Charles J. Phipps

Arthur Lloyd.co.uk The Music Hall and Theatre History Site Dedicated to Arthur Lloyd, 1839 - 1904. He transformed the Strand Music Hall into the Gaiety Theatre , and since then has been engaged in the construction of a large number of theatres in all parts of the kingdom. In Ireland :— The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin ; the Leinster Hall, Dublin ; Theatre Royal, Belfast ; Theatre Royal, Londonderry ; the Royal and Opera House, Cork. Mr Phipps held the appointment of architect to the proprietors of Drury-lane Theatre for fifteen years, and has acted as consulting architect to the Government at Cape Town for the improvement of the acoustics in the House of Assembly and for the theatre there, and also to the proprietors of the Theatre at Kimberley, S.A. Some of the other important public buildings erected from the designs of Mr C. J. Phipps included the Devonshire Club, the Lyric Club, the Gaiety Restaurant , and the hotel in Pall-mall and the Haymarket now being erected on the site of Her Majesty's Opera House . We understand that the late Mr Phipps's partner, Mr Arthur Blomfield Jackson, will carry on the various works with which they have been associated, and will continue the practice at 26, Mecklenburgh-square. The funeral took place on Friday. The first part of the Burial Service was solemnised at the Church of St. Alban the Martyr, Holborn; and the remains were afterwards interred in Highgate Cemetery. Above - C. J. Phipps' Carlton Hotel under construction, but only completed after his death by Isaacs and Florence. The Hotel was a companion to Her Majesty's Theatre , also shown in the photograph, and also designed by Phipps. The Carlton Hotel was eventually demolished to make way for the present and rather obtrusive New Zealand House next door. We regret to announce the death of Mr. CHARLES JAMES PHIPPS, F.S.A., the well-known theatre architect . Mr. Phipps, who was sixty-two years of age, had been suffering some time from a complication of affections of the heart and kidneys; but as he lived above his offices at 26, Mecklenburgh-square, he was able to continue his work almost until the last, and felt, indeed, sufficiently strong to run down to Dover on Saturday, to inspect the new Tivoli Theatre there, approaching completion from his designs - his seventieth edifice of this class. During the journey he took a severe chill, which compelled him on Sunday to keep his bed, and death took place on Tuesday morning. In 1866 he removed to London, and he has since enjoyed for many years the foremost practice in theatre work. Among his buildings in the Metropolis may be named Her Majesty's Theatre in the Haymarket, opened less than than three weeks since, and illustrated by a signed double-page perspective from his own hand in our issue of the 14th inst. (shown below) - the Carlton Hotel adjoining is still in course of erection from his plans; the Lyric Club and Prince of Wales's Theatre in Coventry-street , forming externally one block of buildings; the Gaiety , Savoy , Comedy , Shaftesbury , Princess's , and many other theatres ; the Devonshire Club, St. James's-street; the Savoy Turkish Bath; extensive flats in Portland-place; and the pavilion buildings and cloakroom at the Star and Garter Hotel, Richmond. Above - C. J. Phipps' Her Majesty's Theatre From the Building News and Engineering Journal, May 14th 1897 His practice was not confined to this class of work, for he also rebuilt Lea church and added the schools; schools and a mortuary chapel at Pewsey; Leinster Hall, Dublin ; the militia barracks and stores at Bath ; and the Assize Courts and Guildhall extension at Swansea . He leaves a widow, three married daughters, and one son, Mr. A. Rashleigh Phipps, the well-known electrical engineer (Rashleigh Phipps and Dawson, Gray's Inn-road). Mr. Arthur Blom-field Jackson, who has been in partnership with deceased, and who has been associated with him in his more recent works, will carry on the practice at 26, Mecklenburgh-sq