Henry Hake Seward Explained

Henry Hake Seward (c.1778 - 19 January 1848)[1] [2] was an English architect who practised in the early 19th century.

Seward was a pupil of Sir John Soane from May 1794 to September 1808.[3] He was house architect (and later, c. 1823, Surveyor) to the Greenwich Hospital Commissioners, working with John Yenn on extensions to the hospital's infirmary (later the Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital) in 1808 and rebuilding the west façade of the King Charles block (1811–14), and designing four regency gothic churches to serve the former Derwentwater estates in Simonburn, Northumberland.[4] [5]

One of Seward's most notable buildings was Bristol's New Gaol, in Cumberland Road, which opened in 1820 at a cost of £60,000 (c. £2 million at 2017 prices). It held 197 men and women in single cells, and at the time was regarded as a model prison. It was attacked by rioters and set on fire in 1831, but was eventually rebuilt and continued in use until 1883.[6]

His pupils included the father of George Aitchison,[7] and Henry Jones Underwood.

In 1832, having previously been Assistant Surveyor of Works in the Office of Works, Seward was appointed Surveyor of Works and Buildings when the Office of Works merged with the Department of Woods and Forests.[8] In this role, his duties included supervision of payments relating to a building to house Charles Babbage's Difference engine.[9] He died in January 1848 and was buried in the churchyard at St John the Baptist in West Wickham, Kent.

Principal works

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Greystead, and Greystead Old Church. Greystead Holiday Cottages. 30 May 2017.
  2. Web site: The contents of field notebook containing the continuation of St Johns the Baptist West Wickham Taken on 1st August 1891 - Leland L. Duncan Transcribed by Frank Bamping 5 March 2001. Kent Archaeological Society - West Wickham. 30 May 2017.
  3. Web site: Palace of Westminster, House of Lords. Designs, 1794-1795: Drawn by H H Seward. Sir John Soane's Museum Collection Online. 30 May 2017.
  4. Web site: St. Peter's Church, Humshaugh. Humshaugh Benefice. 30 May 2017.
  5. Book: Pevsner. Nikolaus. Buildings of England: Northumberland. 1992. Yale University Press. 9780300096385. 107.
  6. Web site: Bristol New Gaol. Bristol Museums. 30 May 2017.
  7. Web site: George Aitchison. Grace's Guide. 30 May 2017.
  8. Book: Roberts. Jane. Royal Landscape: The Gardens and Parks of Windsor. 1997. Yale University Press. 9780300070798. 515.
  9. Web site: Documents in the Public Record Office, Kew. Charles Babbage's First Difference Engine. 21 September 2014 . 30 May 2017.
  10. News: Churchill. Penny. Dream country houses for sales. 30 May 2017. Country Life. 4 July 2015.
  11. Web site: New Court. A Thousand Years of Building with Stone. 30 May 2017.
  12. Web site: Hexham, Northumberland. VisitorUK.com. 30 May 2017.
  13. Web site: St Michael's Church. Undiscovered Scotland. 30 May 2017.
  14. Web site: Wark-on-Tyne Northumberland Extensive Urban Survey (p.20). Northumberland County Council. 30 May 2017.
  15. Web site: Ledbury Park (New House). A Thousand Years of Building with Stone. 30 May 2017.
  16. Web site: The Clifton Spa Pumproom. Spas Directory. 30 May 2017.

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