivered to this Committee the original mentioned reports be sealed up by Mr Milner, Mr proceedings under the said reference; resolved that Folkes, and Mr Burrell, Vice Presidents, and be kept this Committee will take the said Report into by the Secretary.
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We shall probably never know the full details of this Coram; ordered that one of the Prints framed be sent affair and the sealed papers have long since to Captain Coram from the Committee”. This was disappeared, but on December the Committee the plan and elevation of the new building engraved recorded that the information given by Nurse Rayner by Roberts after a drawing by Jeremiah Robinson, and other nurses whereby Mrs Sarah Wood the chief published on July , which gives us the best nurse “is charged with Immodesty, Dishonesty and impression of Jacobsen’s overall design for the still Drunkenness, and their Insinuations that she had unfinished building (Fig. ). Then, when Coram miscarried in this Hospital are groundless and died in , aged , he was buried at his own malicious”. Nonetheless, they concluded that “the request in the vaults of the new chapel, and on this Affairs of the Hospital under the care of the said occasion many of the Governors attended to pay Sarah Wood have been very improperly managed” their respects. and they resolved to dismiss her immediately, only The Court meeting in December , attended paying her wages to Christmas ( i.e. a further two days). by both Coram and Jacobsen, had agreed to ask the Despite all this, both Coram and Jacobsen General Committee “to consider of a plan for continued their regular attendance of the Committee building an Hospital for this Charity” , and gave until the following May, but when Coram attended them the power “to call to their assistance any of the the Court meeting on May he was not re-elected to Governors and Guardians of this Hospital to the General Committee. This effectively ended his consider the said plan”. The following February official connection with the charity to which he had the General Committee appointed a sub-committee devoted so much time and effort. There is a later for the new building; this included Jacobsen, but not report from Mr Collingwood, Secretary of the Coram. They in turn agreed to meet on the Hospital from , which paints a pathetic picture following Friday at Meyer’s Coffee House in King’s of Coram “sitting in the Courts of the Hospital in his Street, Bloomsbury, together with Sanderson, to red Coat distributing with Tears in his Eyes consider the plans. Perhaps someone (Captain Gingerbread to the Children, himself being at the Coram?) objected to this procedure, because on time supported by Subscription” . March the General Committee agreed that they Was the design of the new Hospital the cause of would elect by ballot, rather than appoint, the the dispute between Coram and Jacobsen? Certainly Committee for Building. A ballot was duly held for a Coram’s last act at the Court meeting in May was to new Committee on March and the Duke of register the only vote against letting a contract for Richmond, Lord Lovell, Joseph Hankey, Alexander making bricks for the new building. He also held on Hume Campbell, Theodore Jacobsen, John to the original petition to the King to set up the Laroche, Taylor White, The Earl of Abercorn, Lord charity and the book of the subscriptions towards Charles Cavendish, William Adair and John Waple the building. The General Committee had to ask the were elected. Secretary to write and ask for their return, “they The minutes of the meeting on March had also having an immediate occasion for them”. Coram was returned thanks to “Mr Dance and Mr Horne, in due course persuaded to part with the records, having offered to this Committee to design or survey but he kept the Committee waiting for almost two the intended building gratis” . It has often been years. Equally, there was some belated attempt to assumed that Jacobsen’s designs were preferred restore relations with the ageing founder, when in because he offered his services free, but this indicates “Mr Mead proposed that one of the Prints of that Dance also offered his services for nothing, as this Hospital should be sent as a Present to Captain did James Horne, the surveyor. Horne worked as
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Fig. . Jeremiah Robinson, engraved by Henry Roberts, view of the Foundling Hospital from the south, July . By courtesy of the Trustees of Sir John Soane’s Museum.
surveyor to the project until when he left to act agreed to Thomas Scott making a quantity of best in the same capacity for Jacobsen at the Royal stock bricks at twelve shillings a thousand. But the Hospital at Haslar. It was presumably because he General Committee were incensed at this improper did not offer his services free that Sanderson was procedure and ordered that Scott should stop work. dropped in favour of Horne in . The fact that Instead they resolved that a notice should be Sanderson was subsequently to be given the contract published seeking sealed bids for making stock for doing the all brickwork for the new building bricks and further resolved that no sub-committee suggests he was not in a position to offer his services should have the power to make any contracts, “but for nothing. He was also to work with Jacobsen such are Conditional to be Approved by the General again, this time on Trinity College, Dublin. Committee”. It is tempting to see the hand of By then another proposal had been received, on Captain Coram here, and it was certainly the last March, from George Sampson, Surveyor to the Bank meeting of the General Committee which he of England, offering plans and an elevation of a attended. In fact the contract with Scott went ahead, “proper building for an Hospital”. Jacobsen had although it was thought necessary for it to be ratified revised Sampson’s plans for the new Bank of England by the Court on May, when Coram registered the and the two had worked closely on the project. only vote against. No doubt encouraged by all this interest, the This was the first of a great many contracts for Building Committee reported in May that they had bricks, which, like every other contract related to the
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL building, was let and approved by the General That the Plan delivered by Mr Dance marked No Committee, who subsequently approved the paying and delivered therewith is too Expensive and stands of the bills. This detailed process is all recorded in on too much Ground. It consists of a Quadrangle whose Side within the Building is yards or the Minutes and gives us a very complete picture of feet. The area contains , square yards, ie , the building of the Hospital. square feet. The Building would contain squares The General Committee also had a clear idea of exclusive of a Colonade of columns. It is estimated the building that they wanted and specified their by Mr Dance at £ , but at £ a square will cost requirements precisely. On May they resolved that £ , besides the colonnade and paveing the area. In this Plan there is no Chapel. This is proposed to construction should start as soon as possible and the contain beds or children. Hospital should be built in stages, the first phase “as shall be capable of containing two hundred children. Mr James’s and Mr Jacobsen’s Plans are a Quadrangle And that the building be composed of two stories open on the Side next Red Lyon Street, on the and an attick storey, the wards to be twenty four feet Opposite Side is proposed the Chappel; the other wide, and that there be an arcade to each wing the Two Sides are proposed for the Hospital of which one only is proposed at present to be built. whole length of the building” . They further resolved that the “plan proposed by Mr Jacobsen and the These being the two Plans which to them seemed best plan proposed by Mr Waple be given to Mr Taylor calculated to answer the Purposes of this Hospital, we White to procure the opinion of builders on them or have considered wherein they differ. to procure any other plans for the consideration of There follows an extremely detailed table of the building committee”. Nothing further is heard of comparison of the two plans, giving relative Mr Waple’s plan (he was another Governor and a dimensions and costs and coming to the following member of the Building Committee elected on conclusion: March), but on June Mr James “attended the That the Committee were of the Opinion that the Committee with the Plan of an Hospital designed by Method of placing four Beds together as proposed by him for their Consideration” ; this, with all others, Mr James is not so proper for an Hospital for Children was referred to the Building Committee. It was also as being too close liable to be kept dirty, especially if agreed that a notice should be put in the Daily divided by Partitions as proposed. And they were also Advertiser , stating that the Governors had “fixed of Opinion that Double Wards as proposed by Mr upon a Plan of an Hospital designed to be erected by Jacobsen are more convenient than single as proposed by Mr James, as they will be warmer in Winter, cooler them, they are ready to contract for the digging of the in Summer and easier kept clean. And they were of Foundations of the same, and that any Person willing Opinion that Mr Jacobsen’s Plan will be executed at a to undertake the same may deliver in their Proposals less Expense, as it is built in a much smaller Area and at their Hospital in Hatton Garden” . that it will in this Wing now proposed to be built On June the General Committee received contain children and such Rooms as for the present will serve for your General Court, Committees, Officers a report from the Building Committee that & Servants and also necessary offices. And therefore they have had Four Plans only delivered to them, were of Opinion that it will best answer the Purposes of which were presented to this Hospital by Mr Sampson, this Hospital. And they were also of Opinion that the Mr Dance, Mr James and Mr Jacobsen . Western Wing thereof ought to be immediately proceeded upon, which they submitted to the general They are of the Opinion that the Plan delivered by Mr Consideration of this General Meeting. Resolved that Sampson which was delivered therewith marked No , this General Meeting do agree to the said Report and is much too small to answer the Purposes of this that the General Committee be desired to carry unto Hospital. immediate execution Mr Jacobsen’s plan.
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Fig. . P. Fourdrinier, engraved plan and elevations of the Foundling Hospital, between June and July . By courtesy of the Trustees of Sir John Soane’s Museum.
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James was in attendance and was called in to receive and they resolved that one be sent to every the thanks of the General Meeting “for the great Governor. An example of what is probably the plan pains he had taken in preparing the plan approved of referred to is in George Dance’s collection of for this Hospital and for his great service therein”. engravings in Sir John Soane’s Museum (Fig. ). This must have been the well-known architect and The Committee agreed to meet on September architectural writer John James ( c. – ), who to lay the foundation stone, but this was subsequently had been Surveyor to the Fifty New Churches and postponed to September. They did, however, had worked for many members of the nobility. He decide to seek other bids for making bricks. But no had worked with Jacobsen as Surveyor for East India other proposals came forward and, since it was House a dozen years earlier, and may even have been Horne’s opinion “that it would be proper to have the responsible for Jacobsen’s architectural training. Bricks made as early in the Spring as possible in The two men obviously knew each other well and order for the Covering in the Building early”, it was came up with broadly similar plans, both of which agreed that Thomas Scott should make a further could be constructed in a series of discrete phases, million bricks. On September Jacobsen reported starting with the west wing. that it would be necessary to build a shed by the wall Jacobsen’s design was preferred for the reasons of the burying ground, for grinding bricks; he also given, and, despite phased construction, was very informed the Committee that the estimate for a new largely completed in accordance with the original sewer of ft, designed and planned by Horne, was designs. The plan consisted of three sides of a £ , and this was approved. Sanderson’s contract rectangle, with the west and east wings forming the was signed, specifying that he would dig the vaults main Hospital and the chapel the third side, linked and foundations of the western wing and do the to the wings by arcades. In external appearance the brickwork for the same. building was severe and unornamented, as befitted a The meeting received the following report of the charitable institution. The wings were terminated by laying of the foundation stone: pairs of rectangular pavilions at the ends and had The Secretary acquainted the Committee that on central pedimented projections on the outward- Thursday last pursuant to the Order of this facing elevations; the courtyard sides were arcaded at Committee for laying the Foundation Stone and Mr ground level (Fig. ). Several of these features Horne’s apprehending that an Inscription in the said recurred in Jacobsen’s designs for the Royal Naval Stone might be destroyed by Salt Petre, a Copper Plate Hospital at Haslar and Trinity College, Dublin. was prepared to be bedded in the said Stone between two Plates of milled Lead and covered with another Having decided on the plan, the Committee Stone, and that the Foundation Stone being placed at invited tenders for the building work. John the South East corner of the West Wing, John Milner Sanderson, who had first acted as surveyor, could Esq in the presence of Mr Jacobsen and Mr Sainthill not afford to work for nothing and had been replaced put in the said Plate whereon is the following on June by James Horne, who offered his services Inscription: The Foundation of this Hospital was laid on the th of September, George nd . free. Sanderson tendered for the brickwork and was awarded the contract on July. Jacobsen was party On October the Committee decided that the to all these decisions and his overall supervision of cornice of the Hospital should be done in stone, the work seems to have been continuous. In instead of brick as initially intended, “that of stone September he was thanked by the General being more durable and not much greater expense”. Committee for having copies of his plan for the The design of the cornice was left to Horne, who Hospital engraved and printed at his own expense, proposed a stone “truss”, to be made by John
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Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. Arcade beneath the west wing, subsequently enclosed to become the boys’ dining room. English Heritage.
