Academic recognition and town-planning.2C 1840-50 William Hosking

1 academic recognition , town-planning, 1840-50

1.1 professorship @ king s college
1.2 institute of british architects
1.3 church , chapel design
1.4 modern town planning

academic recognition , town-planning, 1840-50
professorship @ king s college

hosking s work @ abney park won important admirers, critics. combination of architectural design approach, academically researched in every detail, conceptual empathy non-denominational idea, , educational landscape complete arboretum, presented environs of london challenging standard future landscape , building design. in 1840, in recognition of hosking s contribution advancement of architectural practice, offered first professorship of king s college in art of construction , renamed principles , practice of architecture , better reflect relatively new profession , emergence academic discipline. hosking s educational approach set out in new book of same title, principles , practice of architecture (1842). appointment king s college of coup liberal, non-denominational empathies, since university founded high church riposte against ungodly ucl non-denominational entry requirements. king s brought out of backward-looking denominational approach gradually came perceived belonging bygone age.

institute of british architects

hosking served on council of institute of british architects 1842-3 while contributing standard work of period: theory, practice , architecture of bridges of stone, iron, timber, , wire; examples on principle of suspension, 1843. in day, multi-volume work comprehensive book of bridge construction. many of bridges depicted no longer exist, such long, covered bridge on patapsco river in maryland. others do, including of london bridges. today book major , unique source of information. more fifty of steel engraving plates fold-out, number of them quite large, unfolding more 2 feet in length.

church , chapel design

at same time contributing epic bridge book, hosking , medievalist antiquarian john britton commissioned vestry of bristol report on fabric of much-admired thirteenth-century church, st. mary redcliffe. studies preparatory appeal restoration of church. hosking s contribution recorded in vestry s appeal publication, restoration of church of saint mary, redcliffe, bristol: appeal vicar, churchwardens, , vestry; abstract of reports messrs. britton , hosking , engraved plan , views of church, rev. m. r.whish et al., 1842.

in 1840s hosking designed trinity independent chapel east of london @ poplar (1840-1). dominated streetscene prominent classical frontage, combination of grecian , italian renaissance styles. unfortunately building (also known trinity chapel, trinity congregational church, , green s chapel after philanthropic benefactor, shipyard owner george green) @ corner of east india dock road , augusta street, no longer standing. destroyed in bombing of east end in 1944. replacement, in modern style (the new trinity congregational church) formed part of exhibition of live architecture festival of britain, 1951, @ lansbury estate development. fortunately original church bell incorporated new church, having been recast , repaired following salvage bombsite.

early modern town planning

title page of hosking s 1848 book regulation of buildings in towns

in 1844 hosking appointed oversee application of new building standards embodied in metropolitan building act. in support of role official referee of metropolitan buildings , hosking published own manual in 1848 (a guide proper regulation of buildings in towns means of promoting , securing health, comfort , safety of inhabitants), reprinted in 1849 under more succinct title healthy homes.

such work led series of appointments on parliamentary inquiries, investigating state of town planning across england, taking evidence local witnesses in company of appointed barrister. work resulted in parliamentary papers, or blue books . term parliamentary paper denotes documentation papers tabling in house of commons or, less frequently, house of lords, or both. blue books in 19th , 20th centuries commonly sported blue paper cover. typical examples of hosking s blue book inquiries include:

sunderland markets, bridge, ferries, etc.

sunderland improvements, markets , bridge. report of commissioners of majesty s woods, forests, land revenues, works , buildings, enclosing report of surveying officers appointed make preliminary inquiries, 1847; evidence enlarging markets , providing new markets, , regulation of markets , fairs within borough of sunderland, , general improvement of said borough; , paving, lighting, sewering, supplying water , improving borough of sunderland, , vesting management thereof , of markets , bridge in mayor, aldermen , burgesses ...

york lendal bridge , approaches

report of commissioners of majesty s woods, forests, land revenues, works , buildings, enclosing report of surveying officers appointed make preliminary inquiries, 1847; evidence relating proposed act building bridge across river ouse, in city of york .. , widening, altering , improving streets or thoroughfares within said city, , other purposes .

cockermouth improvement

report of commissioners of majesty s woods, forests, land revenues, works , buildings, enclosing report of surveying officers appointed make preliminary inquiries, 1847 - evidence relating bill paving, lighting, cleansing, watching , otherwise improving town of cockermouth, in county of cumberland, , removal , prevention of nuisances , annoyances within same .

on 26 january 1847 hosking s father-in-law, eminent printer william clowes died. buried @ west norwood cemetery.