Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Leverton, Thomas
LEVERTON, THOMAS (1743–1824), architect, born at Woodford in Essex and baptised at Waltham Abbey on 11 June 1743, was son of Lancelot Leverton, a builder. After learning his father's business, he became an architect, and was extensively employed in the erection of dwelling-houses in London and the country. He exhibited thirty-four designs in the Royal Academy between 1771 and 1803. His executed works include Woodford Hall, Essex, in 1771, now Mrs. Gladstone's Convalescent Home; Boyles, Essex, in 1776; Watton Wood Hall, Hertfordshire, in 1777; the Phœnix Fire Office, London, in 1787; Engine House, Charing Cross, about 1792; Riddlesworth Hall, Norfolk, in 1792; bank for Messrs. Robarts in Lombard Street in 1796 (since rebuilt); hall for the Grocers' Company in the Poultry, London, of which the first stone was laid on 30 Aug. 1798, and the work completed on 21 July 1802 (it was afterwards altered by Joseph Gwilt, [q. v.]); Scampston House, Yorkshire, in 1803; Marine Villa, at Lislee, co. Cork, in 1803. He also erected large premises for sugar-boilers in London and New York. In 1783 he received a government premium for designs for improved penitentiary houses. He and his pupil, Thomas Chawner, were architects in the department of land revenue of the office of works, and in that capacity submitted, in July 1811, a plan for the improvement of the crown property of Marylebone Park Farm (now Regent's Park); but the design of John Nash [q. v.] was preferred and executed.
Leverton was surveyor to the Phœnix Fire Insurance Company and to the theatres royal in London, and was justice of the peace for Surrey, Kent, Middlesex, and Westminster. He was twice married, first, in 1766, and afterwards, in 1803, to Mrs. Rebecca Craven of Blackheath. He died at 13 Bedford Square, London (a house he had erected for himself) on 23 Sept. 1824, and was buried in Waltham Abbey, where a monument by Kendrick is erected to his memory. In the same abbey were buried his brother Lancelot and his son Henry. A bust of the son by Flaxman is now in the Flaxman Hall, University College. The sculptor, when a young man, had been largely employed by Leverton to model for him.
[Notice by his nephew, T. Leverton Donaldson, in Dict. of Architecture, where a list of his drawings exhibited in the Royal Academy is given; Reg. of Waltham Abbey, per Rev. F. B. Johnston; Graves's Dict. of Artists; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Thorne's Environs of London, p. 736; Allen's York, ii. 340; Richardson's New Vit. Brit. I. xxvii, xxviii, II. v. vi, xlv-l; First Report of the Commissioners of Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues, 1812, pp. 10, 26, 75-81, App. 12(a); Gent. Mag. 1793 p. 424, 1802 p. 879, 1803 p. 788, 1824 II. pp. 381, 469, where account of Leverton's will is given.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.181
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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