So Who Was Charles Henry Bourne Quennell?

An A-Z of Architects of Loughborough

For a complete list of the A-Z posts please head over to the bloglist.

 

Short biography of Charles Henry Bourne Quennell

Firstly, I need to tell you that this particular architect was not born in Loughborough, didn’t live in Loughborough, didn’t die in Loughborough, and as far as I’m aware didn’t design any buildings in Loughborough. But, I need a letter Q, so once I’d started researching Charles, I found lots of interesting connections – ok, some are a bit tenuous! Let’s see what we’ve got …

My first connection with Loughborough is that Charles was born in Lambeth, London. Connection?? As we already know, the connection is Lord Loughborough. The Institute of Historical Research tells us:

"In 1329 Rose de Burford held parcels of land in Lambeth … At the time of the sale of Lambeth by Parliament [1647?] John Blackwell treated for the purchase of it … [but] the transaction was not completed. However, after the Restoration he had to pay £1,580 10s. 7 ¾ d. in order to be exempted from the Act of Oblivion for this manor and two others. The estate consisted in 1858 of the mansion called Loughborough House and about 234 acres of land. Loughborough House, now pulled down, has left its name in Loughborough Road and Loughborough Junction. Henry Hastings, younger son of the fifth Earl of Huntingdon, created Lord Loughborough in 1643, was an eminent Royalist commander. He was living at Loughborough House in 1664, when he obtained a private Act of Parliament to make a navigable canal of the stream near Brixton Causeway to the Thames. He may have built the house, or it may have been named after him, for it is said to have been older in appearance than the 17th century."

Of course, there’s a connection to Burleigh Hall here, too, as this once belonged to Hastings. [There are lots of posts on my blog about Burleigh Hall - try this link.]

The second connection with Charles Quennell is that on a recent trip to London, I was unknowingly actually within spitting distance of 44 Lower Kennington Street, the home of Charles’ parents, Henry, a builder, and his wife Emma née Hobbs, when Charles was born, and indeed it remained the family home for many years. I’d actually gone along to have a look at the Garden Museum, which was housed in the deconsecrated former St Mary’s church in Lambeth, pretty much next to Lambeth Palace. The museum was interesting, although I was disappointed not to find any mention of Messenger glasshouses, but was pleased to see an information board about Harry Wheatcroft, of what used to be Wheatcroft Garden Centre (now NottsCutts), a place where plenty of times I have sat in the café with a red pen, editing some of the text for my books about Loughborough!

The third connection ties in with the Garden Museum: my research into Charles has revealed that he was a champion of the Garden City movement, and is believed to have designed the first ‘modern’ houses in the country, after the end of the First World War. This, of course, brings me to our own Garden City, Shelthorpe, which was designed by Barry Parker who had been instrumental, with Raymond Unwin, in designing Letchworth Garden City, and Hampstead Garden Suburb. Watch out for activities happening on our Shelthorpe Estate in celebration of the first houses being built in 1926! And, an exhibition at the public library, starting in May!

My final connection is related to Art Deco! Charles Quennell worked with Crittall, the family company which created those iconic metal-framed windows, and indeed, designed the houses at Silver End between Witham and Braintree in Essex, which was a model village for workers at Crittall’s factory. Charles also designed a house for Francis Crittall (now Grade II listed), and for his son, Walter. If you’ve been on my Art Deco walk, or followed my Art Deco A-Z last April, you’ll know I love a Crittall window!!

Brief details about Charles are below, but I should also say we are lucky enough to have a description of him! He was 6ft 2inches tall; he had a fair complexion; he had green eyes, and in 1928, his hair was grey / black!!

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What follows is a selection of buildings designed by Charles Henry Bourne Quennell

Note: this is a selective, not a comprehensive listing.

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*Four Beeches, Bickley (his own home) 1905

*Numerous houses in Bickley

*St Mark’s School, Bromley (1910)

*Southcourt Housing Estate, Barton Hartshorn, Bucks (1920)

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Basic facts

Name: Charles Henry Bourne Quennell

Parents: Henry Quennell, builder, and Emma (née Hobbs) m.17 December 1870 at St Mark’s, Kennington, Lambeth

Date and place of Birth: 5 June 1872, 44 Lower Kennington Lane, Lambeth, London

Spouse: Marjorie Courtney, m.19 May 1904, Bromley

Children: Peter Courtney (b.1905), Gillian Elynor (b.1910), Richard Paul (b.1925)

Death: 5 December 1935, Berkhampsted

Places lived: 44 Lower Kennington Lane, Lambeth, London; Four Beeches, Denbridge Road, Bickley, Kent; Crabtrees, The Common, Berkhampsted;

Place of work/Offices: 19 Great Peter Street, London; 17 St John Street, Bedford Row, WC1

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I’m taking part in the April A-Z Blogging Challenge!

 

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Posted by lynneaboutloughborough

With apologies for typos which are all mine!

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