522 THE BUILDING NEWS. JUNE 28, 1872.
HOUSE PLANNING COMPETITION.
HIS week we give the design for villa to cost
£2,000, sent in by Mr. W. Flockhart, of
160, Hope-street, Glasgow, under the motto “ Let us
Labour with Love.” Mr. Flockhart says :—
This design, so far as cubical contents are con-
cerned, is in accordance with the conditions issued at
the commencement of this competition; as for the
architectural treatment, it could easily be modified
at pleasure. The plans will show what is intended
with regard to the aspect, comfort and convenience
of the principal rooms. The angle formed by dining
and drawing-room might be occupied by a conserva-
tory which, on any extra occasion, would serve the
purpose of an agreeable and dignified route between
those rooms. Ample sleeping accommodation is
provided in the upper floor and attics. An alternative
arrangement of the latter is given, perhaps thereby
getting a better plan without in any way interfering
with the other arrangements. The materials for the
external walls would be any of the local stones,
irregular-coursed, squarely-dressed ruble work with
tooled dressings. The wood-work to be of oak, teak,
or any other durable wood, stained. Roofs to be
covered with green slates and red tile ridges. The
accompanying perspective is taken from the south-
east.
—
S. JOHN’S CHURCH, HULL.
eps church was originally built in 1790, in the
usual conventicle style, the building consisting
simply of a large chamber 83ft. by 60ft., spanned
by a flat ceiling, and almost entirely devoid of
architectural embellishment; this chamber being
crowded with galleries, those at each side containing
six pews in depth, and that at the west end no fewer
than thirteen pews in depth, and being further
crowded with heavy staircases, the pews on the
ground floor being high and narrow, arranged with-
out a centre aisle, and those at each side corre-
sponding with the width of the galleries facing the
central pews. About seven years ago a chancel
was erected from designs by Mr. Cuthbert Brodrick,
the effecting of which, with its alabaster walls and
open stalls for the choir, was the inauguration of a
good work, which it is the intention of the much
respected incumbent, the Rey. H. W. Kemp, and his
parishioners, to complete—namely, the entire remodel-
ling of the church on proper ecclesiastical principles
and with architectural adornments worthy of the
purpose, and which will, in fact, render it internally
one of the handsomest churches in the Italian
style in the country, and a fit companion to Holy
Trinity Church at Hull, one of the finest in the
Gothic style. The design for the remodelling has
been entrusted to and prepared by Mr. C. G. Wray,
F.R.I.B.A., of 46, Cannon-street, London, the
architect of the new pile of buildings for the Hull
Dock Company in Junction-street, and is shown
in one of our lithographic illustrations.
The alterations will be effected without in any
manner changing the present construction of the
fabric or even taking off the roof, as in dividing the
body of the church into nave and aisles, which will
be effected by a fine arcade springing from a
colonnade of scagliola columns in imitation of Deyon-
shire marble, and with an enriched entablature over.
The architect has ingeniously contrived to make the
tie-beams and queen-posts of the present roof the
basis of a fine composition, by appropriately casing
them so as to combine with a coved and horizontal
ceiling, divided by a small entablature corresponding
with the queen-posts clothed as pilasters, by which
arrangement some ‘ft. or L()ft. are added to the height
of the nave, and additional light is obtained from
skylights behind the sun enrichments in the panels
of the coves, these panels, as also those of the
horizontal ceiling, being further enriched with circlets
of stars in relief. The ceilings of the aisles will
remain of the present level, but will be panelled and
enriched, and have cornices under to correspond
with those of nave. A new tower and a new
chancel arch will be inserted, and it is also proposed
to lessen the disproportionate width of the present
chancel by a colonnade at each side, from which
there will spring a new semicircular ceiling, to
harmonise with the decorative character of that of
the nave. Thespandrels of the nave arcade will be
enriched with medallions of the Apostles, and the
other spandrels, as also the key-stones, volutes of
the capitals, &c., with angels and symbolical enrich-
ments. The present windows of the aisles will be
fitted with proper dressings, and it is intended to
complete throughout the series of magnificent
stained glass windows which the church already
possesses. The organ, which at present is incon-
veniently placed at the south-east end of the chancel,
will be located in a new proper organ-chamber at
the east end of the north aisle, and a handsome
pulpit of marble will be provided.
