John Loughborough Pearson

Infobox Architect


name=John Loughborough Pearson
nationality=English
birth_date=July 15, 1817
birth_place=Brussels, Belgium
death_date=December 11, 1897
death_place=
practice_name=
significant_buildings=Truro Cathedral
significant_projects=St Margaret's, Westminster
Bristol Cathedral
awards=RIBA Gold Medal, 1880|

John Loughborough Pearson (Brussels, 5 July 1817-11 December 1897) was a 19th-century architect renowned for his work on churches and cathedrals. Pearson revived and practised largely the art of vaulting, and acquired in it a proficiency unrivalled in his generation.

Early life and education

He was son of William Pearson, etcher, of Durham, and was brought up there.At the age of fourteen he was articled to Ignatius Bonomi, architect, of Durham, whose clergy clientele helped stimulate Pearson's long association with religious architecture, particularly of the Gothic style.

He soon moved to London, where another tutor was Philip Hardwick (1792-1870), architect of the old Euston Arch and Lincoln's Inn. Pearson lived in central London at 13 Mansfield Street (where a blue plaque commemorates him), and was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 1880.

Career

From the erection of his first church at Ellerker, in Yorkshire, in 1843, to that of St Peter's, Vauxhall, in 1864, his buildings are geometrical in manner and exhibit a close adherence to precedent, but elegance of proportion and refinement of detail lift them out of the commonplace of mere imitation. Holy Trinity, Westminster (1848), and St Mary's, Dalton Holme (1858), are notable examples of this phase.

St Peter's, Vauxhall (1864), was his first groined church, and the first of a series of buildings which brought Pearson to the forefront among his contemporaries. In these he applied the Early English style to modern needs and modern economy with unrivalled success. St. Augustine's, Kilburn (1871), St John's, Red Lion Square, London (1874), St Alban's, Birmingham (1880), St Michael's, Croydon (1880), St John's, Norwood (1881), St Stephen's, Bournemouth (1889), and All Saints', Hove (1889), are characteristic examples of his mature work.

He is best known for Truro Cathedral (1880), which has a special interest in its apt incorporation of the south aisle of the ancient church. Pearson's conservative spirit fitted him for the repair of ancient buildings, and among cathedrals and other historic buildings placed under his care were Lincoln, Chichester, Peterborough, Bristol and Exeter Cathedrals, St George's Chapel, Windsor, Westminster Hall, and Westminster Abbey, in the surveyorship of which he succeeded Sir George Gilbert Scott. He re-faced the north transept of Westminster Abbey, except for the porches (which are the work of Scott), and also designed the vigorous organ cases. In his handling of ancient buildings he was repeatedly opposed by the anti-restorers of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (as in the case of the west front of Peterborough Cathedral in 1896), but he generally proved the soundness of his judgment by his executed work.

Pearson's practice was not confined to church building. Treberfydd (1850), Quar Wood (1858), Lechlade Manor, an Elizabethan house (1873), Westwood House, Sydenham, in the French Renaissance style (1880), the Astor estate offices (1892) upon the Victoria Embankment, London, the remodelling of the interiors of Cliveden House (1893) and No. 18 Carlton House Terrace (1894), with many parsonages, show his aptitude for domestic architecture. In general design he first aimed at form, embracing both proportion and contour; and his work may be recognized by accurate scholarship coupled with harmonious detail. Its keynotes are cautiousness and refinement rather than boldness.

He is buried in the nave of Westminster Abbey, where his grave is marked by the appropriate motto "Sustinuit et abstinuit". He was elected A.R.A. in 1874, R.A. in 1880, was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and a fellow and member of the Council of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

His son, Frank Loughborough Pearson, followed in his father's footsteps completing much of his work before embarking on his own original designs.

Notable buildings

* Truro Cathedral (1879-1910)
* St Agnes and St Pancras church
* St Margaret's, Westminster (existing building, Pearson added eastern and western porches)
* Christ Church, Appleton-le-Moors, Yorkshire
* St John's Cathedral, Brisbane, near replica of Truro Cathedral
* Bristol Cathedral, (existing building, Pearson added West front twin towers)

ome of Pearson's more important works, not already named:

*Ferriby church (1846);
*Stow, Lincolnshire (restoration, 1850)
*Weybridge, St James's (1853);
*Freeland church, parsonage and schools (1866);
*Kilburn, St Peter's Home (1868);
*Wentworth church (1872);
*Horsforth church (1874);
*Cullercoats, St George's (1882);
*Chiswick, St Michael's (restoration, 1882);
*Great Yarmouth church (restoration, 1883);
*Liverpool, St Agnes' (1883);
*Lastingham, St Mary’s Church
*Woking Convalescent Home (1884);
*Headingley church (1884);
*Torquay, All Saints (1884);
*Maidstone, All Saints (restoration, 1885); *
*Shrewsbury Abbey (1886);
*Ayr, Holy Trinity (1886);
*Hythe church (restoration, 1887);
*Oxford, New College, reredos (completion, 1889);
*Cambridge University Library (additions, 1889);
*Cheswardine, Shropshire, (St Swithun's) (rebuilding 1889);
*Friern Barnet, St John's (1890); *
*Cambridge, Sidney Sussex College (additions, 1890);
*Middlesex Hospital chapel (1890);
*Bishopsgate, St Helen's (restoration, 1891);
*Maida Hill (Irvingite) church (1891);
*Barking, All Hallows (restoration, 1893);
*Cambridge, Emmanuel College (additions, 1893);
*Ledbury, St Michael's (restoration, 1894);
*Malta, Memorial church (1894);
*Port Talbot church (1895);
*St. Paul's Church, Daybrook (1896)

External links

* [http://www.danmorrissey.com/ststephens/architect_work.htm St Stephens, Bournemouth]
* [http://www.gumbley.net/churches.htm Kirk Braddon, IOM and links to other JLP resources]
* [http://stjohnscathedral.com.au St John's Cathedral, Brisbane]
* [http://www.saint-augustine.org.uk St Augustine's Kilburn] , London
* [http://boar.org.uk/ariwxo3Regdoc002.htm#Pearson One of Pearson's less usual projects] .