Devall, the mason, at the cost of seven shillings and In March the brickmaker Scott was asked to rail six pence a running foot. John Sanderson was also off “so much of the Ground where the Building is instructed to check that Scott was not trying to pass now erecting as will be sufficient for making Bricks, off any bad bricks. framing the Timber, and other works necessary for The building was obviously progressing and in carrying on the Building”, and Horne was instructed February the Committee advertised for to provide enough stock bricks to lay the foundation carpenters. Contracts for this work were issued of the arcade, which Sanderson should proceed to jointly to Messrs Timbrell and Spencer and Mr John build (Fig. ). Phillips. At the same time a deal was done with the On June Mr Alexander’s tender “for the iron New River Company, who wanted to lay their pipes necessary for the Chimneys to be built in this across the Hospital’s land; this provided for the Hospital” was accepted and still more bricks had to company to supply water to the Hospital for £ be ordered from a second supplier, Daniel Harrison. annually without any advance. In September Edward Ives was contracted for
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Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. View of the Boys’ Wing from the west, . By courtesy of the Trustees of the Foundling Museum.
plumbing work, “including Lead Gutters, Hipps, John Devall proposed “a coping of Portland Stone Ridges, Valleys, Rain Water Pipes and Cistern ft. ins. wide, with a Throat with proper Breaks as Heads, including Soder [ sic ] Holdfasts and fixing up in the Design, cramping and running with Lead”, Carriage and Nails”. Richard Hughes’s proposal for and that too was accepted at the same meeting. slating was accepted, namely The new building was now so advanced that Horne advised it was necessary to have a watchman to slate the said house with the best Westmorland Slates to lay them upon good Oak Laths or good Fir on site, to attend all day Sundays to prevent mischief. Laths of half an inch thick and half wide and to nail all In December we also have the first of a number of the Laths with Four Penny Clout Nail, to nail all the references to Horne’s father, Thomas, who “would Slates upon the Rafters and Purlines with Eight Penny be glad of £ upon account of surveying the and Six Penny Clout Nails, to point all the Slates Workmen”. He is formerly recorded as a joiner, and Wither Side with good Lime and Hair and to perform was presumably earning a pension by helping out on all in a good and workmanlike Manner. the project.
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In February the Committee chose Lancelot their Work and in particular in putting up the Dowbiggen and William Spiers for the work in fitting Staircase, ordered that notice be immediately given to Messers Dowbiggen and Spiers that this Committee up the interior, once again providing very detailed do expect Twenty Men at least be constantly employed specifications; for example, doors of different pattern by them in order to compleat the Work …. On failure and quality were required, including “two inch Panel thereof Mr Horne the Surveyor is to imploy other Doors framed in Six Panels, the framing wrought persons to perfect the Work. with an Ovolo and the Panels raised with a Bead on both Sides ganging included…in all respects as It was not until October that the building was ready good as the Specimen or be returned”. enough for meetings to be held there, rather than in There was some concern that work was not the Hatton Garden house, and even then the Court making enough progress and Horne was asked to Room was unfinished, for in January the inform the slater that if his work was not done by Steward paid Mr Wilton’s foreman the not very March the penalty clause in his contract would be generous sum of one guinea “as a gratuity to be invoked. The carpenter was instructed to make sash distributed by the said Foreman to himself and the frames and flooring and the best crown glass was other Workmen employed in doing the Ceiling of the ordered for the sashes from Bowles at Cockhill. Court Room, the Work and the Materials being the Jonathan Crooke was appointed plasterer and the Gift of Mr Wilton to this Hospital” (a contribution Committee approved a proposal of Benjamin Lovett that was later valued at £ ). And it was not until the for painting “to be done three times in Oyl Colours” . following December that Devall’s men also received The carpenter was asked to board up the lower a guinea as a reward “for their extraordinary trouble windows to prevent any damage and in May it in the chimney piece put up in the Court Room, the was decided to insure the still unfinished structure benefaction of the said Mr Devall” . This mantelpiece against fire for £, . incorporated the fine marble relief representing By August Horne had prepared a scheme for Charity made and donated by Rysbrack, while John inclosing the front of the hospital, “leaving forty feet Sanderson presented the carved pine sidetable, with against the road, to be filled up with a gate for green Grecian marble top, that still faces the fireplace coaches and two side gates for foot passengers ”, and on the other side of the room. was employing labourers to level the ground. It is not clear who actually designed the Court Jacobsen supervised this, as well as agreeing with Mr Room (Fig. ). The main feature is the famous series Alexander the design of the iron railings for the of paintings in specially designed wooden frames front. In October Dr Taylor White, the Treasurer, (probably made by William Linnell), contributed presented plans of the garden around the hospital by Hogarth and others. It is known that Linnell and in December we find him securing “the plants made frames for pictures given by Monamy and appropriate to the Physick Garden of the Hospital, Casali (for the chapel) and that he had offered a as specified by Dr Conyers”. “curious carved frame” as a gift to the Hospital, So by the beginning of it appeared that the which was rejected, probably because it was west wing was almost ready to move into (Fig. ). In considered too ornate. He was asked to frame the fact, there was an irritating number of small jobs still Monamy “agreeable to the pattern of those in the outstanding, and at the General Committee on general court room”, which suggests that he had April made those too. But the whole room presents a coherent and carefully thought out scheme and it is Several of the Gentlemen having observed that the Joiners at this Hospital make very slow Progress in tempting to attribute its overall conception to
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Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. View of the Court Room. By courtesy of the Trustees of the Foundling Museum.
Jacobsen, rather than Hogarth, since he already had £ , representing Britannia receiving the offerings experience of creating a not dissimilar interior. This of India. A watercolour by T.H. Shephard shows was the Court Room for his first building, East India the East India House Court Room to have been a House; in six oils, representing Calcutta, much more classical, less rococo interior than the Madras, Bombay, Tellicherry, Cape Town, and Foundling Hospital’s equivalent, but there is a gap of St Helena, were painted by George Lambert and fifteen years between the two (Fig. ). Samuel Scott for the Room and set in architectural It was in December that a group of well- frames. Both artists subsequently offered works to known artists pledged to present examples of their the Foundling Hospital (although only Lambert’s work to the Hospital, most of whom subsequently piece survives). Another parallel was provided by the did so. At the same time, a Committee was set up, Rysbrack overmantel; he had also supplied a marble comprising Jacobsen, Hogarth, Rysbrack and relief at East India House in April , at a cost of Frederick Zinke, the miniaturist, to “consider of
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Fig. . T.H.Shephard, The Court Room, East India House, c. . By courtesy of the Trustees of the British Library.
what further Ormaments may be added to this fixed it up in the Hospital, for which he did not Hospital without any expence to the Charity”. Earlier, charge. Snagging continued for some time in the in July, it had been resolved “that Mr Jacobsen be completed wing and in June Jacobsen was desired to favour this hospital with his picture for the requested “to give such directions concerning the great services done by him for the good thereof”, repairing or rebuilding such part of the walls of this and this resulted in Thomas Hudson’s portrait hospital which were damaged by the frost or preserved in the collection (Fig. ). otherwise”. As late as November four double The west wing is shown completed in John branches were provided to illuminate the Court Rocque’s map of London, and one of the last Room, and in the following May thanks were jobs reported was on March of that year, when the returned to Messrs. Monamy, Whale and distinguished clockmaker John Ellicott took down Gainsborough for presenting their pictures; we may the clock in the Hatton Garden house, cleaned it and assume that the project was finished by that date.
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Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. Interior of the Chapel, looking east, . By courtesy of the Trustees of the Foundling Museum.
Apart from the Court Room, the interior of the places. Its large rooms are wainscoted with the names Hospital was mostly plain, but its spirit was well of benefactors, set forth in goodly order like the tables caught by W. H. Wills, writing in Dickens’s magazine of the law. Its broad staircases, with balustrades such as elephants might construct if they took to building Household Words in March : arts, not only lead to long dining rooms, long bedroom It is a commodious roomy comfortable building, airily galleries, long lavatories, long schoolrooms and lecture situated though within advertisement distance of halls, for the [blank] children; but to other rooms, with Temple Bar, which, as everybody knows, is precisely listed doors and Turkey carpets, which the greatest ten minutes walk. It stands in its own grounds, cosily English painters have lent their aid to adorn. surveying its own shady arcades, its own turf, and its own high trees….It preserves a warm, old fashioned, In March Jacobsen had been “desired to lay rich-relation kind of gravity, strongly indicative of before the General Committee a plan for the building Bank Stock. Its confidential servants have comfortable a Chappel for this Hospital” and the foundation
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Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. Interior of the Chapel, looking west, . English Heritage.
stone was laid on May . The building of the of concerts given by the composer in support of the Chapel followed much the same pattern as the West Hospital. These soon came to consist of performances Wing and involved many of the same workmen of Messiah , although the first concert was comprised (Figs. and ). The first problem was to find the of extracts from recent works, including the oratorio money, and a book of subscriptions was opened for Solomon and the Music for the Royal Fireworks , this purpose. A feature of the appeal was a series of together with the anthem Blessed are they that consider Ladies’ Breakfasts, with tickets at two shillings and the Poor , composed specially for the occasion. sixpence, but the most famous contributor was Despite all these efforts, the money for the Chapel Handel, who offered to perform a concert of music did not come in easily at first and there was some to raise funds for the finishing of the chapel. This discussion in the Committee of adopting a less took place on May , and was the first of a series ambitious plan, omitting the arcades (Fig. ).
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Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. Arcade below the Chapel gallery, . English Heritage.
