Roderick Gradidge: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:46, 16 December 2016

Latest revision as of 14:55, 12 May 2025

(35 intermediate revisions by 24 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{short description|English architect}}

{{citation style|date=October 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}

'''Roderick Gradidge''' [[Architectural Association School of Architecture|AA Dipl.]] [[ARIBA]] (3 January 1929 – 20 December 2000) was a prominent British architect and writer on architecture, former Master of the [[Art Workers Guild]] and campaigner for a traditional architecture.

== BiographyCareer ==

Gradidge was an evangelist for the [[Arts and Crafts Movement|Arts & Crafts]], the [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] and a [[Vernacular]] architecture which had become unfashionable by the beginning of his career. He became an expert on the architecture of this period and in particular in the County of [[Surrey]] (near his home at [[Chiswick]]).

===Country Careerhouse commissions===

Roderick was an evangelist for the [[Arts and Crafts Movement|Arts & Crafts]], the [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] and a [[Vernacular]] architecture which had become so unfashionable by the beginning of his career. It is this passion that drove him to his writing career and to become a repository of the knowledge of the architecture of this period and in particular in the County of [[Surrey]] (near his home at [[Chiswick]]) where so much interesting architecture was produced in this period. RoderickGradidge had the opportunity to work on a number of buildings in the countySurrey by prominent architects, such as Sir [[Edwin Lutyens]], [[Harold Falkner]], [[Hugh Thackeray Turner]], [[Detmar Blow]] and [[Charles Voysey (architect)|Charles Voysey]]. He completed a number of interesting projects elsewhere, particularly with fine interiors and country houses. One of his finest country house commissions was for a large extension at ''Fulbrook House'', one of Lutyens's finest and earliest country house commissions outside [[Farnham]], Surrey and which he published in his book, the''The Surrey Style''.<ref>The Surrey Style: see bibliography</ref> He designed a library with [[David Hicks]] at [[Nicholas Hawksmoor]]'s [[Easton Neston]] in the style of the [[English Baroque]] for [[Lord Hesketh]], a [[Gothic architecture|Gothick]] conservatory at [[Cholmondeley Castle]] and altered [[Mount Stuart]] for [[Lord Bute]]. He worked on a number of pub interiors for [[Ind Coope]], such as the ''Markham Arms'' (now altered) on the [[Kings Road]], [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]] and the ''Three Greyhounds'' in [[Soho]], London. He restored the [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic]] interior of [[E. W. Godwin]]'s [[Northampton Guildhall]], and the interior of [[Bodelwyddan Castle]] for the [[National Portrait Gallery (London)|National Portrait Gallery]], which won the Museum of the Year Award in 1989. At ''St Marys, Bourne Street'', [[South Kensington]] and the National Portrait Gallery in London, he also did some interior modifications, although the latter has since been altered. Further notable projects included additions to [[St Edmund's College, Cambridge]] (1990–3), [[Pugin]]'s ''St Chads, Birmingham'' and ''St Augustine, Ramsgate''.

Roderick completed a numberMuch of fineGradidge's restorationswork andon extensions toSurrey country houses in Surrey in the 1980s and 1990s. He did these in a loose partnershipwas with the prominent Surrey-based architect, [[Michael Blower]], who had taken over notable [[Farnham]] architectural practice [[Arthur Stedman|AJ & LR Stedman]]. Their first projects were on [[Charles Voysey (architect)|Voysey]]'s ''New House'' in [[Haslemere]] and on [[Detmar Blow]]'s ''Charles Hill Court'' for an Austrian industrialist. From there, they went onto [[Harold Falkner]]'s ''Tancreds Ford'', which they designed and built for the writer [[Ken Follett]] and his first wife, and which was published in two articles in [[Country Life (magazine)|Country Life]].<ref>Country Life 17 & 24 November 1983, by Michael Hall</ref> Next came ''Kingswood Hanger (The New House)'', reputedly designed by [[Hugh Thackeray Turner]] and for which they jointly won a [[RIBA]] Award, which was also published in Country Life.<ref>Country Life 3 September 1998, by Clive Aslet</ref> Just prior to hisGradidge's death, theyhe and [[Michael Blower|Blower]] were working on a project at ''Combe Court'', which was completed by [[Michael Blower]] and his sons through their architectural practice, [[Stedman Blower Architects|Stedman Blower]].

He was active in the [[Art Workers Guild]], serving as the Guild's Secretary from 1977–84 and Master in 1987. He was a founding member of the Thirties Society (later to become the [[20th Century Society]]) of which he was a Trustee for many years and was prominent in the [[Victorian Society]], at a time when these were marginal interests within the architectural profession.

