Thomas S. Tait
Thomas S. Tait | |
---|---|
Born | 18 June 1882 Royal Academy Schools |
Occupation | Architect |
Awards | RIBA Gold Medal, Best Building of 1933 |
Practice | John Burnet & Partners; Burnet, Tait & Lorne |
Buildings | Selfridges, Oxford Street; the Daily Telegraph Building, Fleet Street; Unilever House, Blackfriars; Sydney Harbour Bridge. |
Thomas Smith Tait (18 June 1882 – 18 July 1954) was a Scottish
Biography
Born in 1882 in
In 1910 he married Constance Hardy, the daughter of a London stationmaster, and they set up home at 26 Holyoake Walk in
His former dwelling at Gates House, Wyldes Close,
John Burnet & Sons
In 1902, Tait was recruited by the architecture firm John Burnet & Son and worked under the founder's son, John James Burnet.
In 1905, Burnet was appointed to design new galleries at the British Museum in London. Burnet opened a London office at 1 Montague Place, calling it simply John J Burnet, and took Tait with him as his personal assistant.[1]
By 1910, Tait was a leading member of Burnet's staff, and played an important part in the design of the Kodak Building in London, considered to be among the first examples of modern architecture in the United Kingdom and which was highly influential on the design of many commercial buildings of the time.
Following his marriage in 1910, Tait took on extra work at a rival practice, Trehearne and Norman, assisting in the facade design of several commercial buildings on Kingsway and Aldwych. He took this work without the knowledge of Burnet, and when Burnet learned of Tait's moonlighting in 1914, the two fell out. Tait suddenly left London for New York, leaving his wife and son Gordon at home, to work as an assistant with Donn Barber.[2]
Tait soon returned to London and took a job as chief draughtsman to Trehearne & Norman on further Kingsway buildings. Between 1915 and 1918, Tait and Burnet became reconciled and collaborated on a number of projects, culminating in Tait's return to Burnet's practice in 1918 as a partner. The firm was renamed Sir John Burnet & Partners.[1]
Due to ill health, Burnet himself grew less active in the partnership, and Tait's role increased. In 1925 Tait was made a fellow of the
style.In 1930, another Scottish architect, Francis Lorne became a partner in the firm, and under the name Sir John Burnet, Tait and Lorne, the practice became one of the most influential architects' firms in Britain.[1]
Tait and Lorne began to pursue a more Modernist architectural direction, and their work on the Royal Masonic Hospital at Ravenscourt (1930-3) won the
Later years
The outbreak of the
Notable works
Tait's architectural works were mostly executed as an employee of John Burnet & Son, or as a partner in Sir John Burnet & Partners, later Burnet, Tait & Lorne.
Public buildings
Tait is credited with the design of a number of notable buildings in London and internationally, including: Adelaide House (1920-5) on the River Thames, London; the Daily Telegraph Building in Fleet Street office (1927–28), London; later phases of the Selfridges building (1926–29), Oxford Street, London; St Andrew's House in Edinburgh; and the pylons for Sydney Harbour Bridge.[6] Tait collaborated with James Lomax-Simpson (1882–1977) on the design and construction of Unilever House (1930–33) near Blackfriars Bridge, London.[2]
Tait was also involved in judging a number of architectural competitions, acting as the assessor for competitions to design the De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill-on-Sea, and Kirkcaldy Town Hall.
War memorials
Following the
The Moderne style
Tait's acclaimed Royal Masonic Hospital at Ravenscourt Park in London (later the Ravenscourt Park Hospital[9]) won him a RIBA award for the best building of 1933. This Moderne brick edifice features nautical-style curved sun porches and balconies, elongated sculpted figures atop the door pilaster. It has been likened to Willem Marinus Dudok's Hilversum Town Hall of 1931.[10]
Burnet, Tait & Lorne continued to build in the curved Streamline Moderne style, as evidenced in Tait's whitewashed Hawkhead Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Paisley (1932), which also features curved, nautical balconies and railings, streamlined corners and horizontal bands.[10][11]
Tait's Tower
Tait is perhaps best remembered for his contributions to the design and master planning for the
Private houses
Tait is also credited with the design of Chelsea House, built 1934, in Belgravia. This rotunda-shaped building stands on the corner of Lowndes Street and Cadogan Place on the former site of the 1874 home of the Earl of Cadogan, also called Chelsea House.[12] Besides commissions for individual private dwellings, Tait was also commissioned to design a housing estate at Silver End, Essex, for the industrialist Francis Henry Crittall as part of his model village project in 1928. The houses are white with flat roofs and steel window frames.[13][14]
Evacuation centres
In 1939 the British Government passed the Camps Act [15] which established the National Camps Corporation as a body to design and build residential camps for young people that could provide opportunities for outdoor learning and also act as evacuation centres in the event of War. Tait was responsible for the design of the buildings which included accommodation for over 200 children and staff, recreational halls, washblocks and a dining hall/kitchen complex. These Camps were replicated in over 30 different rural locations around the country. During the war years, these acted as safe refuges for city children from Nazi bombing raids. After the war the ownership of the sites was transferred to the local authorities. Over the years most of these sites have been lost, but the best preserved example today is Sayers Croft which is located at Ewhurst, Surrey. The dining hall and kitchen complex is protected as a Grade II listed building because of the importance of Tait's work, and because of the painted murals depicting the life of the evacuees.[16]
Gallery
-
The Brussels war memorial
-
The GWR War Memorial, Paddington Station
-
The GWR War Memorial, Paddington Station
-
St Andrew's House, Edinburgh
-
De Casa Maury house, Maida Vale
-
Terrace of houses, St John's Wood
-
1949-50 Department Store in Plymouth, Devon
-
Houses in Silver End Village, Essex
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Thomas Smith Tait". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
- ^ a b c d "Blue Plaque for Scottish Architect, Thomas Smith Tait". English Heritage. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
- ^ John Burnet, Tait; Lorne, Architects; Christian Augustus Barman; Thomas S. Tait & Francis Lorne (1933). The Information Book of Sir John Burnet, Tait and Lorne. Architectural Press. p. 147.
- ^ "TAIT, THOMAS SMITH (1882-1954)". English Heritage. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ^ Historic England, "Gates House (1259434)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 23 June 2021
- ^ "Sydney Harbour Bridge". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
- ^ "War memorial, Paddington Station". English Heritage. Retrieved 5 November 2007.
- ^ "Port Tewfik War Memorial". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2007.
- ^ Ravenscourt Park Hospital today is a listed building, although it now appears to be closed Hawkes, Nigel (30 August 2006). "Hospital hailed as future of the NHS is forced to close". The Times. London. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
- ^ ISBN 0-500-28149-1.
- ^ "Hawkhead Infectious Diseases Hospital". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
- ^ Patricia E.C. Croot, ed. (2004). "Settlement and building - Twentieth century: up to the second world war". A History of the County of Middlesex. Vol. 12 - Chelsea. Victoria County History.
- ^ "Twenty-four semi-detached houses and terrace of eight houses". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
- ISBN 0-87951-912-6.
- ^ National Archives. "Camps Act". Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ISBN 1-902771-56-7.
External links
- Thomas S Tait Biographical Details (Dictionary of Scottish Architects)
- McKinnon, Ross (23 May 2007). "THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK: Second city of Exhibition is reborn for 21st century". Evening Times (Glasgow). Retrieved 16 November 2008. - article includes images of Tait's Tower
- Photographs of Tait's Tower - Mitchell Library
- Tower of Empire - 3D reconstruction of the tower by Glasgow School of Art