Sir Thomas Edwin Cooper RA

FRIBA The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

(21 October 1874 – 24 July 1942) was an English architect. His work has been described as "essentially Classical, and sometimes powerfully Baroque."

Personal life

Cooper was born in

Scarborough, North Yorkshire Scarborough () is a seaside town in the Borough of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England. Scarborough is located on the North Sea coastline. Historic counties of England, Historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire, the town lies between 10 ...

, the son of Samuel Cooper, a local carriage proprietor. He married Mary Emily Welburn in 1898.

Career

Cooper's mother recognised his interest in buildings and talent in drawing them, and at a young age was apprenticed to local architects John Hall and Frank Tugwell from 1885 to 1889. Cooper subsequently worked as an assistant for

Walter Green Penty Walter Green Penty FRIBA (19 June 1852 – 23 January 1902) was an architect working in York, England. Family He was born in Gate Fulford the son of Thomas Penty (1827-1893) and Maria Green (1831-1863). He married Emma Seller (1847-1937) on 2 ...

, Demaine and Brierley, and Goldie, Child and Goldie. In 1893, he returned to Scarborough to re-join John Hall, and along with Herbert Davis, formed Hall, Cooper and Davis. The firm opened a London office in 1895, but Cooper continued to work independently as well. Cooper was particularly adept at winning competitions, and several of his commissions, including the Royal Star and Garter Home, Hull's Guildhall and Lloyd's were derived in this way. In the early 1900s Cooper entered into partnership with Samuel Bridgman Russell, however this partnership ended in 1912. Cooper entered into partnership with Herbert Winkler Wills and John Anderson from 1918. Cooper went on to design

Marylebone Town Hall Marylebone Town Hall, also known as the Westminster Council House, is a municipal building on Marylebone Road in Marylebone, London. The complex includes the council chamber, the Westminster Register Office and an educational facility known as t ...

and Library, the headquarters of the

Port of London Authority The Port of London Authority (PLA) is a self-funding public trust established on 31 March 1909 in accordance with the Port of London Act 1908 to govern the Port of London. Its responsibility extends over the Tideway of the River Thames and it ...

(at 10 Trinity Square) and the offices of Lloyd's,

Leadenhall Street __NOTOC__ Leadenhall Street () is a street in the City of London. It is about and links Cornhill in the west to Aldgate in the east. It was formerly the start of the A11 road from London to Norwich, but that route now starts further east at ...

. He also designed the war memorial at

Cranleigh School Cranleigh School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) in the village of Cranleigh, Surrey. History It was opened on 29 September 1865 as a boys' school 'to provide a sound and plain education, on the principle ...

in 1921 and subsequently the substantial Connaught Block and Devonport Speech Hall (1930). Cooper was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

in 1903, and was knighted for his work in 1923. On 24 April 1930 Cooper was elected an Associate Member of the

Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purp ...

and on 22 April 1937 he was elected a Royal Academician. In 1931 he received further distinction when he was awarded the Royal Gold Medal for architecture by the Royal Institute of British Architects. Cooper was a member of the Council of the Royal Academy of Arts from 1938 to 1939 and from 1941 to 1942. Cooper was made Treasurer of the Royal Academy of Arts on 5 December 1940. He died of a heart attack on 24 June 1942, whilst at work in London as the Treasurer of the Royal Academy of Arts.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Edwin Royal Academicians 20th-century English architects People from Scarborough, North Yorkshire Recipients of the Royal Gold Medal Fellows of the Royal Institute of British Architects 1874 births 1942 deaths Architects from Yorkshire