Luke Henwood
Architect & Surveyor
(b.1758, St Enoder, Cornwall - d.1830, Bristol)
Luke Henwood was born in Saint Enoder, Cornwall to Peter Henwood (a joiner) and Elizabeth.(1) His training and early career is unclear but he is known to have worked on Sir Christopher Hawkins' London house (30, Argyll House) and his Cornish estate of Trewithen in 1788.(2)
Henwood had relocated to Bristol by the late 1780s and purchased his free-Burgess status in September 1789.(2) In 1791, he married Temperance Bowyer (1745-1805), thirteen years his senior. Bowyer appears to have been from a relatively wealthy family and it would appear that she was the purchaser of property on College Street (likely No.34) which Henwood would occupy until his death in 1830. Temperance Henwood died in 1805 and Luke Henwood shortly after remarried a Mary Osborne, daughter of Daniel Osborne of County Kilkenny, Ireland; again likely of a wealthy family and who was fifteen years younger than Henwood. Consequently, these unions may have also been advantageous for his career.
In 1804, Henwood succeeded to the vacancy of one of the three City District Surveyor's posts. From 1805, the District Surveyors were cut from three to two positions following the death of Thomas Pope. Henwood kept his position until his death in 1830. During this period the second surveyor post was held by Joseph Gladcodine until his death in 1817 and who in turn was succeeded by James Foster (Junior).(3) In 1813, Henwood joined the Freemasons.
In contrast to many of his peers, there is slightly more evidence of Henwood's potential architectural work in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century.(4) For example, in 1796 Henwood advertises for unfinished houses in Cornwallis Crescent to be roofed, covered in and for common sewers and roads to be made.(5) Cornwallis Crescent is considered to have been started in c.1789 but was a likely a casualty of the widespread bankruptcies of 1793. Whilst this doesn't suggest that Henwood completely finished the houses, he at least made them secure and improved the neighbourhood.
In Henwood's role as a District Surveyor he was responsible for repairing the tower and designing a new cupola for All Saints Church, Corn Street; the cupola was rebuilt in c.1930. Whilst Ison also suggests that in 1812 Henwood was responsible for rebuilding All Saints' Street and the alms-houses of the parish. In between this time, Henwood was also promoting (in 1810) an area of garden-land located on Marlborough Hill for houses.
Bristol Archives (ref: 34631) holds records for the Henwood and Bowyer families. Whilst these have not been consulted in detail, there is the possibility that Henwood may have been involved in houses on Wellington Place, Ashley Road.
Apprentice records suggest that Henwood took only one apprentice in 1812 - Charles Wilson, son of a mason. No evidence has been found on Wilson's subsequent career and a separate biographical section of this is not warranted.
Nothing is yet known about Henwood's career in the 1820s. Henwood dies aged 72 in 1830; he had no surviving issue.
Henwood had relocated to Bristol by the late 1780s and purchased his free-Burgess status in September 1789.(2) In 1791, he married Temperance Bowyer (1745-1805), thirteen years his senior. Bowyer appears to have been from a relatively wealthy family and it would appear that she was the purchaser of property on College Street (likely No.34) which Henwood would occupy until his death in 1830. Temperance Henwood died in 1805 and Luke Henwood shortly after remarried a Mary Osborne, daughter of Daniel Osborne of County Kilkenny, Ireland; again likely of a wealthy family and who was fifteen years younger than Henwood. Consequently, these unions may have also been advantageous for his career.
In 1804, Henwood succeeded to the vacancy of one of the three City District Surveyor's posts. From 1805, the District Surveyors were cut from three to two positions following the death of Thomas Pope. Henwood kept his position until his death in 1830. During this period the second surveyor post was held by Joseph Gladcodine until his death in 1817 and who in turn was succeeded by James Foster (Junior).(3) In 1813, Henwood joined the Freemasons.
In contrast to many of his peers, there is slightly more evidence of Henwood's potential architectural work in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century.(4) For example, in 1796 Henwood advertises for unfinished houses in Cornwallis Crescent to be roofed, covered in and for common sewers and roads to be made.(5) Cornwallis Crescent is considered to have been started in c.1789 but was a likely a casualty of the widespread bankruptcies of 1793. Whilst this doesn't suggest that Henwood completely finished the houses, he at least made them secure and improved the neighbourhood.
In Henwood's role as a District Surveyor he was responsible for repairing the tower and designing a new cupola for All Saints Church, Corn Street; the cupola was rebuilt in c.1930. Whilst Ison also suggests that in 1812 Henwood was responsible for rebuilding All Saints' Street and the alms-houses of the parish. In between this time, Henwood was also promoting (in 1810) an area of garden-land located on Marlborough Hill for houses.
Bristol Archives (ref: 34631) holds records for the Henwood and Bowyer families. Whilst these have not been consulted in detail, there is the possibility that Henwood may have been involved in houses on Wellington Place, Ashley Road.
Apprentice records suggest that Henwood took only one apprentice in 1812 - Charles Wilson, son of a mason. No evidence has been found on Wilson's subsequent career and a separate biographical section of this is not warranted.
Nothing is yet known about Henwood's career in the 1820s. Henwood dies aged 72 in 1830; he had no surviving issue.