So Who Was John Smith Norris?

    

An A-Z of Architects of Loughborough

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Short biography of John Smith Norris

John Smith Norris was baptised on 28 November 1819 at St Leogardius church in Basford, Nottingham. He was the son of Thomas Norris, a clerk, and later an accountant, and his wife Mary: this may have been Mary Smith, who married a Thomas Norris in 1809 at Quarndon in Derbyshire. The couple had at least four children – Elizabeth Smith Norris (1817-1870); Thomas Smith Norris (1822-1880), Mary Smith Norris (1826-post-1901), and John himself.

By the age of 22, John was listed on the 1841 census return as a surveyor, and he, his parents, and his siblings were living on Canal Street, Nottingham. On 27 July 1848, John married Anne Peet, the daughter Thomas, a lace manufacturer, at the parish church in Sneinton. At the time, John was living on Eldon Terrace, and Anne on Belvoir Terra, but the couple made their home at a property on Sneinton Road, Nottingham. The 1851 census return shows John and Anne at Sneinton Road, with their 1-year-old son, Henry John, and a servant. John’s occupation is listed as an engineer and architect.

In an 1854 trade directory, John is listed under architects, and his place of work as Market Street, Nottingham, and in an 1855 newspaper article his occupation is given as engineer to the local board. Between 1851 and 1861, John and Anne had eight more children, brothers and sisters to Henry John. Frank Peet was born in 1852; Katherine Anne in 1853; Charles was born in 1855); Edith Ellen followed in 1856); Edward Thomas was born in 1857); Margaret Mary in 1858); Herbert William was born in 1859, but sadly died in 1865, and finally Florence Louisa was born in 1861.

On the 1861 census return, John, Anne, and the 9 children, were living on Blue Coat Street (probably no.3), and John was listed as a civil engineer and architect. The family were supported by two people, Elizabeth Comber, a servant, and Sarah Hickson, a nursemaid. The life of an engineer, architect, and surveyor, was varied. John acted, presumably in a personal capacity, as executor to Samuel Henry Oaks, who died in 1861. In 1864 he was on the grand jury of the Nottingham Quarter Sessions, and, in the same year, commenting upon plans for ventilation and closets. As an architect, it was also in 1864 that he designed the new Unitarian Chapel on Victoria Street in Loughborough, which replaced the older one which was on what is now called Warner Lane, off Church Gate. For a report of the opening, please scroll down! In 1868, John is surveyor to the assessment committee of the Nottingham Union.

In 1871, John and Anne are both now aged 51, and four of their children – Edith, Thomas, Margaret, and Florence – are still living with them at 3 Blue Coat Street, Nottingham. John is still working as a civil engineer, and Thomas is apprentice to a lace manufacturer, who is probably his uncle, Thomas Smith Norris, who is living at no.5 Blue Coat Street, with his sister Mary and a servant. In 1881, John, described as a civil engineer surveyor, and his wife Anne are still at Blue Coats Street, and still have four children at home – Charles aged 26; Edward Thomas aged 23; Margaret M. aged 22, and Florence Louisa aged 20 – and they are supported by servant Ann England 

In 1885 John and Anne still at Blue Coats Street. John’s brother, Thomas, who was the lace manufacturer living next door at no.5 died in 1880, so their sister, Mary, is now living at no.5. By 1891, John has retired, and he and Anne have moved to 64 Mapperley Road, where their children, Edward Thomas, and Margaret are still living with them, along with two servants.

John Smith Norris died on 22 March 1892. Probate was granted to Anne, his widow, and Edward Thomas his son the lace manufacturer, on 13 April. His effects were £21,635 17s. 8., which was resworn in July 1892 and became £22,510 17s. 8d.. Now only was John Smith Norris survived by his wife, his mother also outlived, who died on 15 May 1897; her effects were £693 12s. 6d..  