However, in August they decided to revert to the After this, the work progressed smoothly, original plan and dimensions, including the arcades although in September the Committee observed at either end and vaults beneath, at an estimated cost that the framing of the roof “varys from the drawing, of £, s d. Some changes were allowed, as which they are generally displeased with; and when Devall purchased two Venetian windows at the require that the same may be finished conformable to Canons House sale for £ s and offered to the drawing and that Mr Spencer do take Mr incorporate them into the Chapel for the same price; Jacobsen’s direction therein”. In December it was unfortunately they proved to be too large. Mr Miller agreed to go ahead with turning the arches in the and Mr Baker made further vast quantities of bricks vault, even though this would exceed the money and in March Sanderson was instructed to begin already subscribed, but it was “absolutely necessary the foundations, with Jacobsen directing what was to proceed”. necessary in terms of planking and piling. The funding situation improved dramatically in
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Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. Chapel gallery in , showing Wilton’s “flowers to suffeits between groynes” and the pews of Norway oak. English Heritage.
March , when “the Governors were encouraged [sic ] between groynes; etc.” (Fig. ). There were still by Thomas Emerson, a late worthy Governor, to details of the fitting out to be considered. In undertake the East Wing, in which the Girls are now February Mr Wragg, the King’s smith, offered to kept separate from the Boys; who at his decease left make the iron rails for the altar and Jacobsen and the Residue of his Estate, amounting to upwards of Hogarth were asked to consult with him about the £ , , to this Hospital”. It was resolved to ask design. These rails can be seen in photographs of the Sanderson to make a start on digging the foundations chapel taken in the s. On April the General of the east wing forthwith. In April, Spencer was Committee reported that Chevalier Cassali had doing the general bracketing work in the Chapel, and finished the picture for the altar and requested that it Mr Wilton was busy making “stucco on brick; Ionick be sent to the hospital to be framed by Mr Linnell cornice enriched; superficial plain swelling frieze “in the manner that Mr Jacobsen shall direct”. and cornice; circular glasses and flowers to suffeits Again, Jacobsen was asked to supervise the erection
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL of the pews and benches, to be made from Norway Hospital with its Colonnades and Building and oak and to give directions for the installation of a making the Avenue to the Hospital. It was Keene, moving pulpit. A turret clock, capable of going for however, who produced “several uprights of the thirty hours, was ordered, under Mr Ellicott’s Buildings and Colonnades according to the plans direction, at a cost of £ and this is also visible in before approved for the new Inclosure” on June. the pre-demolition photographs. As often happens towards the end of a job, some Handel had presented an organ to the Chapel, of the workmen began to slacken off, so that in October made by Morse of Barnet, and this was inaugurated the Treasurer had to inform the General Court on May , at the first performance of Messiah given in the Foundling Hospital. This was so of the great neglect of the Carpenter, Mason, and Bricklayer in carrying on the works at this Hospital, popular that it had to be repeated on May, when resolved that it be recommended to the General George Harris attended with Hudson and recorded Committee that no more money be paid to any of the that “Handel [was] out of humour about the organ. said Workmen, until the Committee shall be satisfied The altar piece in the chappel of the Hospital done of their speedy and effectual carrying on their several by Cassali. Saw the pictures given by Hudson, works; and that Mr Keene the surveyor be desired to Hogarth, Heighmore, & hung up in some certify when they shall do so; and that the Messenger acquaint the Committee from time to time what apartments of the Hospital” . A week earlier, the number of Hands are severally employed in the General Court had resolved that thanks “be given to respective works daily. Thomas Jacobsen Esq for his excellent plan of the building of the chapel of this hospital, and his great This seems to have had the desired effect, for by care and trouble in seeing the execution thereof”. February Jacobsen was asked to give directions The east wing now progressed quickly. No doubt for the fitting up of the new wing “in such manner as all concerned had learnt lessons from the work he shall think proper” . already completed. Richard Hughes, the slater, was The end of the project was signalled by a at work by October and Mr Baker was resolution of the General Court on May , complaining that he had made upwards of one “that the thanks of this Court be given to Mr million bricks, for which he had not yet been paid. Jacobsen, for his great attention and care in carrying Indeed, the strict organisation seems to have been on the Buildings of this Hospital on the approved slipping somewhat it was reported “that there has plan made out by him”. A formal report was made to been a neglect of entering into proper contracts” . It the Court in June of the following year, relating the was resolved that “all contracts shall be entered in a progress of the charity from its establishment in book and signed by the respective workmen”. . This reveals that a total of £ , s d had Perhaps this lack of discipline was connected with been spent on building the Hospital. the departure of the surveyor, James Horne, who There were still things to be done, of course, and went to work on another of Jacobsen’s designs, the Jacobsen’s final contribution was the design, Royal Hospital at Haslar, until his death in . presented in May , of a receiving room and porch Henry Keene, who was shortly to work with John at the gates, to cope with the expected influx of Sanderson on Jacobsen’s design for Trinity College, children, following a parliamentary vote of £ , to Dublin, had replaced him at the Foundling Hospital the work of the Hospital. In April of the following by May . year he finally left the General Committee, and after On June Jacobsen laid before the almost eighteen years his connection with the committee a plan “for inclosing the area before the Foundling Hospital seems to have ceased entirely.
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Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. One of the forecourt colonnades in . English Heritage.
Although there is no hint of any rift, it is a little twentieth century, but was sold and pulled down in surprising that when Theodore Jacobsen died in , when the Court Room, the Picture Gallery, the he left nothing to the Foundling Hospital. He did, West Wing Staircase and some other fittings were however, make a bequest of £ to “the President incorporated into the new building at Brunswick and Governors [of the Hospital] for the Relief of and Square, now the Foundling Museum. The site of the Support of sick, maimed and disabled seamen”. Hospital itself became a children’s playground, This was the Royal Hospital at Haslar, for which he although the forecourt colonnades (Fig. ), front had made the designs in . His allegiance had gates, and some perimeter buildings survive. It is clearly been transferred there, but his most personal only from contemporary engravings, pre-demolition monument remained the Foundling Hospital. As this photographs, and a good model in the Museum that study has shown, he was closely involved in all we can get any real impression of what the Hospital aspects of the building and played a much more building was like (Fig. ). Had it survived, perhaps active part than has previously been supposed. Jacobsen’s reputation too would have emerged from The Foundling Hospital survived into the the obscurity that he has long enveloped it.
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to re-scan
Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. View from the south, . By courtesy of the Trustees of the Foundling Museum.
NOTES Jam (ed.), Les Divertissements Utiles: des amateurs All the above information comes from The Foundling au XVIIIe siècle , Clermont-Ferrand, , – . Hospital General Committee Minutes [London, London This is a useful essay, but it does not revisit the Metropolitan Archives, A/PH/A/ /], except as stated primary sources. I am most grateful to Richard below. Hewlings for drawing my attention to this study and for much other assistance. The date of his birth is unknown, but in his uncle’s R. H. Nichols and F.A. Wray, The History of the will of it is stated that if Theodore should die Foundling Hospital , London, ; R. K. McClure, before attaining the age of twenty one, his Coram’s Children: The London Foundling Hospital inheritance should be divided between his brothers in the Eighteenth Century, New Haven and London, and cousins [P. Norman, “Notes on the later history . On the collection, see Benedict Nicholson, of the Steelyard in London”, Archaeologia , LXI, The Treasures of the Foundling Hospital , Oxford, London, , – ]. He is recorded doing , and David Solkin, Painting for Money, New business with the East India Company in May Haven and London, . [London, British Library, Court Minutes B ], so it Norman, loc. cit.. seems safe to place his birth in the s. All the papers relating to the Hospital are lodged in Howard Colvin, “What we mean by amateur” in the London Metropolitan Archives. These include The role of the amateur architect. Papers given at the full sets of Minute Books for the Court and the Georgian Group Symposium, London , –. General Committee, which are the source of most of Forthcoming, in the Festschrift for Peter Harbison , the detail given in this paper. There are also papers Princeton, . There is also a recent study of of particular officers of the Hospital, although most Jacobsen by Jacques Carré, “Theodore Jacobsen: of these date from a later period than that considered commerce, philanthropie et architecture,” in J–L here.
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Edward McParland, Public Architecture in Ireland Sanderson’s own plan, mentioned above, but refers – , New Haven and London, . to his time as the building contractor. Minutes of March , “referred the translations W. Marston Acres, The Bank of England from of the establishments of the Hospitals in Paris and within , London, , I, –; Richard Hewlings, Amsterdam to the Committee for transacting the “Roger Morris and the Bank of England”, Georgian affairs of the Hospital”. Group Journal , VIII, , – . Howard Colvin, A Biographical Dictionary of As an example of their thoroughness, here are the British Architects – , New Haven and specifications given to Scott: “That he is to make London, , – . Four Hundred Thousand of the best Stock Bricks Nichols, op.cit., , draws attention to, but does not at twelve shillings a Thousand; that he is to dig the quote from the manuscript account left by Morris Earth for making the same one hundred feet from Lievesley, Secretary to the Hospital from – ; the Centre of East Conduit Field from the Wall of the text of this (in the London Metropolitan the Burying Ground to Red Lyon Street; and that Archives) reads as follows, “Coram, the great the the digging be carried on Two Hundred Feet in good founder was driven out of his own temple of length extending from East to West and Thirty Feet mercy by cabal. Sir Thomas Bernard to whom the from North to South the said Thirty Feet to be hospital owes its building revenue was obliged to computed from the Outline of the One Hundred resign his office of treasurer by cabal – a petty Feet towards the Centre; that he be not tied down to quarrel about supremacy between Mrs Jones the the Colour grey provided he delivers a sufficient Matron and Mr McLellan the apothecary agitated a Number of that Colour for Outside Work; that he is numerous portion of the governors. Those on the to be paid only for such well burnt Bricks as are side of the matron were arrayed against those on the sound and good and shall be delivered for the use of side of the apothecary. The real interests of the this Hospital at the Place of Building; that no charity were neglected and forgotten. This quarrel sammell [ie. half fired] or rotten Bricks will be occasioned the absence of all the dignified minded received for the use of the Hospital nor are any governors and threw the whole management of the Bricks to be carried off from the Hospital Land institution upon the treasurer, whose habits without leave; that all Bricks made and not received rendered him unfit to bear the burthen” . This does for the use of this Hospital the said Thomas Scott is not really fit with the account drawn from the to have the Liberty of purchasing, he paying for the Minute Books that is given here and probably relies same after the Rate of Four Shillings a Thousand or more upon traditions and memories rather than facts. of leaving them on the Premises at his own Option. Folkes was at this time also President of the Royal And that the Brick Kilns for burning the said Bricks Society and was to become first President of the and the Places necessary for making the same be Society of Antiquaries [Joan Evans, A History of the erected at the costs and charges of the said Thomas Society of Antiquaries , Oxford, ]. Scott at the North East Corner of the said Field This story is reported by Morris Lievesley in his contiguous to the Road leading from Grays Inn manuscript memoir referred to in note Lane to Hampstead and adjoining to the Road The other members were the Earl of Abercorn, going from thence to the Burying Ground”. Lord Charles Cavendish, Mr Adair, Mr Drake, Mr Colvin, op.cit., – . Laroche, Mr James Theobald, Mr Waple and Mr London, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Dance Folio of Taylor White, together with the President, Vice Engravings, No . It should be noted that this is Presidents and Treasurer. the same as the plan which Jacobsen is shown Christine Stevenson, Medicine and Magnificence, holding in Hudson’s portrait of him. British Hospital and Asylum Architecture – , Interestingly, this seems to have been Horne’s only New Haven and London, contribution to the design of the Hospital, although London, Royal Institute of British Architects, he is otherwise known as an architect. He had acted SD /, is an undated drawing by Sanderson for as clerk of the works for the formation of the the façade of the Chapel of the Hospital. This is no Serpentine in Hyde Park, so perhaps he had a more than a rough sketch, but it appears to follow special expertise in the handling of water [Colvin, Jacobsen’s design, so it is probably not related to op.cit., ].