===Other work===

===Partnership with Michael Blower===

Gradidge worked on a number of pub interiors for [[Ind Coope]], such as the ''Markham Arms'' (now altered) on the [[Kings Road]], [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]] and the ''Three Greyhounds'' in [[Soho]], London. He restored the [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic]] interior of [[E. W. Godwin]]'s [[Northampton Guildhall]], and the interior of [[Bodelwyddan Castle]] for the [[National Portrait Gallery (London)|National Portrait Gallery]], which won the Museum of the Year Award in 1989.

Roderick completed a number of fine restorations and extensions to country houses in Surrey in the 1980s and 1990s. He did these in a loose partnership with the prominent Surrey-based architect, [[Michael Blower]], who had taken over notable [[Farnham]] architectural practice [[Arthur Stedman|AJ & LR Stedman]]. Their first projects were on [[Charles Voysey (architect)|Voysey]]'s ''New House'' in [[Haslemere]] and on [[Detmar Blow]]'s ''Charles Hill Court'' for an Austrian industrialist. From there, they went onto [[Harold Falkner]]'s ''Tancreds Ford'', which they designed and built for the writer [[Ken Follett]] and his first wife, and which was published in two articles in [[Country Life (magazine)|Country Life]].<ref>Country Life 17 & 24 November 1983</ref> Next came ''The New House'', reputedly designed by [[Hugh Thackeray Turner]] and for which they jointly won a [[RIBA]] Award, which was also published in Country Life.<ref>Country Life 3 September 1998</ref> Just prior to his death, they were working on a project at ''Combe Court'', which was completed by Michael Blower and his sons through their architectural practice, Stedman Blower.

At ''St Marys, Bourne Street'', [[South Kensington]] and the National Portrait Gallery in London, Gradidge carried out interior modifications, although they have since been altered. Further projects included additions to [[St Edmund's College, Cambridge]] (1990–3), [[Pugin]]'s ''St Chads, Birmingham'' and ''St Augustine, Ramsgate''.

=== Personal life ===

Roddy was born 3 January 1929 in [[Old Hunstanton]], Norfolk, and died 20 December 2000 in London, aged 71. H. His father [[Brigadier]] John Gradidge, was posted in [[India]] at the time of his son's birth, who was then brought up amidst the splendours of the [[British Raj]]. He was sent off to Public School at [[Stowe School|Stowe]] and from there and after 2 years [[National Service]] in the [[Mandatory Palestine|Palestine]], he moved to London and the [[Architectural Association]], where he completed his training as an architect and was elected an Associate of the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]] ([[ARIBA]]). He remained in London practicing as an architect and writer for most of his life, where he was a prominent figure in social and architectural circles in the last half of the 20th Century. Roddy was an advocate of rational dress, a movement more usually associated with modernists, and had suits tailored in fine cloths that featured jackets and kilts. For much of his life he wore his hair uncut and tied as a plait; he felt cutting it was unnecessary and wasteful of time. He was long-time member of the congregation of the Anglo-Catholic [[St Mary's, Bourne Street]], Kensington, where his requiem mass was celebrated. On that occasion the priest officiating quipped in his eulogy that it was one of the few occasions he could remember when Roddy was on time for mass. He had no children and was never married.

===Society activity===

He was active in the [[Art Workers Guild]] being elected in 1969, servingserved as the Guild's Secretary from 1977–841977 to 1984 and was elected Master in 1987.<ref name=guardian/> He was a founding member of the Thirties Society (later to become the [[20th Century Society]]), of which he was a Trustee for many years. andHe was also prominent in the [[Victorian Society]], at.<ref a time when these were marginal interests within the architectural profession.name=guardian/>

=== Personal life ===

Gradidge was born on 3 January 1929 in [[Old Hunstanton]], Norfolk, and died 20 December 2000 in London, aged 71. He spent his childhood in India, where his father was a [[Brigadier]]. He then attended [[Stowe School]].

After 2 years of [[National Service]] in [[Mandatory Palestine|Palestine]], he moved to London and the [[Architectural Association]], where he completed his training as an architect and was elected an Associate of the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]] ([[ARIBA]]). He remained in London practicing as an architect and writer for most of his life, where he was a prominent figure in social and architectural circles in the last half of the 20th century.

A large man, who was gay,<ref>A.N. Wilson, The jolly architect who couldn't have fun, ''Daily Telegraph'', 7 January 2001. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/4258366/The-jolly-architect-who-couldnt-have-fun.html]</ref> Gradidge was an advocate of rational dress, a movement more usually associated with modernists, and had suits tailored in fine cloths that featured jackets and kilts. For much of his life he wore his hair uncut and tied as a plait, and took to tattoos and earrings as early as 1955.<ref>A.N. Wilson, The jolly architect who couldn't have fun, ''Daily Telegraph'', 7 January 2001. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/4258366/The-jolly-architect-who-couldnt-have-fun.html]</ref> According to one memorialist: "With him it was not just a matter of not suffering fools gladly; he was reluctant to suffer anyone gladly."<ref>Alan Powers, 'Roderick Gradidge', ''The Guardian'', 25 January 2001, [https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jan/25/guardianobituaries.alanpower]</ref> He was a long-time member of the congregation of the Anglo-Catholic [[St Mary's, Bourne Street]], Belgravia, where his requiem mass was celebrated.

