Seely & Paget was the architectural partnership of John Seely, 2nd Baron Mottistone (1899–1963) and Paul Edward Paget (1901–1985).
Their work included the construction of Eltham Palace in the Art Deco style, and the post-World War II restoration of a number of bomb-damaged buildings, such as houses in the Little Cloister (Westminster Abbey), the London Charterhouse and the church of St John Clerkenwell.
Early lives and meeting
John Seely, son of John Seely, 1st Baron Mottistone,[1] and Paul Paget, son of Bishop Henry Luke Paget, met at Cambridge University, where Seely studied architecture, though Paget did not.[2][3]
Beginnings as architects
After graduating, Paget worked for a while as a bank clerk in the City of London while Seely remained at Cambridge.[4] When Seely came down from Cambridge, he insisted that Paget join him in architectural practice, even though Paget had no architectural training. In the partnership, Paget concentrated on working with clients on their requirements, while Seely carried out the design work.[5]
The first work of the two together was to remodel Mottistone Manor, a historic property belonging to Seely's father a National Trust property in the village of Mottistone on the Isle of Wight.[6] Seely's father insisted on their plans being approved by Sir Edwin Lutyens.[4] In the garden they built "The Shack", a tiny house intended as their country office and retreat.[3]
Seely & Paget
.jpg.webp)
In 1922, the two founded the architectural firm of Seely & Paget.
According to Paget, "it was just the marriage of two minds... we became virtually one person". They were inseparable in business and life, and referred to each other as "the partner".[4] From 1930 they lived and worked together at 41 Cloth Fair, London, where the firm remained until 1986.[2][1][7]
Domestic works
- 1931 (alterations): 1–2 The Grove, Highgate, north London[8]
- 1931 (alterations): No. 3, The Grove, Highgate, north London
- 1936 (alterations): Eltham Palace[7]
- 1951 (restored war damage): Eton College[9]
- 1955 (restored war damage): Lambeth Palace: Great Hall, Library and Stable Block[10]
- 1959. (restored war damage): London Charterhouse: Masters Court, Great Hall and Great Chamber[11]
Churches
- 1933 (new): St Faith Lee-on-the-Solent[3]
- 1935 (new): St John's Church, Barrow-in-Furness[12]
- 1939 (new): St John the Baptist (later St John & St James), Tottenham, north London[13]
- 1952 (new): St Michael and St George, White City, London
- c.1952 (restored war damage): Fulham Palace, Tait Chapel[14]
- 1955 (restored war damage): Lambeth Palace Chapel[10][15]
- 1956 (restored war damage): St Mary Islington
- 1958 (restored war damage): St John Clerkenwell
- 1960 (new): St Andrew and St George Stevenage[7]
- 1960 (restored): All Saints Church at Cottesbrooke
End of the partnership
Seely died on 18 January 1963 and was buried in St Catherine's chapel garden at Westminster Abbey.[1]
Paget succeeded Seely as Surveyor of the Fabric of St Paul's Cathedral, in which role he supervised the cleaning of the cathedral and the reconstruction of the tower of St Augustine Watling Street.[16] However, he completed little further architectural work, and in 1971, aged 70, he married children's writer Verily Anderson and retired with her and her children to Templewood in Norfolk (a house originally designed by the partners for Paget's uncle), where he lived until his death in 1985.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 "John Seely, Lord Mottistone". Westminster Abbey. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- 1 2 ‘The Partners: Seely and Paget’, English Heritage. Web resource accessed 8 July 2019
- 1 2 3 "The Shack, a country retreat". National Trust. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- 1 2 3 Aslet, Clive (1987). "An Interview with the late Paul Paget 1901-1985". The Thirties Society Journal (6): 16–25. JSTOR 41859261.
- ↑ Sussex Parish Churches. Archived 8 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "The Seely Family and their Island Homes". Wight Life. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 "Seely and Paget at Eltham Palace". English Heritage. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ↑ 'Nos 1-6 The Grove (site of Dorchester House Garden)', in Survey of London: Volume 17, the Parish of St Pancras Part 1: the Village of Highgate, ed. Percy Lovell and William McB. Marcham (London, 1936), pp. 77-94. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol17/pt1/pp77-94 [accessed 30 March 2023].
- ↑ 'file', Eton College Library, COLL B SF 102 01. Online resource, accessed 30 March 2023.
- 1 2 "Lambeth Palace Conservation Area. Conservation Area Character Appraisal" Lambeth Council. March 2017. Online resource (PDF), accessed 20 March 2023.
- ↑ Historic England. "The Charterhouse, Charterhouse Court (Grade I) (1298101)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ↑ "Church of St John A Grade II Listed Building in Barrow Island, Cumbria". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
- ↑ St John the Baptist, Great Cambridge Road, Tottenham, "London Churches in Photographs". Online resource, accessed 20 March 2023.
- ↑ 'Palace Tait Chapel'. "National Churches Trust". Online resource, accessed 30 March 2023.
- ↑ 'Fulham Palace, London: the east end of the chapel prior to alterations'. RIBA Picture Library. Online resource, accessed 30 March 2023.
- ↑ Historic England. "Tower of former church of St Augustine (Grade I) (1079121)". National Heritage List for England.