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Helena Hayward and Pat Kirkham, William and A good description of the new Hospital was John Linnell, th century London Furniture included in John Noorthouck, A New History of Makers , London, , – London including Westminster and Southwark , William Foster, The East India house, its History London, , –: “This building consists of two and Associations, London, . The connection large wings connected by a chapel in the center; one between the Court Rooms of East India House and wing being for the boys and the other for the girls, the Foundling Hospital was first made by Brian They are directly opposite to each other, and are Allen, “The East India Company’s Settlement built in plain but regular, substantial and convenient Pictures”, in Under the Indian Sun; British manner, of brick, with handsome piazzas. It is well Landscape artists , Bombay, , – . I was suited to the purpose, and as fine as hospitals unaware of this essay when I first wrote mine and should be. In the farthest end is placed the chapel, the fact that we reached the same conclusion which is joined to the wings by an arch on each independently would seem to strengthen the case. I side, and is very elegant within. Before the hospital am very grateful to Dr Allen for drawing my is a large piece of ground, on each side of whereof is attention to his work and for many other valuable a colonnade of great length, which extends toward comments. the gates, that are double, with a massy pier between, This is now in the Council Chamber of the Foreign so that coaches may pass and repass at the same and Commonwealth Office, London time. These colonnades are now inclosed and British Library, East India Company collections contain ranges of workshops where the children are Nicholson, op.cit. , , was unaware of this reference, taught to spin, weave, and exercise other handicrafts. which not only dates the picture but indicates that The large area between the gates and the hospital is the engraving by Fourdrinier which Jacobsen holds adorned with grass, gravel walks, and lamps erected must be earlier than this date. Hudson was one of upon handsome posts: beside which there are two the artists who had offered to donate work to the convenient gardens. Hospital and so we can presume that he painted In erecting these buildings, particular care was Jacobsen for no fee. taken to render them neat and substantial, without Nichols, op.cit. , credits Dickens himself with this any costly decorations; but the first wing of the passage, but see Harry Stone, Charles Dickens, hospital was scarcely inhabited, when several Uncollected Writings from Household Words, eminent masters in painting, carving, and other – , Bloomington, , II, – . polite arts, were pleased to contribute many elegant Recorded in The Gentleman’s Magazine , XVII, ornaments, which are preserved as monuments of where it is said that Jacobsen himself laid the stone. the abilities and charitable benefactions of the Donald Burrows and Rosemary Dunhill, Music & respective artists” . Theatre in Handel’s World; the family papers of London, Family Record Centre, PROB / , James Harris – , Oxford, , . quire , April .
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII APPENDIX THE BUILDERS OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL
RICHARD HEWLINGS
he General Committee of the Foundling Hospital entered” and that no contracts “were subsisting” Tminuted the receipt of proposals from nearly all except with the plasterer William Wilton and the the building tradesmen, including those which they brickmaker William Baker. Yet at that date work on the did not accept, and it also minuted its choice. The east wing had been in progress for nearly two years. large number of competitors for the west wing (seven The committee also madepayments to other painters, nine joiners, ten carpenters and eleven tradesmen whose employment does not appear to have glaziers, for instance) contrasts with the smaller been won by public competition. Among these were number who competed for the chapel. There seems to some well-known tradesmen, the mason John Devall have been no competition for the east wing, by which and the plasterer William Wilton, for instance, who time contractual practice had evidently become more gave the more conspicuous parts of their work gratis . relaxed; on February the sub-committee Devall gave the marble chimneypiece of the Court reported that contracts had been “neglected to be Room, prominently inscribed “I. DEVALL Fecit &
Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. Court Room chimneypiece in ; the relief is by Rysbrack, the chimneypiece and overmantel are by John Devall. English Heritage.
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Donavit” (Fig. ), but charged considerable sums BRICKLAYERS. Proposals, including digging for paving and other masonry. Wilton gave the ceiling foundations, received on July . of the Court Room, valued at £ , but was paid over John Sanderson .; proposal accepted on the same £ for the rest of his work on the west wing alone, day; agreement signed on September. and gratitude for his benefaction might have helped Thomas French. him to secure the large contracts for the chapel and Philip Forrester. the east wing. The painter and gilder Samuel Leightonhouse, the brazier Thomas Bedwell and the BRICKMAKERS. Proposal accepted on carvers Messrs. Dryhurst, who also gave some part of September . their work without charge, were less well-known, Thomas Scott. Scott had been working for the but, as luxury tradesmen, their “benefactions” would Hospital since May , four months before have been conspicuous. tendering for the main contract. On June he was Some tradesmen, who were not otherwise paid for railing off his pits at the north-east corner of employed by the Hospital, also gave “benefactions”. East Conduit Field, and an agreement was reached They included the carver William (or possibly John) about their future location and the grey colour of the Linnell and the upholsterer William Reason. outside bricks. By September Scott was the only Seventy-seven master tradesmen, not counting brickmaker to have responded to the Committee’s journeymen and apprentices, aspired to work on, advertisement, and it decided to accept one million worked on, or donated work to the Foundling bricks at s. d. per thousand from a pit “contiguous Hospital. All are listed here, but it is the record of the to the Foundation now digging”, d. per thousand unsuccessful tenderers which is unusual, and worth cheaper than from his previous pit. listing with those who were successful. The latter’s names are set in bold type. CARPENTERS. Proposals received on February . WEST WING Timbrell and Spencer. Proposal accepted on the The Committee resolved on June to seek same day , jointly with John Phillips. proposals for digging foundations and for bricklayers’ John Phillips. Proposal accepted on the same day, work by advertisement in The Daily Advertiser ; jointly with Timbrell and Spencer. proposals to be submitted by July. On September Mrs Mary Gordon . Her proposal was unsuccessful, they noted that they had only had one response to their but Mary Gordon was regularly paid for small jobs advertisement for brickmakers, so they had presumably from September to July . The jobs are not also advertised for that trade shortly before. They recorded except in the east wing, where she made resolved to place an advertise ment for carpenters on bedsteads. February , proposals to be left by February. Marquand. Proposals for plumbers’ and slaters’ work were received Edwards. on September , presumably in response to Sparkling. another advertisement, as there were three and two Stevens. competitors respectively. The committee resolved to Sanderson. advertise for joiners on December , proposals to Robinson. be received by January following. They did not Lyster. resolve to seek proposals for plasterers, painters and glaziers’ work until May , to be received by June.
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Fig. . The Foundling Hospital. Staircase in ; the main stair was made by the joiners Lancelot Dowbiggin and William Spier, and the iron balustrade to the lower flights was made by the smith John Philips. English Heritage.
PLUMBERS. Proposals received on JOINERS. Proposals received on January . September . Lancelot Dowbiggin and William Spie. Proposal Edward Ives. Proposal accepted on the same day. accepted on February; agreement signed on John Painter. February. George and John Devall. Jupp and Blackden. Thomas Ellis. SLATERS. Proposals received on the same day . Charles Marquand. Richard Hughes. John Grey. Proposal accepted on September . William Lyster. Patrick Laroch. Francis Hill. Joseph Sanderson and Co. Phillips, Timbrell and Spencer.
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PAINTERS. Proposals received on June . “stone Truss cornice” alone, which was evidently Benjamin Lovett. On June he was asked to designed by James Horne rather than Jacobsen, for it attend the next meeting; his proposal was accepted was Horne who “delivered in Proposal for making” on June. it, and “annexed a draught of the same.” And it was John Hamilton. On June he was asked to Horne who was “left to make an agreement with Mr attend the next meeting. John Duvall for performing the same Work, at seven John Wright. On June James Horne was asked shillings and six pence per foot running.” On to investigate his character and Wright was asked to September John Devall [ sic ] submitted a attend the next meeting. proposal for coping; again there were no competitors. James Theebridge. Henry Wilson. SMITHS Josh. Gough. Wiliam Alexander. Mr Alexander “attended for John Thompson. contracting for the Iron necessary for the Chimneys” on June , and William Alexander was paid GLAZIERS. Proposals received on June . £ s. d. for ironmonger’s work on August Thomas and John Lovett. Proposal accepted on the . William Alexander was also paid as a brazier in same day . November and December and January . On Lambert. September Jacobsen and White were Charles Carne. instructed to agree with Alexander for making iron John Jeffkins. railings, and for fixing iron bars in the windows. William Sharpe. John Phillips. Phillips, a blacksmith, was regularly Thomas Palmer. paid for small jobs. They may have included the James Simpson. plain bar balusters of the secondary staircases, John Mackly. because in June he was asked to make these for Benjamin Oakes. the east wing “in the same manner as in the former Wiliam Hills. Wing”. He also attended the Committee on May John Hamilton. “for making black grates and cast backs”.
PLASTERERS. Proposals received on June . BRICKMAKERS Jonathan Crooke. Proposal for “common plastering Daniel Harrison. Eight months after letting the … common rendering … rough rendering … contract to Thomas Scott the need for bricks was plastering groined cove of arcades … plain plastered still unsatisfied, and on June the Hospital cornices” accepted on the same day ; it appears not to bought another , from Daniel Harrison, while have included decorative work. an order was placed with Mrs Harrison for a further Laban. , at s. per thousand. Samuel Miller. On November Miller agreed Proposals were not invited for the following trades, to provide paving bricks. but these tradesmen were employed, evidently without competition. PUMP MAKER Francis Sutton. He submitted a bill for £ s. d. on MASON May . John Devall . He agreed on December for the
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PLASTERER CHAPEL William Wilton. Wilton did not tender; yet he was The Committee agreed for bricks in September paid £ “more … in further part for his work” on . On July it resolved to advertise for July and another £ s. d. on February proposals in The Daily Advertiser , proposals to be , “over and above his benefaction of ornamenting received by August. All of the following submitted the ceiling of the General Court Room”, which proposals by the advertised date, but they were taken might have circumvented the need to tender (Figs. up in stages, the bricklayer’s almost immediately, on and ). As Jonathan Crooke agreed for the plain August , the brickmaker’s, carpenter’s, mason’s work, other decorative work by Wilton may have and slater’s on February , the smith’s apparently been in a room other than the Court Room, perhaps by April , the plumber’s by February , and the Secretary’s room or the stair. the glazier’s on September .
