Bryan Thomas (architect)

Bryan Thomas
Born1928
India
Died (aged 95)
NationalityBritish
Alma materArchitectural Association School of Architecture
OccupationArchitect
Years active1957–2019
Spouses
Pauline Venton
​
​
(m. 1954; div. 1973)​
Wendy Foster
​
​
(m. 1975; died 2021)​
Children4
BuildingsHouse at Beth Chatto Gardens
Websitewww.bryanthomas.org.uk Edit this at Wikidata

Bryan Keith Thomas (1928–2024) was an English architect in Essex, known for domestic architecture in that county such as the house at Beth Chatto Gardens in Elmstead Market. His church architecture included Church of England, Christian Scientist and Quaker places of worship.

Early life

Bryan Thomas was born in British India in 1928 and spent his early years between there and Felixstowe, Suffolk, where he attended preparatory school.[1]

Career

Christ Church, Ireton Road, Colchester, completed in 1978.

Thomas trained at the Architectural Association from 1945 to 1950 before working with David Stern and subsequently with the modernist architect Wells Coates and his partner Michael Lyell.[2] As his family were centred around Colchester and the Mersea Island, he moved to north Essex in 1955[1] where he established his own practice in Colchester in 1957.[2]

Thomas's domestic architecture includes the house at Beth Chatto Gardens (1960), the House on the Heath, Fordham Heath (1967, extended 1974),[3] as well as a number of other houses in Essex. Due to the length of time that Thomas practised, he returned to a number of his houses to update or expand them such as one in Fingringhoe that he originally designed in 1964.[4]

His church architecture included a Friends meeting room for the Quakers (1968),[2] St Andrew and St Peter Church, Alresford (1975–76), First Church of Christ Scientist, Colchester (1975–77),[5] and Christ Church, Ireton Road, Colchester (1978).[6]

In addition, he designed rides and restaurants for Alton Towers, leisure complexes at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, shelters for the elderly and schools such as St Osyth Church of England Primary School.[1] He received a commendation in The Sunday Times British Homes Award in 2013,[4] before retiring at age 91 in 2019.[7]

Personal life

Thomas' first marriage was to Pauline Venton, with whom he had four sons.[7] His second wife, Wendy Foster, died in 2021.[7] Thomas died in 2024, aged 95.[7]

Notable works

Notable works by Thomas include:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Wivenhoe: Bryan shows no signs of slowing down". Daily Gazette. 18 December 2008. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "About". Bryan Thomas. 12 May 2014. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b House at Fordham Heath 1967. Archived 2 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine Bryan Thomas. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Bryan Thomas". The Modern House. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  5. ^ Bettley, James & Nikolaus Pevsner (2007). The Buildings of England Essex. New Haven & London: Yale University Press. pp. 88 & 270. ISBN 9780300116144.
  6. ^ a b "Churches". British History Online. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d Dodds, James (16 February 2024). "Bryan Thomas obituary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  8. ^ Bettley & Pevsner, p. 343.
  9. ^ Gray, Catriona. (2016). Sixties House. Decades of Design. London: Conran Octopus. p. 127. ISBN 978-1-84091-699-7.
  10. ^ Bettley & Pevsner, p. 341.
  11. ^ Bettley & Pevsner, p. 88.
  12. ^ Bettley & Pevsner, p. 270.
  13. ^ "Protestant nonconformity". British History Online. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  14. ^ "Bryan Thomas". Parks & Gardens. Archived from the original on 17 February 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2019.

External links