William Adams Nicholson
| Nicholson, William Adams | |
|---|---|
 Bayons Manor 1859 | |
| Born |
8 August 1803 Southwell, Nottinghamshire |
| Died |
1853 Boston |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Pupil of John Buonarotti Papworth, 1821-24 |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Practice | In Lincoln from 1828 |
| Buildings | Mansfield Town Hall, Bayons Manor. |
| Projects | Estate Village at Blankney, Lincolnshire |
William Adams Nicholson (1803–1853) was an English architect.
Life
Born on 8 August 1803 at Southwell, Nottinghamshire, he was the son of James Nicholson, carpenter and joiner. James gave up his business about 1838 and became sub-agent to Sir Richard Sutton's estates in Nottinghamshire and Norfolk. William was articled about July 1821, for three years, to John Buonarotti Papworth, architect, of London. By 1824 Nicholson had returned to Southwell where he was to work with the Rev J. T.Becher on the design of the Southwell Workhouse. [1] In 1828 he established himself at Lincoln; and there and in the neighbouring counties he built up an extensive practice. From 1839 to 1846 he was in partnership as Nicholson & Goddard, with Henry Goddard (1813–1899).[2][3] Charles Baily was a pupil.[4] Another pupil of Nicholson's was Michael Drury.[5] His assistant John Spence Hardy and his pupil Pearson Bellamy set up the practice of Bellamy and Hardy in Lincoln after his death.
Nicholson joined the Royal Institute of British Architects as a founding fellow at its commencement. He was a member of the Lincolnshire Literary Society, and of the Lincolnshire Topographical Society. He was in attendance at Boston as a professional witness when he was suddenly taken ill, and died there on 8 April 1853. He was buried at Lincoln, in the churchyard of St. Swithin, in the parish where he had resided for many years.[2]
Works
Nicholson designed the churches at Glandford-Brigg, at Wragby, and at Kirmond, on the estate of C. Turnor. Many other churches were restored under his supervision, including St Peter at Gowts, Lincoln, not quite complete at his death. Among residences erected from his designs were those of Worsborough Hall, Yorkshire; the Castle of Bayons Manor for Charles Tennyson d'Eyncourt with Anthony Salvin; and Elkington Hall, near Louth. The village of Blankney, near Lincoln, was almost rebuilt under his superintendence. He put up farm buildings on the estates of General Reeve, Sir John Wyldbore Smith, bart., C. Turnor, C. Chaplin, and others.[2]
Possibly Nicholson's most important contribution was in the design of Workhouses. The pioneering Southwell Workhouse (1824) was important forerunner of the radially planned workhouses of the New Poor Law.[6] and Nicholson was to go on to design workhouses at Glanford Brigg in 1836 and at Lincoln in 1837-8 -both of which have now been demolished.[7]
As well as working in the Gothic revival style of architecture, Nicholson could also work very effectively in classical styles. He designed the Mansfield Town Hall in a Grecian style portico with Doric columns. More striking is the Corn Exchange of 1847 in the Cornhill Lincoln. Here he has a projecting portico with Corinthian columns at Piano nobile level.[8] Nicholson also appears to have been responsible around 1844, for the extension of the Lincoln Stonebow frontage, facing Saltergate. This he handles in a very convincing Tudor Gothic Revival style.[9]
It has also been suggested that Nicholson was the architect for St Mark's station in Lincoln High Street of 1846 - the centre with a massive Ionic portico and fluted columns and the side pavilions with Doric pilasters. However, this attribution lacks definite documentation.[10] An example of school architecture by Nicholson of 1851 is St Peter in Eastgate Primary School, Eastgate, Lincoln. Pevsner described this as a Tudoresque villagey school.[11] A further school was built on this site by William Watkins in 1881 which was later combined with the earlier school. Two of Nicholsons' buildings in Lincoln which have now disappeared are the Wesley Chapel of 1837 in Clasketgate, for two thousand persons, and the union workhouse. The firm also carried out many other works, including the dispensary at Nottingham. a corn-mill, and several private residences.[2]
Family
In 1824 Nicholson married Leonora, the youngest daughter of William Say of Norton Street, London. His second wife, Anne Tallant, survived him.[2]
Literature
- Antram N (revised), Pevsner N & Harris J, (1989), The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire, Yale University Press.
- Antonia Brodie (ed), Directory of British Architects, 1834–1914: 2 Vols, British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects, 2001, Vol 2, pg264 and pg 565.
- Colvin H. A (1995), Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840. Yale University Press, 3rd edition London, pg.1140.
- Morrison K. (1999), The Workhouse: A Study of Poor-Law Buildings in England, English Heritage/RCHME, ISBN 9781873592366
- Obituary in the Builder, Vol.11, 23rd Apr 1853, pg.262.
References
- ↑ "Morrison" (1999),pp. 36-40
- 1 2 3 4 5
"Nicholson, William Adams". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. - ↑ Saur allgemeines Künstlerlexikon. Walter de Gruyter. 1992. p. 371. ISBN 978-3-598-22740-0. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
- ↑ Peach, Annette. "Baily, Charles". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/1075. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ↑ "Brodie", Vol 1, pg 564
- ↑ "Morrison" (1999), pg 39 and fig.36
- ↑ "Morrison" (1999), pg 207
- ↑ "Antram" (1989), 523.
- ↑ Hill, Sir F. (1948), Medieval Lincoln, Cambridge, pg 6.
- ↑ "Antram" (1989), 525.
- ↑ “Antram”, (1989), 525. where incorrect information is given: see also
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- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Nicholson, William Adams". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
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