PAPER HANGERS BRICKMAKER Price and Hall. Their bill for £s. d. was paid on Samuel Miller. His first proposal, to make , December . bricks to be delivered within twelve feet of the foundations of the chapel, was accepted on CARVER September . Half of these were to be delivered Thomas Ady. He submitted a bill for £ s. on by June , the rest by July. Payments on June . account on June and July suggest that he delivered. His second proposal, perhaps in response UPHOLSTERER to the advertisement, was accepted on February Tristram Chambers. His bills for £ s. and £ , but on May he was reported to have left off s. d. were settled on July and January work, owing the Hospital £ s. d. , the former before the chapel was designed, and the latter when its plaster ceiling was still drying, so BRICKLAYER doubtless both relate to the west wing. John Sanderson. His proposal was accepted on August . In the course of this contract Sanderson PAINTER had a foreman called John Lee or Leigh , who valued Charles Scarlett. His bill for £ s. d. was paid bricks and slates between July and November . on July . CARPENTERS CABINET MAKER Timbrell and Spencer. The proposal of Phillips and Hallett. His bill for £ s. d. was paid on Spencer were accepted on February , but, as December . Timbrell and Spencer were partners, it is possible that Timbrell was also included. BRAZIER George Shakespear. The proposal of Phillips and Thomas Bedwell. His bill (£ s. d.) for work on Spencer were accepted on February , but the west wing was paid, very late, on December John Phillips, who did not tender, was Shakespear’s . partner, so it is possible that Shakespear was also included. Taylor and Johnson. Dowbiggin and Spier.
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Figs. . The Foundling Hospital. Details of the Court Room ceiling in , the gift of the plasterer William Wilton. English Heritage.
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MASON which they had apparently not advertised, so there John Devall. His proposal was accepted on was presumably no competition. February . PLASTERER SLATERS William Wilton. Wilton did not submit a proposal Richard Hughes. His proposal was accepted on in , but he was asked to attend the Committee February . with a proposal on May . He attended on Gar[ret]t Fitzgerald. June and his proposal was accepted. His work in the chapel was not free; he was paid £ s. d. in SMITHS instalments between November and May John Phillips. The acceptance of Phillips’s proposal . Some of it must have been complete by is not recorded, but he received £ between April December , when he asked for charcoal to be and October , when the chapel was being burnt in the chapel to dry the plaster. built. Richard Burnett. PAVIOUR John Devall. Devall did not submit a proposal in PLUMBER , but on January he was asked to submit Edward Ives. The acceptance of Ives’s proposal is one, which the Committee had already decided was not recorded, but, in addition to many small to include black marble dots in the middle “isle” and unspecified bills, his bill for “plumber’s work in the “crossings”. On January his son attended with his Chapel” was paid on February . father’s proposal, which was accepted, subject to the direction of Henry Keene, the altar step to be of GLAZIERS marble “as Mr Jacobsen shall direct”. John Lovett. Lovett’s “estimate” for the chapel was accepted on September . Presumably this was The following did not submit proposals, but were the same as the “proposal” he had delivered in on nonetheless employed on the chapel. August , over two years before. Meanwhile he had received some payments, for instance for BRICKMAKERS repairing the chapel sashes on July . William Baker , of St Marylebone. Baker took over Thomas Palmer. Miller’s contract, including the sheds which Miller had built, on May , one week after Miller was PLASTERERS reported to have left off work. There is no record of Jonathan Crook. any proposal which he may have submitted; no John Laban. doubt he indicated his willingness to adhere to Baker’s. But on November the Committee agreed PAVIOURS a second proposal for making another seven or eight Thomas Phillips. thousand bricks in at s. per thousand. He Thomas Lord. came in to sign this agreement on December. Mrs Callins. She was paid £s. for bricks for the The proposals of these plasterers and paviours were chapel on September , certified by Sanderson’s not taken up. After a gap of nearly two years the foreman, John Lee . Committee accepted proposals for these trades for
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JOINERS which Jacobsen was asked to give directions on John Spencer & Co. No separate proposals for February ; in the event it was Keene who joiner’s work were submitted, but they may have been produced a “plan” of it, approved by Jacobsen, and included in Spencer and Phillips’s carpentry the Committee ordered its execution in wainscot for proposals. Spencer and Co.’s final bill for carpenter’s not more than £ , of which the Dryhursts’ bill must work for the chapel, submitted on August , came have been the largest part. to £, s. d., exclusive of “carcass already paid for”. Without the carcass this carpentry must really The following tradesmen made gifts of their work, have been joinery. This supposition is supported by apparently without any other employment there. the Committee’s request on March for Spencer to put up the picture in time for the Oratorio CARVER and to fit up the chapel with benches as before. Linnell , of Long Acre, was not employed by the Hospital, but he presented a “curious carved frame” PAINTER for the picture by Monamy to be hung in the Court Samuel Leightonhouse. He submitted a bill for £ Room (west wing) on December . However, s. on July , for unspecified work, but at that on December the Committee decided that the date likely to be on the chapel. Much later, on Monamy should have a frame like the others in the March , he “offered a Benefaction of Gilding” room and that Linnell’s frame should be adapted for Linnell’s frame to Casali’s altarpiece, which the the altar piece of the chapel. On March the Committee accepted and hoped that he might be painter Samuel Leightonhouse “offered a able to implement before the Oratorio on April. Benefaction of Gilding” it.
BRAZIER UPHOLSTERER Thomas Bedwell. On January “Mr Bedwell” Reason , of Long Acre, described (on December offered to give a branch capable of holding candles. ) as the King’s upholsterer. He offered to present This may have been under consideration for some coverlets for the communion table, pulpit and time; as early as November Jacobsen had reader’s desk on October . On October been asked to provide iron chains for lustres, and on Keene arranged for the dimensions of these February the Committee had resolved to have items to be sent to him and desired him to have his iron double branches at the sides of the chapel. upholstery ready in time for the opening of the Whatever emerged, Bedwell was also employed by chapel on December. However, it was only on the Hospital, and was paid £ on March , and December of the following year that the Committee “Thomas Bedwell” was paid £s. specifically for viewed Reason’s benefaction and agreed that, it the chapel on December . “appearing very valuable”, he should be invited to become a Governor. CARVER Messrs. Dryhurst “had given to the Hospital the SMITH Carving of all the Seats Except the Front Seats in the Wagg. On May he received the Committee’s Chapel”. It was therefore presumably for the front thanks for his benefaction of iron rails to the seats that they were paid £ s. on July . communion table. The top rail must have been On December they were paid £ s. for upholstered, as he had been asked in the previous work on the pulpit. This was a “moving pulpit” for October to give Reason its dimensions.
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EAST WING materials of the Building way”, whose first bill was Proposals were apparently not sought at first, presented on January . However, when their although tradesmen were appointed. On February next account came in, on June, Sanderson was the sub-committee reported that no contracts asked to attend the Committee. On June he failed “were subsisting” except with the plasterer William to show as requested, and Mr Smith, perhaps Wilton and the brickmaker William Baker, and, since Robert, but now described as Pankeman and Pratt’s Wilton entered into a contract for the east wing the clerk, was asked whether Sanderson was a partner in following month, the contract they referred to must the company. The answer was affirmative, and all have been his old one for the chapel. bills delivered by them between and March had apparently been sent on his orders. Punishment fell BRICKMAKERS on Pankeman and Pratt, rather than on Sanderson, William Baker. He agreed to prepare earth for however, and there is no indication of the Committee’s , bricks for “new wing”, offices and one side displeasure with him. But from October to August of “pavilion and colonade” on November . all lime was supplied by Joseph Goodman . He was asked for another , from Walham Green on June . On July he told the Committee SLATER that he had used , bricks from this source and Hughes. He was appointed on April . On needed another , . Despite being paid £ s. October he was asked to begin work at once. His d. (half for the Chapel, half for the new wing and the final bill, £ s. d., covered work on “outbuildings” farm) on July, he represented to the Committee on as well as the new wing; it was settled on April November that he had not been paid for over . , , bricks. On December he was asked for another . bricks. He billed for , stock GLAZIERS. On February the Committee bricks in November . On January he resolved to advertise in The Daily Advertiser for was ordered to make another or , . glaziers to deliver proposals within a fortnight, with Trimmer and Clarke. On September prices of best Newcastle, Blackfriars and Ratcliff Trimmer sent in proposals for bricks for the arches glass. of the “new building”. On October Trimmer Thomas Palmer. Palmer’s proposal for glazing “the and Clarke were paid for grey stock bricks for the East Building” with Ratcliff glass, was agreed on “new wing”; they presented another bill ( £ s. d.) February. His is the only proposal recorded, but for , grey stocks “for arch work in East Wing”; William Cobbett , who had been paid for glazier’s and they were paid again on March for stock work, presumably elsewhere, on the same day, was bricks. also paid for glazing garrets and attic windows in the “East Building” on May . BRICKLAYER Sanderson. He was appointed to direct the digging PAVIOURS of the foundations on March and instructed to Devall. His proposal for paving with Purbeck the lay foundations on May following. Cellar and great kitchen, scullery and pantry, the Treasurer’s shores were complete by November. For the east kitchen, scullery and pantry, the areas to the yards, wing Sanderson had a foreman called Robert Smith , the passages to the coal vaults and the beer cellars, all who valued bricks on October . Sanderson in the “East Building”, was agreed on March . bought lime from Pankeman and Pratt , “dealers in On May the Treasurer’s hall was added to the list.
