Architects

Name:

Thomas Hopper

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Date of Birth:

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07/08/1776

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Date of Death:

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Exact DOD:

08/11/1856

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Bio Notes :

Thomas Hopper was born on 8 July 1776, the son of a measurer and surveyor. He trained in his father’s office but he was largely self-taught in architecture.

One of his earliest jobs was a cottage orné for Walsh Porter. The house brought Hopper to the notice of the Prince Regent who employed him to make alterations to Carlton House including the addition of a Gothic conservatory adjoining the dining room. It was designed in the style of Henry VII’s Chapel but in cast iron so that the tracery of the vaulting could be pierced to admit light through stained glass. Through the royal commission Hopper gained a number of wealthy clients and he soon had a fashionable practice as a country house architect. In 1816 he was appointed county surveyor of Essex, a post which he held for forty years. He was also surveyor to the Atlas Fire Assurance Company and designed offices for them in London.

Hopper entered a number of competitions for important public buildings but had little success. Where he did succeed the jobs were relatively minor: two County Gaols, Arthur’s Club in St James’s, St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington and some country churches. However he was one of the best-known architects in the early 19th century. He reputedly declined the offer of a knighthood, as well as offers from the Tsar of Russia and the Duchess of Oldenburg to settle in St Petersburg.

Hopper was an eclectic designer and believed that he should master all styles while favouring not one in particular. He worked in the Greek revival style (for example at Springfield Gaol and Leigh Park), the Palladian classical (Arthur’s Club), Tudor Gothic (Margham Abbey), Jacobethan (Wivenhoe Park) and the Norman revival (Gosford, Co. Armagh and Penrhyn). Colvin considers that his designs were competent but his Norman castles were his most original in which he combined ‘picturesque massing with a remarkable repertoire of Romanesque detailing’. However nothing in his later work matches the inventiveness of the conservatory at Carlton House.

Hopper had enormous energy, was a good conversationalist and had a prodigious memory. He died on 11 August 1856.

A bust of Hopper is at the Royal Academy and his likeness is said to appear on the bas-relief on the east side of the base of Nelson’s column (a sailor holding a wounded boy).

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Additional Notes

The following private or business addresses are associated with this person:

Private Addresses2 classic

Address	Class	Date From Char	Date From Type	Date To Char	Date To Type	Notes
1 Bayswater Hill London England	Private

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Business Addresses2 classic

Address	Class	Date From	Date From Type	Date To	Date To Type	Notes
42 Berkeley Street London England	Business
40 Connaught Terrace, Edgware Road London England	Business

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This person was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):

Buildings and Designs2 classic

Building Name	Date Started	Town, District or Village	Island	City or County	Country	Notes
Dunkeld House	In year 1828			Perthshire	Scotland	Designs for a new house. Only the foundations laid.

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The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

Author	Title	Date	Publisher	Part	Notes
Colvin, Howard	A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840	2008	London: YUP. 4th edition
APSD	The Dictionary of Architecture		The Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892)	ed Wyatt Papworth
DNB	Dictionary of National Biography
Fell-Smith, Charlotte	Thomas Hopper	1914	Essex Review, 1914
Fedden, Robin	Neo-Norman	1954	Architectural Review , December 1954
Searle, Arthur	Thomas Hopper	1970	Essex Journal, v, October 1970, pp132-140
Brown, R (ed)	The Architectural Outsiders	1985			Chapter by Neil Burton, 'Thomas Hopper'

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The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical Name	Publisher	Date Circ	Edition	Notes
Builder		1856	xiv	p481 Obituary

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Basic Biographic Details

Addresses

Private Addresses

Private Addresses2 classic

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

Buildings and Designs

Buildings and Designs2 classic

References

Bibliographic References

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Periodical References

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