Basic Biographical Details | Name: | George Washington Henry Jack | | Designation: | | | Born: | 8 August 1855 | | Died: | 15 December 1931 | | Bio Notes: | George Washington Henry Jack was born on 8 August 1855 at Long Island, New York, where his father, James Pattison Jack, was an engraver, descended from Paisley weavers, who had married Chistiana Wilhelmina Reid, a pianist, and emigrated in 1853. On his father's death in September 1860 his mother brought him and his younger brother to Glasgow where he was educated at St David's School and articled to Horatio Kelson Bromhead in 1869. In Bromhead's office he became lifelong friends with Thomas Hamilton Crawford and William Hackstoun, through whom he was later to become part of James Marjoribanks MacLaren's circle. At the end of his indentures he moved to London and after a short engagement with Charles George Vinall he joined the office of Philip Webb in 1880, continuing his practice after Webb's retirement in 1900. While in Webb's office he began to design furniture for Morris & Co and began to carve in wood and model in clay under the guidance of Laurence Turner, his activities in time extending to mosaics and stained glass. He taught wood-carving at the Central School of Arts and Crafts and from 1900 at the Royal College of Art, both under Lethaby, and published 'Woodcarving, Design and Workmanship' in 1903.
In 1902 Jack entered into partnership with Crawford, by then an artist engraver, but this proved unworkable and was amicably dissolved in 1907; during the years 1906-07 they were assisted by Jack's nephew James Frederick Semple Jack (born 1887). The practice was closed during the First World War when Jack was working in the LCC Architects Department where he remained until 1919. Thereafter his practice was chiefly concerned with memorials and church furnishing. Jack was a member of the Art Workers' Guild for twenty-five years and one of the original members of the Arts and Crafts Society and a regular exhibitor for many years. Jack married his cousin Annie Christian Gray in 1888. They had twin daughters, Margery and Jessie, born 1894. In his later years he was severely affected by bronchial asthma which limited his ability to carve. He died on 15 December 1931at Fairlie, Station Road, Church End, Finchley which he had bought in 1902 and was house, office and workshop. | Private and Business Addresses| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 24, Station Road, Church End, Finchley, London, England | Private/business(?) | 1910 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic References| The following books contain references to this : | | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Beauty's Awakening | | Beauty's Awakening: The Centenary Exhibition of the Art Workers' Guild | | Brighton Museum September -November 1984, Royal Pavilion Brighton | | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | | | Clarke, Amy | 2004 | George Jack, Master Woodcarver of the Arts & Crafts Movement | no 28 | pp83-107 | | | Gaimster, Amy | 2006 | George Jack 1855-1931, architect and designer-craftsman | | Waltham Forest, William Morris Gallery | |
Periodical References| The following periodicals contain references to this : | | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Artist | January 1899 | | | 'George Jack, Architect and Art Worker' | | Builder | 15 January 1932 | v142 | | p133 - obituary | | RIBA Journal | 6 February 1932 | v39 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p278 - obituary by T Hamilton Crawford |
|