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Sanderson. His proposal for paving the coal vaults PLUMBER and the Treasurer’s wine vaults with brick was Ives. There is no record of his bringing in a agreed on the same day. proposal, but he was paid at least £ on account “of work in the new wing” between May and MASON May . Devall. His paving proposal included Portland and veined marble chimneypieces, the latter presumably SMITH in the Treasurer’s apartment. On September John Phillips. “Mr Phillips” was instructed to make it was reported that he should send in hands to iron rails for the staircase of the new building in the expedite his work, and on October the Committee same manner as in the former wing on June . wrote to express their surprise at the neglect of it and He must have been the John Phillips who received to request his attendance the next day. regular small payments for smith’s work. The rails may have been like the plain bar balusters to the PLASTERER lower flight shown in Fig. . Wilton. His proposal for the east wing was agreed on March , and included “trowelled stuco to BRAZIER groins” (presumably of the arcade), plain cornices Thomas Bedwell. His bill of £ s. d. for work and plain modillioned cornices, as well as all the on the east wing was paid on December . common plastering which in the west wing had been done by Jonathan Crooke. CARVERS Messrs. Dryhurst. They were paid £ s. d. for PAINTER work on the east wing on December . Leightonhouse. His proposal must have been before the Committee on March , because they then UPHOLSTERERS left it to the sub-committee to agree on as best terms Chambers. This was presumably the Tristram they could. On March the sub-committee Chambers who had supplied the upholstery for the reported that they had agreed terms “lower than he west wing. He was paid £ s. on June and receives for like work in cosideration of its being for a £ s. on July , presumably for the east wing. charity”, and that he had also offered to gild Linnell’s frame for Casali’s altarpiece as “a Benefaction”. BEDSTEAD MAKERS Mrs Gordon. A suitable bed type for the east wing CARPENTERS AND JOINERS evidently exercised the Committee. On November Spencer & Co. As carpenters, Spencer and his Lord Southwell presented a plan of beds and partners may have worked without a contract. chambers in the Foundling Hospital in Paris. On Proposals for carpenter’s and joiner’s work in April Mr Whatley showed them a plan of an finishing the new wing (presumably largely joiner’s iron bedstead used in the General Hospital in work) were requested on February and Marseilles. On July the Committee evidently agreed on March. On September it was held a trial, and chose the wooden bed type made by reported that they should send in hands to expedite Mrs Gordon. It is therefore possible that the their work, and on October the Committee wrote numerous small payments for carpenter’s work to express their surprise at Spencer’s neglect and to which she had received since September were request his attendance the next day. actually for beds.
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Bates, of Southwark. On July Bates sent in an would have been known to Jelfe, who formed a “iron hammered” bedstead, which the Committee partnership with Strong and Cass after Fletcher’s did not choose. death. In , before his time was up, “Jonathan” Sunderland, of St Thomas Apostle. On July Devall was paid by the Board of Ordnance for work Sunderland sent in a cast iron bedstead, which the at the Ordnance Wharf in Plymouth, of which Jelfe Committee did not choose. was the architect. He became free on February . In he worked, under John Sanderson, at * * * Stratton Park, Hants. In – he worked at Wimbledon House, Surrey, at first under Roger Thirty-six of these tradesmen can be identified from Morris. In – he worked at Bedford House, other jobs, as follows. Bloomsbury, together with John Sanderson. In a tradesman called Devall worked on Queen Brickmakers Caroline’s Library, St James’s Palace, designed by Thomas Scott is otherwise only known from St Mary, William Kent, although this could have been the Rotherhithe, designed by John James, where Scott plumber George Devall. John Devall worked under was the brickmaker in – . Roger Morris on the Palladian Bridge at Wilton, William Baker was the brickmaker at No. where his initials are insribed, with the date . Argyll Street in . Between and he was involved with Roger Morris and James Gibbs in building houses on the Bricklayers Duke of Argyll’s estate off Oxford Street. In John Sanderson (died ) was described as the – he worked at No. Old Burlington Street hospital’s Surveyor in December and he also under Roger Morris. In he worked at No. submitted a design in January . He continued as Berkeley Square under William Kent, and at Surveyor until Horne’s offer to act in this capacity Wimpole Hall, Cambs., under Henry Flitcroft. In gratis was accepted on June . He was an , and he worked at Adderbury House, architect as well as a bricklayer, and as such, his Oxon., probably under John Phillips. He was career is described by Colvin. perhaps the “Mr Devall” who worked at Wakefield Lodge, Northants., in – , under John Marsden, Masons who carried out Kent’s design. Between and Devall ( – ) was the eldest of three mason- he worked at No. St James’s Square under carvers of that name, and was Master of the Masons’ James Paine. In he worked at Spencer House, Company in ; his career is outlined by Gunnis. Green Park, under John Vardy. In – he was More is known about Devall since the publication of paid by the th . Earl of Holdernesse either for work Gunnis’s Dictionary , however, as follows. at Holdernesse House, Hertford Street, or at Sion He was the son of George Devall of Eynsham, Hill, Isleworth, Middlesex. Oxon., who was paid by Roger Morris in – for His son of the same name ( – ) was Master work on New Park Lodge, Richmond. John Devall of the Masons’ Company in , and presumably was apprenticed to Joshua Fletcher on August became free around . Payments to “John Devall” , not, as Gunnis states, to Andrews Jelfe; but between then and could therefore be to either of Fletcher was at that date in partnership with them, but they covered work at Hovingham Hall, Christopher Cass, then foreman of the Blenheim Yorks., in the s, Croome Court, Worcs., and work force of Jelfe’s master, Edward Strong, so he Coventry House, No. Piccadilly, in ,
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Harewood House, Yorks., in , Stanmore Park, Bond St. on the Conduit Mead estate, and St George’s Middlesex, in , the Excise Office in – , St. and the site of St George’s, Hanover Square on the Coutts’s Bank (No. Strand) in – , No. Scarbrough estate, all in Westminster, presumably as Mansfield Street in , the Temple of Victory at a developer, though possibly as a carpenter also. Audley End, Essex, in , Erddig Hall, On the Burlington estate he held leases in Clifford Denbighshire, in – , and undated work at St. in and , Old Burlington St. in ‒ Kedleston Hall, Derbs.. and , Boyle St. and Savile Row in . He held leases in Sackville St. in – . In he Carpenters was the co-developer with the architect Roger Timbrell and Spencer were awarded “One Moiety of Morris of Nos. – Strand. the Carpenters Work” of the west wing, John Phillips In – he and Roger Morris were the “the other Moiety”; Spencer and Phillips won the measurers of St John’s church, Marylebone, designed contract for the chapel; Spencer “and Co.” won the by Gibbs. contract for the east wing. The former may have William Timbrell, presumably Benjamin’s heir, is been the carpenter-architect Benjamin Timbrell only known as a carpenter. He worked at Marble Hill (died ), but on July £ s. d. was paid House, Twickenham, under Matthew Brettingham’s to William Timbrell and John Spencer for direction, in – . He was presumably the carpenters’ work, so it is possible that the earlier Timbrell who worked at Northumberland House, references are also to William. Strand, under first Daniel Garrett, then James Paine, Benjamin Timbrell’s career as an architect is from to , as the latter part of this time was described by Colvin, to which can be added an after Benjamin’s death in . Either could have unexecuted design for St George’s Hospital, Hyde been the Timbrell who acted as carpenter at No. St Park Corner, submitted in . James’s Square in , although, as he did so in His career as a carpenter and builder-developer partnership with William Timbrell’s later partner can be amplified, however, as follows. From to John Spencer, it may well have been William. It can he had the carpentry contract for the Senate only have been William who was the Timbrell paid House, Cambridge University, with Thomas Phillips. in and for carpentry work on the new From to he had the carpentry contract for the University Library at Cambridge, designed by Fellows’ Building, King’s College, Cambridge. In Stephen Wright; in the latter year he was again in – he was the builder of No. Grosvenor St., partnership with Spencer. and in – the builder of the monument room at St John Spencer was Timbrell’s partner as carpenter Lawrence, Whitchurch, Middlesex. These last four at Northumberland House and Cambridge University buildings were designed by Gibbs. In – he was Library. But at No. St James’s Square he was paid for carpentry work at Nos. – Brook St. for apparently the surveyor. Dr. Borg has discovered that Viscount Townshend. He received payments for he was also the surveyor of the proposed house for unspecified services, possibly carpentry, from Henry the Society of Antiquaries of London. Watson in , the nd . Duke of Argyll in , John Phillips ( c. – ) was the nephew of possibly in connection with his house in Bruton St., Thomas Phillips ( c. – ), who had been and William Drake in – . Benjamin Timbrell’s occasional partner; John’s Mr. Frank Kelsall has discovered that in partnership at the Foundling Hospital with William alone Timbrell held building leases in Bond St. and Timbrell and John Spencer reveals that the Clifford St. on the Burlington estate, Maddox St. and relationship was continued by the next generation.