== Legacy ==

''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' obituary described Gradidge as ''one of the most colourful and underrated English architects of recent years''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Roderick Gradidge |website=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=22 December 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315100320/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1379044/Roderick-Gradidge.html |archive-date=2016-03-15 |url-status=live |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1379044/Roderick-Gradidge.html}}</ref> Obituaries also appeared in ''[[The Times]]'', ''[[The Guardian]]''<ref name="guardian"/> and ''[[The Independent]]''.<ref>''[[The Times]]'', 1 January 2001</ref><ref name=guardian>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jan/25/guardianobituaries.alanpower|title=Roderick Gradidge {{!}} Architect who led the rehabilitation of Lutyens|last=Powers|first= Alan|newspaper=The Guardian|date=24 January 2001}}</ref><ref>''[[The Independent]]'', 2 January 2001</ref>

[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] obituary<ref>The Telegraph Newspaper 22 December 2000</ref> described him as ''one of the most colourful and underrated English architects of recent years''. Obituaries also appeared in [[The Times]],<ref>The Times Newspaper 1 January 2001</ref> in [[The Guardian]]<ref>The Guardian Newspaper 25 February 2001</ref> and in [[The Independent]],<ref>The Independent Newspaper 2 January 2001</ref> the latter one penned by the prominent architectural historian and critic [[Gavin Stamp]]. Another heavyweight writer and architectural critic, Kenneth Powell wrote in the late 1980s that Roderick ''would merit rather more than a footnote when the history of late 20th Century British architecture comes to be written''.<ref>See Obituary in The Independent Newspaper 2 January 2001</ref> At the twilight of his career, he was awarded a [[RIBA]] Award, (the gold-standard of architectural awards in the UK) for the design of a house in the [[Surrey Hills AONB|Surrey Hills]], completed with his sometime architectural partner Michael Blower. Perhaps though, his legacy is limited in that he never completed a whole building from scratch and in so far as what remains of his work as an architect are wholly interiors, extensions, alterations and extensions to pre-existing buildings. Fortunately, many of these are [[Listed Buildings]] and they will survive as a testament to his career.

Towards the end of his career, he was awarded a [[RIBA]] Award, (the gold-standard of architectural awards in the UK) for the design of a house in the [[Surrey Hills AONB|Surrey Hills]], completed with [[Michael Blower]].

His legacy is limited in that he never completed a whole building from scratch and in so far as what remains of his work as an architect are wholly interiors, extensions, alterations and extensions to pre-existing buildings.

==Notes==

{{Reflist|30em50em}}

==Bibliography==

* ''Dream Houses: The Edwardian Ideal'', by Roderick Gradidge. Constable, 1980 (hardback, {{ISBN |0-09-461930-1}}).

* ''Edwin Lutyens: Architect Laureate'', by Roderick Gradidge. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1981 (hardback, {{ISBN |978-0-04-720023-6}}).

* ''The Surrey Style'', by Roderick Gradidge. Kingston: Surrey Historic Buildings Trust, 1991 (paperback, {{ISBN |0-9517022-0-3}}).

==External links==

* [http://www.blowerfoundation.org The Blower Foundation (for cultural connection) is a registered UK Charity devoted to cultural heritage and expression] and [http://www.cultural-connection.org] hold an archive of drawings by [[Michael Blower]] and Roderick Gradidge and have an online gallery of buildings by both architects.

* Obituary [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1379044/Roderick-Gradidge.html] in The Telegraph.

*Stedman Blower Architects [http://www.stedmanblower.co.uk Stedman Blower Architects] hold additional correspondence and detailed information on the projects by [[Michael Blower]] and Roderick Gradidge.

* Obituary [https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jan/25/guardianobituaries.alanpower] in The Guardian by [[Alan Powers]].

*The Blower Foundation (for cultural connection) is a registered UK Charity devoted to cultural heritage and expression and [http://www.cultural-connection.org] hold an archive of drawings by Michael Blower and Roderick Gradidge and have an online gallery of buildings by both architects.

*Stedman Blower Architects [http://www.stedmanblower.co.uk] hold additional correspondence and detailed information on the projects by [[Michael Blower]] and Roderick Gradidge.

{{Authority control}}

Line 38 ⟶ 50:

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gradidge, Roderick}}

[[Category:Arts and Crafts architects]]

[[Category:EnglishArchitects architectsfrom London]]

[[Category:1929 births]]

[[Category:Associates of the Royal Institute of British Architects]]

[[Category:2000 deaths]]

[[Category:20th-century BritishEnglish architects]]

[[Category:Masters of the Art Worker's Guild]]

[[Category:People educated at Stowe School]]