Basic Biographical Details

Name: Andrew Noble Prentice
Designation:  
Born: 20 April 1866
Died: 23 December 1941
Bio Notes: Andrew Noble Prentice was born in Greenock on 20 April 1866, the son of Thomas Prentice, and attended the University of Glasgow before being articled to William Leiper from November 1883 to 1888, remaining as assistant for a few months after completing his apprenticeship. In the latter year he won the Soane Medallion, which together with family money enabled him to undertake extensive travels in the following two years. He set off in February 1889, his first port of call being Malta, after which he toured Italy, Sicily and France. He returned in August 1889 and it appears that he may have made an enquiry about entering the RA Schools at that time: he was certainly in contact with R Phené Spiers, who advised him to undertake a further study tour, this time of Spain, which lasted from November of that year until June 1890. His studies there were published in 1893 as the folio 'Renaissance Architecture and Ornament in Spain', dedicated to the Queen Regent, Dona Maria Christina.

On his return he obtained a place in the office of Thomas Edward Collcutt. He passed the qualifying exam in March 1891, enabling him to be admitted ARIBA on 8 June of that year, his proposers being Collcutt, Spiers and Leiper. In that same year he commenced practice at Hastings house, 10 Norfolk Street, Strand, where he remained until his death. A second visit to Spain was made in 1893 in connection with the publication of his book. In the mid-1890s he undertook work as a perspectivist for Niven & Wigglesworth and in 1894 he formed a brief association with A T Bolton to submit a joint entry in the competition for Durham County Buildings.

Prentice was elected FRIBA on 3 February 1902, again with the support of Collcutt and Spiers but this time with Aston Webb as his third proposer. From 1920 until 1933 he was in partnership with William M Dean and from 1935 until 1940 with H J Scaping and Arthur Henry Wheatley. Like Voysey he was a member of the Arts Club, where the Architects' Table included Ernest George and Willaim Flockhart; and along with Voysay he was one of the founders of the Imperial Arts League, now the Artists' League of Great Britain in 1909. Although they are siad to have addressed each other as Mr Voysey and Mr Prentice, they were good friends, Prentice commissioning Voysey to design his book plate

Prentice had an extensive practice, principally for large houses and formal gardens, the restoration and enlargement of older houses and ship interiors. In his earlier years he worked in an early to mid seventeenth century style close to that of Ernest Newton, notably at Cavenham which featured importantly in volume II of Hermann Muthesius’s ‘Das Englische Haus’ (revised edition 1908) but thereafter, as Muthesius noted, there was a trend towards a simpler and more classical Early Georgian with tall roofs and big stacks as at Stenigot built in 1911, paralleling developments in Lutyens’ office. Old English was an equally important part of his repertoire, notably at the timber-framed Chelwood of 1904 and the stone-built Lintrathen Lodge at Greenock of 1912. he had a particularly good clientele for work of this kind in the Cotswolds where he built several early seventeenth century vernacular houses completely anew as well as restoring and extending others, all in a fastidious arts-and-crafts idiom designed to merge with their neighbours or settle into the landscape as if they had always been there. Sometimes material salvaged from demolitions was used to achieve that end, notably at Willersey.

Prentice’s success stemmed from his ‘taut and forceful drawing’ ‘lucid and precise planning’ (Muthesius), meticulous attention to detail in woodwork and metalwork and the business connections of his family, particularly his shipowner brother Thomas for whom he built houses in Glasgow and in Lanarkshire. His clients tended to be either artistic or rather well-off, the most exotic being Baroness Orczy whose Villa Bijou at Monte Carlo he remodelled with an Italian garden in the early 1920s.

In person Prentice was about 5 feet 8 inches in height, bearded, rather stout and a heavy smoker who wore a cardigan in preference to a waistcoat. In manner he was very formal with a very precise diction for even the smallest details of life which his nephews and nieces found eccentric. He never married, living alone without much in the way of domestic help: in later years at least home life was frugal: while family members were welcome to stay, meals were not provided, probably because he had got into the habit of easting at the Arts Club. The last months of his life were spent mainly in the care of his brothers and their families, partly because of declining health and partly because of the blitz.

Prentice died at Willow Park in his native Greenock on 23 December 1941.

