Basil Champneys (1842-1935)

Basil Champneys was born in Whitechapel, London, and about 1862 was articled to John Pritchard of Llandaff. He commenced practice in London in 1867, his father having secured for him a commission to design St Luke’s in Kentish Town. Once back in London Champneys quickly became acquainted with William Morris, Henry Holiday who was commissioned to provide the stained glass for St. Luke’s, and with Dante Gabriel Rossetti. But in 1872 he was commissioned to design the Eel Brook School in Harwood Road, London, his first essay in the Queen Anne manner with which he established his reputation. Newnham College followed in 1874, commencing a long career as a university architect, particularly for women’s colleges. His most ambitious work was the Tudor gothic John Rylands library in Manchester 1890-1905. Champneys was awarded the Royal Gold Medal in 1912. He wrote poetry and had extensive artistic and literary interests.