With regard to the reseating, from the accommo-
dation requisite galleries have been found still neces-
sary, but they will be greatly narrowed and kept
subordinate, and their construction made distinct
and decorative ; and the heavy staircases will be
removed from inside the church and placed in new
buildings outside. The seats in the nave and aisles
will be arranged all facing eastward, with centre and
side passages, and will be open, with handsome
bench ends of Italian design. The total number of
sittings provided will be 1,300, or nearly the same
asin the present church,
It is interesting to observe from this design that
it is possible to conyert buildings of the conventicle
class, which are unhappily but too numerous in this
country, into proper and handsome ecclesiastical
structures, without interfering with their present
construction, and, therefore, at a comparatively
small expense, and we trust this good example will
be largely followed.
———_—_.——_
THE SCHOOL BOARDS,
Lonpon.—At the meeting of the London School
Board on Wednesday Mr. A. Langdale called to mind
what occurred at the previous meeting respecting
the desirability of entrusting to Mr. Robson, the
architect to the Board, the preparation of plans of
the new premises on the Thames Embankment, and
moved—* That, while fully recognising the abilities
and great attention to his duties of Mr. Robson, it
is wise and expedient that the designing of the
offices of the Board be opened to competition ; and
that the works committee be instructed to take the
necessary steps to open this work to competition
amongst four architects, such architects to be
selected by the committee, it being open to them to
request Mr. Robson to send in designs on the same
terms as other architects.” Mr. Reed, in reply to a
question, stated that no estimate had as yet been
made of the cost of the new building. The Works
Committee had, after very careful consideration, and
with a good knowledge of Mr. Robson’s capabilities,
advised that that gentleman should be asked to pre-
pare plans of the works, and he (Mr. Reed) did not
think that the Board could do better than confirm
that recommendation. After a discussion the Board
divided: For Mr. Langdale’s proposition,16 ; against
it, 15. The motion was, therefore, carried.
Rocnester.—At a meeting of the Rochester
School Board, on Thursday week, the Chairman pro-
posed to proceed to the opening of the plans for the
new schools to be built by the Board. Mr. Hayward,
before the plans were opened, said he understood that
several members of the Board had been written to by
one of the competing architects, who signed himself
“Tnvicta,” and he trusted the Board would mark its
sense of the impropriety of his condact by refusing
to look at his plans. He had also been informed
that another architect had addressed letters to some
of the members of the Board, but as he (Mr. Hayward)
had not been favoured with one he could not say
under what name the writer went. He would pro-
pose that neither of the plans respecting which com-
munications had been sent should be opened. The
motion, however, was not seconded. The various
competing plans, 27 in number, were then opened and
inspected, after which the Board adjourned.
ScarBoroucu.—At a meeting of the Scarborough
School Board, on Friday last, the Clerk read the
minutes of a committee of the whole Board held on
the 17th, which recommended that a competition
amongst architects be invited for the plans of the
new school; that the school be named the “ Central
Board School;” and that Mr. John Petch, architect,
be instructed to prepare the necessary plan and
levels of the site to be supplied to competing archi-
tects. A discussion ensued, in which considerable
feeling was evinced by the section of the Board which
has opposed the selection of the Trafalgar-street site,
and the opinion was expressed by them that the
Education Department had acted discourteously
towards the Board in not sending its architect down
to inspect the several proposed sites. On the motion
being put to the meeting it was found that there
was five for and one against. The Clerk was then
instructed to issue an advertisement inviting designs
from architects for the proposed central school, ac-
cording to the conditions and particulars now con-
sidered and approved. Designs to be sent in on or
before the Ist August next.
WInDLesHaAM.—The Education Department has
approved the plans, &c., for the proposed additional
schools at Windlesham and at Bagshot, and the works
will be commenced forthwith under the superin-
tendence of the architect, Mr. E. Ingress Bell.
ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION OF
IRELAND.
GENERAL meeting of this Association was
held at 212, Great Brunswick-street, Dublin,
on the 20th inst., James H. Owen, Esq., M.A.,
President of the Royal Institute of the Architects
of Ireland, in the chair. The provisional secretaries
reported that several gentlemen had sent in their
names since the last meeting. The following letter
was read from Thomas Drew, R.H.A., Secretary
R.LA. :— ;
“60, Upper Sackville-street, Dublin, June 19.
“My dear Sir,—I regret very much that absence
from home will prevent my being present at your
meeting to elect the officers of your Association to~
morrow evening. I will take it as a favour if I am
admitted a member of the Association, and if I am
permitted to be a hearty, zealous, and pract'cal one.
It has been with the greatest satisfaction and interest
I have watched the inauguration of this movement ;
it is an evidence that all life and energy for im-
provement is not extinct amongst us which I have
long hoped for. Although not enabled to be an
active member of the Architectural Association of
London, I have been sufficiently intimate with some
of the younger and active spirits in that body to
have brought home to me at what an immeasurable
disadvantage the ‘coming men” of the profession
stand here as compared with their London brethren,
who have extraordinary advantages now. The
present situation is without a parallel in the past.
Few persons here are aware what kind of competi-
tors the high standard of education the London
school affords is preparing for us, and it will take
extraordinary exertion on our part if, with all our
disadvantages, we are decently to hold our own and
send even an occasional Irish genius to the front. I
think the movement comes from the right direction,
from the*spontaneous desire of the younger men
of our profession. Inaugurated by the Institute
(Irish), and nursed by it, such a movement could
not have one-half the healthy vitality. The Insti-
tute has proper and very distinct functions of its
own, and deserves the support of the younger
members of the profession; had it no existence the
‘coming men,’ when they did come to the front,
would find that they had embarked in a profession
or calling very unsatisfactory to make a living by,
and neither respectable nor respected.—I am, dear
sir, yours very sincerely,
“Tomas Drew, R.H.A.
“To John L. Robinson, Esq.”
A letter was also read from C. G. Doran, Esq.,
Queenstown, County Cork, in which the following
passage occurs :— The Association which you are
now engaged in establishing will, I hope, lead the
way to many good results. Among them may
safely be reckoned one that has been overlooked by
the architectural profession for the last three centu—
ries. It is the encouragement and recognition of
those classes to whom the architect's designs are
entrusted for execution. In the Middle Ages, the
cloister of the monk, the study of the architect, and
the scaffold of the mason, were frequently occupied
by the same person, and the models of architectural
skill remaining to-day bear testimony of the excel-
lent working of the combination. But in latter
years, when design and execution were transferred
to different hands, the harmony of parts was not
quite so successful. Why it was not can be easily
explained. The designer neglected to encourage the
craftsman, at whose hands the special features of his
picture awaited development, and the craftsman in
return ‘machined’ the design withowt infusing into
it either spirit or feeling, the result being the absence:
of those happy effects which only mutual under-
standing could blend together.” Letters were also
read from R. B. Phillips, Esq., and R. S. Swan,
Esq., apologising for not being present. A ballot
was then taken for the office of President. J. J-
O'Callaghan, Esq., F.R.I.A.L, was elected, and the
following gentlemen to form the committee: Messrs.
W. P. Ryan, W. G. Doolin, Junior, D. J. Freeman,
Thomas H. Longfield, E. S. O'Callaghan, A. W.
Robinson, R. S. Swan, John L. Robinson, and
William Butler. The committee then elected
Messrs. Thomas H. Longfield and John L. Robin-
son honorary secretaries ; Dan. J. Freeman, trea-
surer; and Messrs. Mitchell & Brien, auditors. The
general meeting then confirmed their election. The
First Session will commence early in October, when
the President will deliver his inaugural address. In-
tending members are requested to send in their
names as soon as possible. Forty names have been
already received. It is to be hoped that members of
the profession generally, and especially those resi-
dent in Dublin, will join the Association in its
endeavours to promote the architectural taste of
the metropolis and country at large.