A portrait of Andrew Noble Prentice by P A Hay was exhibited in 1938 at the Royal Academy (no 352)
352)

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 5Willow Park (or Willowpark), Greenock, Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivate 1941Place of death
Item 2 of 536, Chelsea Gardens, London, EnglandPrivate1891  
Item 3 of 538 Rossetti Mansions, Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London, EnglandPrivate18921894 
Item 4 of 5Hastings House/10, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, EnglandBusiness1893c. 1941 
Item 5 of 52, Pembridge Gardens, Bayswater, London, EnglandPrivate1902 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.


Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 5William LeiperNovember 18831888Apprentice 
Item 2 of 5William Leiper1888January 1889Assistant 
Item 3 of 5Thomas Edward CollcuttJune 18901892Assistant 
Item 4 of 5Prentice & Dean19201933Partner 
Item 5 of 5Prentice, Scaping & Wheatley19351940Partner 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 5Charles Harold Norton  Assistant 
Item 2 of 5Lionel Francis CraneAfter 1897 Improver 
Item 3 of 5Colvin Tyler Armstrong19001901Improver 
Item 4 of 5Basil Procter1902 Assistant 
Item 5 of 5Laurence Mursell Gotch1903After 1906Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Thomas Edward Collcutt8 June 1891for Associateship
Item 2 of 6Thomas Edward Collcutt3 February 1902for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6William Leiper8 June 1891for Associateship
Item 4 of 6Richard Phené Spiers8 June 1891for Associateship
Item 5 of 6Richard Phené Spiers3 February 1902for Fellowship
Item 6 of 6Aston Webb3 February 1902for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Lionel Francis Crane30 January 1911For Liceniateship
Item 2 of 6George McLean Ford1 June 1908for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6Leonard Rome Guthrie28 February 1910for Associateship
Item 4 of 6George Birrell Robertson6 June 1910for Licentiateship
Item 5 of 6Fred Rowntree4 December 1905for Fellowship
Item 6 of 6William Shanks24 June 1912for Licentiateship

