Charles Underwood's Apprentices:
John Clark (b.1831, Bristol - d.1868, Hong Kong).
John Clark's obituary in the Institute of Civil Engineers(1) states that he began his training with Underwood and is recorded on he 1851 Census as an 'architectural student'. He then was employed by civil engineer Mr G. Aitchison (1792-1861), then by railway engineer Charles Vignoles (1793-1875) and back to Aitchison. He also worked for the Great Northern Railway Company but in 1863 moved to China as an engineer for the Municipal Council of Shanghai. In 1866 he was appointed the Assistant-Surveyor-General in Hong Kong, remaining in this position until his early death in 1868; he is buried in Hong Kong.(2) Clark became a Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers in 1867 and a Fellow of the RIBA in 1868. John Clark was a bachelor and had no issue however, his younger brothers - William Henry Clark and Charles Brooks Clark (b.1840-d.1915) - both entered similar professions as an architect and a civil engineer.
William Henry Clark (b.1842, Bristol d.1896, Bristol).
William's early career mirrored that of his older brother John by being articled to Underwood followed by working for Mr G. Aitchison. Additionally, he worked for the architects of Sir Digby Wyatt (1820-1877), Colonel Sir Robert William Edis (1839-1927) and Mr Thomas Blashill (1831-1905).(1) William also lived in China but returned to England having not acclimatised to the climate.(2) Eventually he settled back in Bristol and was working on his own account from Lions-Chambers, Broad Street by c.1870. He was elected a Fellow of the RIBA in 1879 and a member of the Bristol Society of Architects in 1889.(3) He suffered from ill-health which possibly led to his suicide in 1896 at his lodgings at 25 Arley Hill. He was a bachelor with no issue.
William's portfolio of known work is limited but his RIBA obituary refers to his work for the Anglo Bavarian Brewery at Shepton Mallet, where he resided in the latter part of his career. The following building's list provides a quick overview but requires a more detailed investigation:
Charles Taylor (b.1842, Bristol - d.1919, Cardiff)
Taylor is listed within the RIBA Directory of British Architects as having been a pupil for Underwood for 5 years and thereafter, remained as his assistant, which is supported by the 1861 Census recording his occupation as an 'architect's assistant'. By the time of his marriage in 1865, Taylor lists Sketty, Swansea as his residence and thereafter he lived in Merthyr Tydfil, the hometown of his wife Amelia Lucy Thomas, the daughter of colliery owners Robert and Lucy Thomas. Taylor appears to have established an extensive practice at Merthyr Tydfil but later relocated to Cardiff. Taylor deserves a more detailed biography but falls outside of the scope of this study.
Frederick Billings (b.1838, Taunton - d.1909, Bromley, Kent)
Billings was the son of a shoemaker and moved to Bristol sometime after 1851. He is listed as an architect in the 1861 Census, residing at the house of his elder brother Albert, a soap manufacturer in Clifton Vale. In 1862, Billings is named alongside Underwood - Messrs Underwood and Billings Architects and Surveyors of Clifton - for two architectural competitions relating to a cemetery in Macclesfield and an housing estate in Tranmere. There is no formal record of a partnership with Underwood and if there was, it would have been short-lived with Underwood appearing to practice on his own account again by 1863. Billings may have remained in Bristol until the late 1860s but by the 1870s he had relocated to to St Mary Cray, Kent and later Orpington. He continued to work as an architect but entered bankruptcy in 1893 and by 1901 listed his profession as an Estate Agent. No buildings are attributed or have been found to be by his authorship.
John Clark (b.1831, Bristol - d.1868, Hong Kong).
John Clark's obituary in the Institute of Civil Engineers(1) states that he began his training with Underwood and is recorded on he 1851 Census as an 'architectural student'. He then was employed by civil engineer Mr G. Aitchison (1792-1861), then by railway engineer Charles Vignoles (1793-1875) and back to Aitchison. He also worked for the Great Northern Railway Company but in 1863 moved to China as an engineer for the Municipal Council of Shanghai. In 1866 he was appointed the Assistant-Surveyor-General in Hong Kong, remaining in this position until his early death in 1868; he is buried in Hong Kong.(2) Clark became a Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers in 1867 and a Fellow of the RIBA in 1868. John Clark was a bachelor and had no issue however, his younger brothers - William Henry Clark and Charles Brooks Clark (b.1840-d.1915) - both entered similar professions as an architect and a civil engineer.
William Henry Clark (b.1842, Bristol d.1896, Bristol).
William's early career mirrored that of his older brother John by being articled to Underwood followed by working for Mr G. Aitchison. Additionally, he worked for the architects of Sir Digby Wyatt (1820-1877), Colonel Sir Robert William Edis (1839-1927) and Mr Thomas Blashill (1831-1905).(1) William also lived in China but returned to England having not acclimatised to the climate.(2) Eventually he settled back in Bristol and was working on his own account from Lions-Chambers, Broad Street by c.1870. He was elected a Fellow of the RIBA in 1879 and a member of the Bristol Society of Architects in 1889.(3) He suffered from ill-health which possibly led to his suicide in 1896 at his lodgings at 25 Arley Hill. He was a bachelor with no issue.
William's portfolio of known work is limited but his RIBA obituary refers to his work for the Anglo Bavarian Brewery at Shepton Mallet, where he resided in the latter part of his career. The following building's list provides a quick overview but requires a more detailed investigation:
- Houses at Portishead(4) - if these were realised they are likely to be either the Royal Terrace (No.34-35 Leigh View Road), 46 and 48 South Road or South View.
- Museum and theatre, Queens Road(5) (demolished?).
- Wesleyan Chapel, North Street, Downend(6) (demolished).
- Rebuilding of an unknown premises on Broad Quay.(7)
- Alterations to St Andrews Church, Montpellier(8) (demolished).
- Ashton Gate Chapel, Greenbush Lane(9) (demolished).
- ABB, new cellars
- Anglo Bavarian Brewery, Shepton Mallet - new cellars in c.1878(10) unspecified alterations in c.1881(11) and a new cask shed, engine house, chimney and additions to front elevations c.1889.(12)
Charles Taylor (b.1842, Bristol - d.1919, Cardiff)
Taylor is listed within the RIBA Directory of British Architects as having been a pupil for Underwood for 5 years and thereafter, remained as his assistant, which is supported by the 1861 Census recording his occupation as an 'architect's assistant'. By the time of his marriage in 1865, Taylor lists Sketty, Swansea as his residence and thereafter he lived in Merthyr Tydfil, the hometown of his wife Amelia Lucy Thomas, the daughter of colliery owners Robert and Lucy Thomas. Taylor appears to have established an extensive practice at Merthyr Tydfil but later relocated to Cardiff. Taylor deserves a more detailed biography but falls outside of the scope of this study.
Frederick Billings (b.1838, Taunton - d.1909, Bromley, Kent)
Billings was the son of a shoemaker and moved to Bristol sometime after 1851. He is listed as an architect in the 1861 Census, residing at the house of his elder brother Albert, a soap manufacturer in Clifton Vale. In 1862, Billings is named alongside Underwood - Messrs Underwood and Billings Architects and Surveyors of Clifton - for two architectural competitions relating to a cemetery in Macclesfield and an housing estate in Tranmere. There is no formal record of a partnership with Underwood and if there was, it would have been short-lived with Underwood appearing to practice on his own account again by 1863. Billings may have remained in Bristol until the late 1860s but by the 1870s he had relocated to to St Mary Cray, Kent and later Orpington. He continued to work as an architect but entered bankruptcy in 1893 and by 1901 listed his profession as an Estate Agent. No buildings are attributed or have been found to be by his authorship.