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John Phillips was frequently in partnership with in St Margaret St., Westminster, which the Works George Shakespear, and, although Phillips did not built between and , the Excise Office, Old tender for the carpentry of the Foundling Hospital Broad St., designed by William Robinson, and built chapel in , Shakespear did. between – , and the Fleet Prison, built John Phillips was also an architect, and, as such, between and . his career is described by Colvin, to which may be In John Phillips leased a house in Bruton St. added the rebuilding of the south front of Adderbury with Isaac Ware. In he leased a house in House, Oxon., for the dowager duchess of Argyll in Stanhope St., Mayfair, to William Ayray, glazier. – , some unidentified work for her daughter, Like Phillips, George Shakespear (died ) was the Countess of Dalkeith, in , his position as an architect as well as a carpenter, and his career as arbitrator, with Shakespear, of the designs for Bristol the former is also described in Colvin, to which Bridge in , and his provision of a plan for the can be added his position as arbitrator of the designs Watch House for the parish of St George, Hanover for Bristol Bridge in , in partnership with John Square, in . Phillips. As a carpenter, he acted with John Phillips As a carpenter (occasionally joiner) and builder, as general contractor of Egremont House, Piccadilly, the following work can also be added. He may have in – , as carpenter of the infirmary of been involved with Thomas and Leonard Phillips in Greenwich Hospital in – , and as carpenter the development of Argyll St., and he certainly of Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square, in . In witnessed the assignment of the lease of No. he examined the gardener Fuller White’s Argyll St. to Elizabeth, widow of his uncle Thomas accounts at the invitation of Stephen Wright. He Phillips, in . In he was involved in the was presumably related to the George and John development of No. Berkeley Square. He was Shakespear who were successively Master Scavelmen probably the Phillips who was the joiner at Wimpole of the Board of Ordnance, although neither were his Hall in , and builder at Bedford House, father, who was a leatherseller; this George Bloomsbury Square, in , in both these places Shakespear worked for the Board at Woolwich under the direction of Flitcroft. From to Arsenal between and ; John Shakespear he was the carpenter at Ragley Hall, Warks., then worked there between and . Both of them being altered by Gibbs, and from to he worked for the Board at Landguard Fort, Suffolk, in and George Shakespear were the principal – and – respectively. contractors of Egremont House, Piccadilly, designed Marquand is likely to be Charles Marquand by Matthew Brettingham. In – , , (died ), who also tendered for the joinery – and – he was paid for unspecified contract in January . His career as a bridge work by the Earl of Holdernesse, presumably on builder, civil engineer and architect is described in either Holdernesse House, Hertford St., Sion Hill, Colvin, to which can be added his provision of Isleworth , Middlesex, or Hornby Castle, Yorkshire. drawings and a model for a new bridge at Boston for In – Phillips and Shakespear were the Boston Corporation in . He was presumably carpenters of the Infirmary of Greenwich Hospital, the “Marquan” who bought demolition material at designed by James Stuart, and in they were the sale of Canons House, Middlesex, in . the carpenters of Lansdowne House, Berkeley The Sanderson who tendered for the carpentry Square, designed by Robert Adam. After he of the west wing in was presumably the same as executed carpentry contracts for the Office of Works; Joseph Sanderson, who also tendered for the joinery these were for the office for the Board of Ordnance contract in . Joseph (who died on August )
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL was John Sanderson’s cousin, a carpenter and architect Alexander at the Foundling Hospital was a brazier as whose career as the latter is described in Colvin. well as a smith, Alderman Alexander may have been Robinson was presumably William Robinson, the Alexander who was from c. to the lock - who contracted to repair Mr. Gould’s and the smith at Ormsby Hall, Lincs., designed by James adjoining house in Lamb’s Conduit Fields for the Paine. He may have been the Alexander who in Foundling Hospital, and was ordered to be paid for – , with his partner Shrimpton, was the lock- doing so on June . The two contemporary smith at Ashburnham Place, Sussex, designed by architects of that name recorded by Colvin are not Stephen Wright, and at Lansdowne House, Berkeley known to have been carpenters, although that would Square, in – . In – Alexander and not have been impossible. To Colvin’s account of the Shrimpton supplied steel grates at Corsham Court, better known of them, Clerk of Works at Greenwich Wilts., designed by Capability Brown, and in at Hospital and holder of various posts in the Office of Mersham le Hatch, designed by Robert Adam. Works, may be added his responsibility between Thomas Wagg was the smith at the Paymaster- and , with Thomas Ripley, as measurer of Henry General’s Office, Whitehall, in – , designed by Pelham’s house at No. Arlington Street, John Lane. He worked several times under Gibbs, designed by William Kent, his work as surveyor at No. Arlington Street in – , at William (replacing Gibbs) at St Bartholomew’s Hospital from Hanby’s house in Mortimer Street in – , and at to , and his work as architect of Coombe the Radcliffe Camera, Oxford, in – . In – Place, Offham, Sussex, in . he worked under Kent on Queen Caroline’s Library, The less well known of the two was Surveyor of St James’s Palace. Thereafter he worked under the East India Company from to , and Paine, at Hickleton Hall, Yorks. (1745–8), Doncaster would therefore have been known to Jacobsen. Mansion House (1745–9), Nostell Priory, Yorks. There was, however, a joiner called William (c. 1747), and Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk (1753). He was Robinson, paid for unspecified services in – probably the Wagg who bought material at the by the Earl of Holdernesse, for carpentry and Canons sale in . joinery in at No. Trinity Square, Minories, designed by Robert Taylor for the Sick and Hurt Plumbers Board, and paid for moulds for the Rustic Gate of Edward Ives worked at No. Berkeley Square in the Elysian Garden at Audley End, Essex, in . and at No. St. James’s Square in – , He might have been either of the two architects, or he under Matthew Brettingham. He was plumber and might have come from Cambridge, where in a glazier at Holkham Hall from to , also carpenter of that name repaired Merrill’s house for the under Brettingham. A tradesman called Ives University and worked as a carver in Sidney Sussex bought material at the Canons sale in . College hall, designed by Sir James Burrough, and There was a plumber called Painter active in in worked in Great St Mary’s church. Cambridge slightly later. In and he worked on the new University Library, designed by Smiths Stephen Wright, and in and he worked at William Alexander of Wood Street, Cheapside, was Addenbrooke’s Hospital. successively Citizen ( ), Alderman ( – ), and George Devall was the most successful plumber Sheriff ( – ) of London, and in he of the decades – . John Devall became Serjeant contracted for the iron work at the Mansion House, Plumber in the Office of Works in , and led the designed by George Dance. As the William field until his death in . Jeremiah Devall,
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL possibly the latter’s son, was a leading plumber from ( ). A John Devall was paid by the Earl of to . They were presumably related to the Holdernesse in – , but it could have been masons of that name. either the plumber or the mason. He was probably George Devall’s earliest known work was on the the Devall who in was the plumber at Grafton Fifty New Churches, initially St Anne, Limehouse House, Bond St., under Robert Taylor, and who ( – ) and St John, Westminster ( – ). He bought the lead from Merlin’s Cave, Richmond, was probably the plumber named Devall who worked when that building was being demolished in . for the st Earl Stanhope at either Chevening House, Kent, or Dorset House, Whitehall, in . He was Glaziers involved in development in Bedford Row in . Thomas Palmer may in – have been the He worked at St George, Bloomsbury ( – ), plumber at St Mary, Rotherhithe, designed by John at Carshalton House ( – ), and at Christ James. It is possible that he was the glass painter T Church, Spitalfields ( – ). He worked at Palmer, who worked at Arbury Hall, Warks., in Carshalton Park ( ), St Luke, Old Street under Sanderson Miller. ( – ), Houghton Hall, Norfolk, in – , William Cobbett seems to have been one of a Wolterton Hall, Norfolk ( ), either Chiswick dynasty of Cobbbett glaziers. He was the glazier at House or Burlington House, Piccadilly, for the rd . Newnham Paddox House, Warks., under Capability Earl of Burlington in , the Treasury in , Brown in , at No. Mansfield Street in , and the Paymaster-General’s Office, both in and at Audley End House, Essex, in , on these Whitehall, in – . He was probably the plumber last occasions working under Robert Adam. named Duvall who worked at Raynham Hall, Norfolk ( – ). He was probably the plumber named Slater Devall who worked at Holkham Hall, Norfolk, in Richard Hughes was the slater of No. Arlington , and who worked for the Chelsea Waterworks Street between and , and slated the roof Company in . He may have been the tradesman of Westminster Hall in – . William Kent was called Devall who worked at Queen Caroline’s the architect of both these works. Library, St James’s Palace in , although that could have been the mason Devall. As the executor Joiners of his brother-in-law, the paviour John Mist, he was Lancelot Dowbiggin was also an architect and his co-developer of Nos. and Argyll St., and No. career is described by Colvin. Argyll Place in – , and in the same capacity William Spier was also his partner in as he leased ground in Westminster from William joiner at the Mansion House, designed by George Pulteney and Elizabeth, widow of the carpenter Dance. Thomas Phillips in . Jupp was probably Richard Jupp of Clerkenwell, John Devall’s earliest known work was in Master of the London Carpenters’ Company in , buildings designed by William Kent, No. and father of the architects Richard and William Arlington Street ( – ), and No. Berkeley Jupp. Square ( – ). He was presumably the plumber called Devall who worked at Wakefield Lodge, Plasterers Northants., from to . For the Office of Crooke was perhaps related to the plasterer Thomas Works he worked at Westminster Hall ( ), the Crooke of London, who had worked at Walbrook Horse Guards ( – ), and the Royal Mews House, in the City, in . Thomas Crooke had