In 1893, following the death of brother, Mary Smith Norris commissioned Nottingham architect Watson Fothergill to design a terrace of eight almshouses on Sherwood Rise. These became known as the Norris Almshouses, and were available only to well-educated, upper class ladies over the age of 60, who found themselves in reduced circumstances. Mary herself died in 1904.

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What follows is a selection of buildings designed by John Smith Norris

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

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*Loughborough Victoria Street Chapel, Unitarian (1864)

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Here’s an account of the opening of the chapel, by the Nottingham and Midland Counties Daily Express

OPENING OE VICTORIA-STREET CHAPEL, LOUGHBOROUGH.

For nearly two years and a half the congregation of the old Presbyterian Chapel, in Warner's Lane, have been gathering a fund for the erection of a new place of worship, in a better situation, with school-rooms attached.

The new building, situated at the corner of Victoria-street and Park-place [now Park Street], was opened on Wednesday, the 14th instant. It fronts towards Victoria-street, and is an adaptation of the style prevailing in the early part of the 13th century. The walling is of undressed Forest stone, and the dressings of Hollington stone, the inside of the walls being faced with white brick.

The nave is lighted by six lancet windows, with a circular window over the doorway, filled in with plate tracery. Accommodation for the choir is obtained by an arched compartment, projected from the south-west corner of the nave, finished externally with a slated spire, the finial of which reaches 72 feet from the ground.

The moulded arch of the principal door contains the tooth ornament, whilst the jambs have Mansfield red shafts and moulded bases, with carved foliated capitals. The chapel is fitted up with open deal benches varnished in the natural colour, affording accommodation for 176 persons. The pulpit and communion rail and table are constructed of polished pitch pine, the first named having quatre foil panels on the four sides, while the angles are enriched with eight-pollard oak shafts, and carved foliated capitals.

The lighting is effected by ten handsome gas brackets, projected from the walls and the usual branches to the pulpit. The heating is by means of hot water pipes under continuous gratings on the aisles. The roof is open timbered, of interlaced rafters.

Adjoining to the chapel in the rear is a well-lighted and lofty school-room, with an independent entrance from Park-place; also a vestry and an upper and lower classroom. The school buildings are of red brick, relieved by a sparing introduction of blue bands, and the windows, gable-copings, &c., are of Hollington dressed stone. While the style of these buildings is preserved in keeping with the chapel, the architectural features have been subordinated so as to give a consistent prominence to the latter.

The stone-walling, bricklayers' and plasterers' work, have been carried out by Mr. W. Moss, of Loughborough; the carpenters' and joiners' work, by Lamb and Stevenson, of Nottingham; the masonry, by W. Walpole, of Loughborough, assisted by Mr. W. P. Smith, for the carved work; the glaziers' work and heating apparatus, by Mr. Messenger of Loughborough; the painting &c., by Mr. Greening, of Nottingham; and the gas fittings were furnished by Mr. Rhodes, of Nottingham. The architect is John S. Norris, Esq., of Nottingham.

The total cost of land, buildings, and other charges, will be little short of £1,450; of this, about £1,360, including the value of the old chapel, are already provided for; and of the remaining £80 or £90 beyond some £40 which there is good hope of obtaining yet from other friends, about £50 are still entirely to seek. The congregation will be grateful for any contribution which their neighbours may be disposed to make towards the completion of this fund.

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Basic facts

Name: John Smith Norris

Parents: Thomas Norris and Ann (possibly née Smith) possibly m.1809, Derbyshire

Date and place of Birth: baptised 28 November 1819, Basford

Spouse: Ann née Peet (m.1848)

Children: Henry John (b.1850); Frank (b.1852); Katherine Anne (b.1853); Charles (b. 1855); Edith Ellen (b.1856); Edward Thomas (b.1857); Margaret Mary (b.1858); Herbert William, (1859-1865);

Death: 22 March 1892

Places lived: Eldon Terrace, Sneinton; Canal Street, Nottingham; Sneinton Road, Nottingham; 3 Blue Coat Street, Nottingham; 64 Mapperley Road, Nottingham 

Place of work/Offices: Market Street, Nottingham

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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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