Brothers past A daily advancement
Blackerby was the most senior Freemason of the three. A member of the Horn Tavern lodge in Westminster, he was appointed a Grand Warden in 1727 and sat as Deputy Grand Master in each of the following two years. He was subsequently Grand Treasurer from 1729 until 1738. Hawksmoor and Blackerby were friends and toured England together in the early 1730s, visiting Blenheim (on which Hawksmoor had worked with Edward Strong Jr and Sir John Vanbrugh), and Castle Howard, where Hawksmoor had worked again with Vanbrugh. The circle of leading architects in Britain was small and it was not a coincidence that both Vanbrugh and Sir Christopher Wren, with whom Hawksmoor had also worked, had been responsible for Hawksmoor’s appointment at the Commission for Building Fifty Churches. In 1735, Blackerby married Elizabeth, Hawksmoor’s daughter, and when Hawksmoor died in March the following year, Blackerby wrote this obituary. Thursday morning died, at this house on Mill-Bank, Westminster, in a very advanced age, the learned and ingenious Nicholas Hawksmoor, Esq, one of the greatest Architects this or the preceding Century has produc’d. His early skill in, and Genius for this noble science recommended him, when about 18 years of age, to the favour and esteem of his great master and predecessor, Sir Christopher Wren, under whom, during his life, and for himself since his death, he was concerned in the erecting more Publick Edifices, than any one life, among the moderns at least, can boast of. In King Charles II’s reign, he was employ’d under Sir Christopher Wren, in the stately buildings at Winchester; as he was likewise in all the other publick structures, Palaces &c, erected by that great Man, under whom he was assisting, from the Beginning to the Finishing of that grand and noble Edifice the cathedral of St. Paul’s, and of all the
DIVINITY & DESIGN: H AW KS M O O R ’ S C H U R C H E S St Alfege Church, Greenwich Hawksmoor was inspired by engravings of monuments of ancient Rome. St George’s, Bloomsbury The typically grand portico is based on the Temple of Bacchus in Lebanon. Christ Church, Spitalfields Hawksmoor incorporated tall spires to tower above non-conformist chapels. St Georgein-the-East, Wapping Built from Portland stone and one of the few completely new churches. St Mary Woolnoth, City of London Damaged by the Great Fire of 1666. Rebuilt by Hawksmoor to a compact design. St Anne’s Limehouse The height of its Gothic tower is second only to the clock tower at the Houses of Parliament. FMT Spring 2021
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churches rebuilt after the Fire of London. At the building of Chelsea-College he was Deputy-Surveyor, and Clerk of Works, under Sir Christopher Wren. At GreenwichHospital he was, from the Beginning ‘till a short time before his death, Clerk of Works. In the Reigns of King William and Queen Anne, he was Clerk of their Majesties Works at Kensington, and at Whitehall, St. James’s and Westminster. In the reign of King George I, he was first Surveyor of all the new Churches, and Surveyor of WestminsterAbbey, from the death of Sir Christopher Wren. He was chiefly concern’d in designing and building a great number of magnificent Nobleman’s Houses, and particularly (with Sir John Vanbrugh) those of Blenheim and Castle-Howard, at the latter of which he was at his Death, carrying on a Mausoleum in the most elegant and grand Style, not to mention many others… His numerous Publick Works at Oxford, perfected in his lifetime, and the design and model of Dr Ratcliff’s Library there, his design of a new Parliament-House, after the thought of Sir Christopher Wren; and, to mention no more, his noble Design for repairing the West-End of Westminster-Abbey, will all stand monuments to his great capacity, inexhaustible fancy, and solid judgement … He was bred a scholar and knew as well the learned as the modern tongues. He was a very skilful mathematician, geographer, and geometrician; and in drawing, which he practised to the last, though greatly afflicted with Chiragra, few excelled him. In his private life he was a tender husband, a loving father, a sincere friend, and a most agreeable companion; nor could the most poignant pains of Gout, which he for many years laboured under, ever ruffle or discompose his evenness of temper. And as his memory must always be dear to his Country, so the loss of so great and valuable man in sensibly, and in a more particular manner felt by those who had the pleasure of his personal acquaintance, and enjoy’d the happiness of his conversation.
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