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL taken an apprentice named Henry Wells in , Pump Maker and it may or may not be a coincidence that William Francis Sutton bought houses on Kensington Green Wilton, the decorative plasterer, had a “man” named in , together with William Bates, carpenter. Samuel Wells in . Laban was the plasterer of St John’s church, Carvers Hampstead, in ; its architect was John Linnell was probably the famous cabinet maker Sanderson. William Linnell ( c. – ), although possibly his Wilton’s date of birth is not known, but he was son John ( – ). the father of the famous sculptor, Joseph Wilton, Thomas Adye’s career is described both in who was born in . In that year William Wilton Gunnis and in Beard and Gilbert. worked at Stanmer Park, Sussex, whose architect One of the Messrs. Dryhurst may have been was Nicholas Dubois. Much of his early work, James Dryhurst, who in – was the carver at however, was done for Gibbs in London—the Boreham House, Essex, designed by Henry Flitcroft. Oxford Market House, Marylebone Place ( – ), repairs to St Peter’s church, Vere St. ( and ), Cabinet maker and No. Arlington St. ( – ). He may Hallett was doubtless the famous cabinet maker therefore be the Wilton who was involved with William Hallett ( c. – ), although possibly Gibbs in the development of No. Henrietta Place William Hallot. in . As he was presumably the Wilton, plasterer at Madingley Hall, Cambs., in , it is Upholsterers possible that Gibbs designed the alterations to that Tristram Chambers had premises in Cary Street. house. Meanwhile, in – , Wilton worked at Reason was presumably William Reason. Bedford House, Bloomsbury Square, where the architect was probably John Sanderson. In he was involved with Gibbs and Roger Morris in the development of No. Argyll Place and No. Great NOTES Marlborough St. In he bought demolition Sally Jeffery, English Baroque Architecture: the work material at the Canons sale. In he worked at of John James, PhD thesis, London University, Audley End House, Essex, as did James Horne, John , cat. no. . Phillips and George Shakespear. In he F.H.W. Sheppard (ed.), Survey of London , London, , XXXI, . worked at an unknown location for the dowager Howard Colvin, Biographical Dictionary of British Duchess of Argyll. In – he worked at Linley Architects – , New Haven and London, Hall, Salop., under Henry Joynes. He died in , , – . and was buried at Wanstead. Rupert Gunnis, Biographical Dictionary of English Sculptors – , London, , – . Painters Steven Parissien, The Lives of Roger and Robert Morris, DPhil. thesis, University of Oxford, , It is possible that Wright was the painter at . Dinnington Hall, Yorkshire, c. – , where the Sally Jeffery, The Mansion House, Chichester, , architect was the London-based James Paine. . Samuel Leightonhouse was in – the painter Richard Hewlings, “Andrews Jelfe”, in New DNB , at Boreham House, Essex, designed by Henry Oxford, forthcoming; H.M. Colvin, A Biographical Dictionary of English Architects – , Flitcroft. London, , ; David Green, Blenheim Palace ,
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL
London, , passim ; London, British Library, Colvin, Biographical Dictionary , , cit ., . Stowe MS , fol. (no. ). George C. Peachey, History of St George’s Hospital, Jonathan Coad, “Historic Architecture of HM London, , . Naval Base Devonport – ”, Mariner’s Terry Friedman, James Gibbs , New Haven and Mirror, November , . London, , ; Cambridge, University Library, Jeffery, Mansion House, loc. cit. . UAc., VCV, () and ( ), and Misc. Coll. . Marie P.G. Draper, “The Houses of the Russell Terry Friedman, op. cit., . Family”, Apollo , CXXVII, June , ; Marie Ibid., and . P.G. Draper, “When Marlborough’s Duchess Raynham Hall, archives, drawer . Built”, Country Life, CXXXII, August , . London, Royal Bank of Scotland, Drummonds’ Frances Harris, “…Wimbledon House, – ”, Branch, Ledgers. Georgian Group Journal, II, , . London, Coutts’s Bank, Ledger , fol. , / Jan Giles Worsley, “The ‘best-turned’ house of the , “Benj: Timbrell £ ”. Duke of Bedford”, Georgian Group Journal , VI, London, Hoare’s Bank, Ledger , fol. ; Ledger , –. , fol. . London, National Archives, PRO (hereafter PRO), Kindly communicated by Mr. Kelsall on the basis of WORK / . his research in the Middlesex Deeds Registry. Christopher Hussey, “Palladian Bridge architect”, Sheppard, op. cit., XXXII , London, , , , Country Life , CI, June th. , . and . Sheppard, op. cit. , XXXI, London, , – . Ibid., –, –, . Parissien, op.cit., . Ibid., –. London, Sir John Soane’s Museum, B. Ibid., – . London, British Library, Add. MS. , . Ibid., – and –. Richard Hewlings, “Adderbury House”, in Frank Kelsall, “No. – Strand…”, London Malcolm Airs (ed.), Baroque and Palladian: the early Topographical Record, XXIV, , . eighteenth-century great house , Oxford, , – . Terry Friedman, op. cit ., . Richard Hewlings, “Wakefield Lodge…”, Georgian Marie P.G.Draper and Peter Eden, Marble Hill Group Journal , III, , – . House, London, , – . Peter Leach, James Paine, London, , . Peter Leach, The Life and Work of James Paine , Joe Friedman, Spencer House, London, , –. DPhil. thesis, University of Oxford, (hereafter London, British Library, Egerton MS. , . Leach, thesis), . Gunnis, loc.cit. Sheppard, op.cit., XXIX, London, , . Giles Worsley, “Hovingham Hall, Yorkshire-II”, Cambridge, University Library, UAc., (). Country Life, CLXXXVIII, September , . Supra, 12. Joan Lane, “The furniture at Croome Court”, Colvin, Biographical Dictionary , , cit. , . Apollo , CXLV, January , and . Hewlings, “Adderbury House”, cit. , . Mary Mauchline, Harewood House, , , Ibid ., . and . Walter Ison, The Georgian Buildings of Bristol , London, British Library, Add. MS. , . London, , and . H.M.Colvin (ed.), The History of the King’s Works, Garnier, “Grafton Street”, infra , 265, note . V, London, , . Sheppard, op. cit. , XXXI, London, , – . Leach, James Paine , cit ., . London, London Metropolitan Archives, MLR Tara Draper, “Mansfield Street”, Friends of Adam in // . London Newsletter, No. , Summer , . London, British Library, Add. MS , . Michael Sutherill, “The garden buildings at Audley Worsley, “The ‘best-turned’ house .. . ,” cit. , –, End”, Georgian Group Journal , VI, , . n. . Gervase Jackson-Stops, “Erdigg Park, Clwyd-I”, Geoffrey Tyack, “Warwickshire country houses Country Life , CLXIII, April , . in the age of classicism” , Warwickshire Local Geoffrey Beard, Craftsmen and Interior Decoration History Society Occasional Papers , Warwick, in England , London, , . , .
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL
Christopher Rowell, “The nd. Earl of Egremont and Peter Salway, “A College Hall Restored”, Country Egremont House”, Apollo, CXLII, April , Life , CXXVII , February , . London, British Library , Egerton MS , . Cambridge, University Library, UAc. (). PRO, ADM / Beard, op. cit., . Kathryn Bloom Hiesinger , “The [Lansdowne Jeffery, Mansion House , cit. , . House] drawing Room…”, Bulletin of the Leach, thesis, cit. , . Philadelphia Museum of Art, LXXXII, Summer Christopher Hussey, “Ashburnham Place, Sussex- , and . II”, Country Life, CXIII, April , . Colvin (ed.), King’s Works , V, cit. , . Hiesinger, loc.cit. Ibid ., . Beard, op. cit ., . Ibid., . PRO, T / , pp. and . BH Johnson, Berkeley Square to Bond Street , Friedman, op.cit., , and . London, , . PRO, WORK / . F.J.A. Skeet, History of the families of Skeet, Leach, James Paine, cit., , , and . Summerscales and Widdrington, London, , . Canons, sale particulars, cit. Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, , cit ., – . London, London Metropolitan Archives, MLR Ison, op. cit., . // and // . Rowell, op. cit. , . Sheppard, op. cit., XXIX, London, , . PRO, ADM / . Ex inf. Prof. Dr. Leo Schmidt. Hiesinger, loc. cit. Canons, sale particulars, cit. Michael Symes, “The garden designs of Stephen Cambridge, University Library, UAc. (). Wright”, Garden History, XX, Spring , . Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital Archives, OFG Hogg, The Royal Arsenal , I, London, , Trustee’s minutes – , fols. and . , , –, , , , – and – . Colvin (ed.), King’s Works, V, cit., . Christopher Storrs, Landguard Fort, unpublished HM Colvin, “Fifty New Churches”, Architectural report for English Heritage, . Review , March (hereafter AR ). . Colvin, Biographical Dictionary , , cit. , . Maidstone, Centre for Kentish Studies, Stanhope Boston, Boston Corporation Archives, Council MSS, E /. Minutes, V ( – ), fols. and . Ex inf. Mr Frank Kelsall. New Haven (Conn.), Yale University, Center for AR , cit.. . British Art, MSS Department, Canons Sale Ex inf. Mr. Andrew Skelton. Particulars (hereafter Canons, sale particulars). I am AR., cit., . grateful to Mr. John Harris for showing me his copy Ex inf. Mr. Andrew Skelton. of this document. AR, cit. . . Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, , cit., . Cambridge, University Library, Cholmondeley Ibid., – . MSS, Account Book . David Watkin, Antony Ratcliff, Nicholas Gordon Nares, “Wolterton Hall, Norfolk-II”, Thompson and John Mills, A House in Town , Country Life , CXXII, July , . London, , . Chatsworth, Lord Burlington’s account books, Terry Friedman, op.cit., and – . Book of Accounts with Nath. Gould & Albert David Brock, “The improvement of Coombe Nesbitt Esq rs . Sept r . Place”, Georgian Group Journal, VI, , . Colvin (ed.), King’s Works, V, cit, . Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, , cit., . PRO, T / , pp. and . London, British Library, Egerton MS , . James M Rosenheim, The Townshends of Raynham , Richard Garnier, “The Office of the Sick and Hurt Middletown (Conn.), , . Board”, Georgian Group Journal , XII, , . Ex inf. Prof. Dr. Leo Schmidt. Michael Sutherill,”The buildings of the Elysian Ex inf. Mr. Andrew Skelton. Garden at Audley End”, Georgian Group Journal , PRO,WORK / . VII, , and .. Sheppard , op. cit ., XXXI, London, , Cambridge, University Library, UAc. (). – .
THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XIII THEODORE JACOBSEN AND THE BUILDING OF THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL
Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Hallward Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, , cit., . Library, Galway MSS, Catalogue, p. . Jeffery, Mansion House, cit. , and . Watkin et al. , op.cit. , . Colvin, Biographical Dictionary, , cit., Richard Hewlings, “Clark’s London House: – . Berkeley Square”, in Brian Ll. James (ed.), GT Bridget Cherry, “John Pollexfen’s house in Clark: Scholar ironmaster in the Victorian age , Walbrook”, in John Bold and Edward Chaney Cardiff, , . (eds.), English Architecture Public and Private, Hewlings, “Wakefield Lodge…”, cit., – , . London, , . Colvin (ed.), King’s Works, V, cit., . John G. Dunbar, “The Building-activities of the Ibid., . Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale, – ”, Leach, thesis, cit. , . Archaeological Journal , CXXXII, , , n. . London, British Library, Egerton MS, , . Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Record Office, Cotton Hewlings, “Wakefield Lodge…”, cit., , where MSS, /A , fol. . Grafton House is incorrectly located in Piccadilly; C.H. Collins Baker, “John Sanderson and see Richard Garnier, “Grafton Street, Mayfair”, Hampstead Parish Church”, Country Life , infra , 84 and 264, for the correct location of this LXXXIII, December th. , . Grafton House. Gunnis, op. cit ., . Colvin (ed.), King’s Works, V, cit., . Beard, op. cit ., . Jeffery, John James , cit., cat. no. . Terry Friedman, op. cit ., and . Tyack, op. cit., . John Summerson, “Henrietta Place, Marylebone, Richard Cobbett was the glazier at the Paymaster- and its associations with James Gibbs”, London General’s Office, Whitehall, in [PRO, T / , Topographical Record , XXI, , . p. ], and at No. Arlington St. in – Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Record Office, Cotton [Watkin et al ., House in Town , cit. , ]. A Richard MSS, /A , fol. . Cobbett was the glazier at Hovingham Hall, Yorks, Worsley, “The ‘best-turned’ house ...”, cit. , . in the s [Worsley, “Hovingham Hall”, cit. , ] Sheppard, op. cit., XXXI, London, , . John Cobbett and (presumably) another Richard Canons, sale particulars, cit. Cobbett were the glaziers at Somerset House in Paul Drury, “…Audley End” , Architectural History, – [Colvin, King’s Works, cit. , V, ], and the XXIII, , , n. . latter was the glazier at Nos. and Downing St., London, Coutts’s Bank, Ledger , fol. . and the Foreign Office in , working with Pitt Beard, op.cit., . Cobbett, the painter there [London, Sir John Leach, thesis, cit ., . Soane’s Museum, Soane Correspondence, XII, D, Ex inf. Mr. H.P.R. Hoare. ]. “Cobbetts” were the glaziers at Admiralty London, Kensington Public Library, MS , . House, Whitehall, in – [PRO, ADM /], Geoffrey Beard and Christopher Gilbert (eds.), and a Cobbett was the painter and glazier at the Dictionary of English Furniture Makers – , Law Courts, Westminster, in – [H.M. Colvin Leeds, , – . (ed.), J. Mordaunt Crook and M.H. Port, History of Ibid. , – . the King’s Works , VI, London, , ]. Gunnis, op. cit. , ; Beard and Gilbert (eds.), op. Tyack, op. cit. , . cit. , . Tara Draper, op. cit. , . Ex inf . Mr. H.P.R. Hoare. Chelmsford, Essex Record Office, Braybrooke Beard and Gilbert (eds.), op. cit., – . Papers. Ibid. , . Watkin et al ., A House in Town, cit. , . Ibid. , . Colvin (ed.), King’s Works , V, . Ibid. , – .
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