PENNETHORNE

Sir James (son of Thomas Pennethorne of Worcester). b. Worcester 4 June 1801; pupil of John Nash and August us Pugin 1820–4; studied in France and Italy 1824–6; elected a member of the academy of St. Luke; principal a istant of John Nash 1826; directed the West Strand improvement 1829, and the King Wm. st. opening 1831; employed by the comrs. of the woods and forests to prepare plans for improvements in London 1832; four streets New Oxford st. opened 1847, Endell st. 1846, Cran bourne st. 1843, and Commercial st. 1870, were made by him at a cost of one million pounds, also Garrick st. 1864, South wark st. 1864, and Old st. 1855; built Crock ford’s bazaar in St. James’s st. 1832, and Christ church in Albany st. 1836; his design for rebuilding the Royal exchange was one of the five selected in the competition 1838; joint surveyor of houses in London in the land revenue department June 1840; sole surveyor and architect of the office of woods 1843–70; a comr. to inquire into construction of work-houses in Ireland 1843; designed and laid out Victoria park at cost of £115,000, 1842 etc., and Batter sea park 1846–58; cleared away the houses from the walls of Windsor Castle 1851–3; architect of the Museum of economic geology in Jermyn st. opened in 1851; removed the colonnade of the Quadrant, Regent st. and designed the balcony 1848; completed the west wing of Somerset House 1852–6, for which he received a gold medal from the R.I.B.A. 18 May 1857; built the ball-room at Bucking ham palace, completed 1856, the duchy of Cornwall office, and district post office 1852, the Record office 1856–70, the stables at Marl borough house 1863, the Patent office library, opened 1855, and the new stationery office 1847; F.R.I.B.A. 1840, royal gold medallist 1865; designed the University of London in Burlington Gardens 1866–8; knighted at Windsor castle 29 June 1870. d. Worcester park house, Wimbled on, Surrey 1 Sept. 1871. bur. High gate cemet. Transactions of the R.I.B.A. (1871–2) 53–69; The Builder (1866) 877–98.