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 67 Comb End  GloucestershireEnglandDate unknown
Item 2 of 67 Dumbleton Hall (?)  WorcestershireEngland 
Item 3 of 67 Luggers HallBroadway WorcestershireEngland 
Item 4 of 67 North BayOulton Broad NorfolkEnglandDate unknown
Item 5 of 67 Oraway Ship Interior    Date unknown
Item 6 of 67 Orvieto Ship Interior    Date unknown
Item 7 of 67 Otway Ship Interior    Date unknown
Item 8 of 671891Glasgow Art Gallery and MuseumKelvingrove GlasgowScotlandPlateresque competition design - unsuccessful
Item 9 of 67189337 First AvenueBrighton SussexEnglandAlterations and additions
Item 10 of 67189435 Bruton Street  LondonEnglandAlterations
Item 11 of 671894Bohm LodgeBarnet HertfordshireEnglandAlterations
Item 12 of 671894House, Park Circus  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 13 of 671895New County Buildings  DurhamEnglandUnsuccessful competition design, in collaboration with Arthur Thomas Bolton
Item 14 of 671896Design of a country house     
Item 15 of 671897HouseBedford BedfordshireEngland 
Item 16 of 671897The RetreatLakenheath SuffolkEngland 
Item 17 of 671898HousePinner MiddlesexEngland 
Item 18 of 671899AuchendouneDoune PerthshireScotland 
Item 19 of 671899Cavenham HallCavenham SuffolkEnglandHouse and lodge, also new stable block.
Item 20 of 671899(?)Court Farm HouseBroadway WorcestershireEnglandExtensive additions, including new music room
Item 21 of 67c. 1900Savoy Tailors' GuildWestminster LondonEnglandAttribution by Buildings of England
Item 22 of 671901FryerneCaterham SurreyEngland 
Item 23 of 671901Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901Kelvingrove GlasgowScotlandKiosk - this is probably the Cocoa Pavilion - for which see separate entry
Item 24 of 671901Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901, Van Houten Cocoa PavilionKelvingrove GlasgowScotland 
Item 25 of 6719034 Hamilton PlacePiccadilly, Westminster LondonEnglandInteriors
Item 26 of 671903Witham HallWitham-on-the-Hill LincolnshireEnglandMajor extension and alterations
Item 27 of 67190415 Cleveden Gardens  GlasgowScotland 
Item 28 of 671904Chapelwood ManorNutley SussexEngland 
Item 29 of 671905(?)Orchard FarmhouseBroadway WorcestershireEnglandRebuilding and additions
Item 30 of 67c. 1905Murray LodgeNewmarket SuffolkEngland 
Item 31 of 671907Abbot's GrangeBroadway WorcestershireEngland 
Item 32 of 671907Willersey HouseWillersey (nr Broadway) Gloucestershire/WorcestershireEngland 
Item 33 of 671908House, Fursen LeaseSouth Cerney GloucestershireEngland 
Item 34 of 671908Notgrove Manor HouseNotgrove GloucestershireEnglandConservation and partial remodelling. Addition of dairy.
Item 35 of 671908Six Bells InnWitham on the Hill LincolnshireEngland 
Item 36 of 67c. 1908Barn HouseBroadway WorcestershireEnglandAlterations and additions
Item 37 of 671909Otranto Ship Interior     
Item 38 of 671910Buckland ManorBuckland GloucestershireEnglandAlterations and additions. Conservation and partial remodelling
Item 39 of 671911Abbot's GrangeBroadway WorcestershireEnglandServants' wing
Item 40 of 671911Exam Hall for Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians  LondonEngland 
Item 41 of 671911Stenigot HouseStenigot LincolnshireEngland 
Item 42 of 671912Lintrathen LodgeGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 43 of 671913Further BartonCirencester GloucestershireEnglandEnlarged house
Item 44 of 671913North Farm Estate CottagesEdgeworth GloucestershireEngland 
Item 45 of 671914Symington House, lodge and gates  LanarkshireScotlandFor his brother, Thomas Prentice
Item 46 of 671915Lifford Memorial HallBroadway WorcestershireEngland 
Item 47 of 671915Mansion  SussexEnglandProposed
Item 48 of 671915The Deil's Neuk   Scotland 
Item 49 of 671916Country House    Proposed
Item 50 of 671918Hunting Stables and HouseCirencester GloucestershireEngland 
Item 51 of 671919Villa Bijou  Monte CarloMonacoRemodelling of existiong villa and creation of Italian garden with fountain.
Item 52 of 671920s(?)SS Orontes    Interior
Item 53 of 671920Notgrove Manor HouseNotgrove GloucestershireEnglandStable block and cottage
Item 54 of 671921Bear Wood  BerkshireEnglandHeadmaster's house
Item 55 of 671922Combend  GloucestershireEnglandAs reconstructed
Item 56 of 671922Daglingworth ManorDaglingworth GloucestershireEnglandRestoration and enlargement
Item 57 of 671922House  GloucestershireEngland 
Item 58 of 67c. 1924Warneford House  GloucestershireEngland 
Item 59 of 671925SS Orama, ship interior    Refit?
Item 60 of 67c. 1925MidhurstMuswell Hill LondonEngland 
Item 61 of 671926Westminster Public LibraryWestminster LondonEngland 
Item 62 of 67c. 1928Orford Ship Interior     
Item 63 of 671931Proposed riding school    Design exhibited
Item 64 of 671932Proposed villa in Italy   ItalyDesign exhibited
Item 65 of 671934Cottage with thatched roof     
Item 66 of 671935Manoora Ship Interior    Design exhibited
Item 67 of 671935Park Circus, library in Dutch StyleKelvingrove GlasgowScotlandDesign exhibited

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Academy Architecture1896 part 2 p82 (Albert Victor Sailor's Rest, West India Dock Road, London (for evidence of his work as a perspectivist
Item 2 of 6Architecture in Manuscript 1601-1906 Architecture in Manuscript 1601-1906, 1022   
Item 3 of 6Livingstone, Karen2011Ther Bookplates and Badges of CFA Voysay  p116, fig 58
Item 4 of 6Pike, W T London   
Item 5 of 6Royal Academy exhibitors    19388, no 352
Item 6 of 6Ship interiors1967Ship interiors when the breakthrough cameJuneArchitectural Review, pp449,452 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Architect and Building News2 January 1942  Obituary
Item 2 of 4Architect and Building News9 January 1942  Obituary (part 2?)
Item 3 of 4Builder2 January 1942  Obituary
Item 4 of 4RIBA JournalJanuary 19423London: Royal Institute of British ArchitectsBrief note only p37

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3British Architectural Library, RIBARIBA Biographical Files Full account of work
Item 2 of 3Recollections of Lady Elizabeth Prior-Palmer, great nieceInformation given to David Walker  
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v11 p97 (microfiche 49/C5); F v14 p23 no863 (microfilm reel 11)