Samuel Thomas Welch
Architect and Surveyor
(b., c.1784, Gosport - d.1868, Bristol)
Samuel Thomas Welch was born in Gosport to Richard and Sarah Welch. Richard was a victualler but clearly encouraged his issue to seek other professions with another son becoming an attorney. From at least 1808 Samuel Thomas Welch was working as carpenter in Gosport and undertook work to almshouses on Cross Street.(1) By 1812, he had set up as a cabinet maker and builder on Middle Street and South Street but was declared bankrupt by 1814.(2) There is little information on Welch following his bankruptcy but the baptism of his children suggests that until the mid-1820s he stayed living on the south-coast in Gosport, Portsmouth and on the Isle of Wight. For reasons unknown Welch had relocated to Devon and living in the small villages of Eggesford in 1826 and nearby Wembworthy in 1830.(3) However, this period broadly coincides with the rebuilding of Eggesford House (the seat of the Hon. Newton Wallop Fellows) into a Gothic mansion.(4) Although conjecture, Welch’s abode being so close to this house and his later, favoured architectural use of Gothic styles suggests that he may have been involved as a contractor on this rebuilding.
The timing of Welch’s professional transition from a builder into an architect and his removal to Bristol is also unclear. An announcement of his removal from No. 4 Carlton Place, Pennywell Road to No. 11 Park Street in 1843 states that he’d resided in Bristol for 15 years and therefore, would have arrived in Bristol in 1828.(5) However, the Baptism of two of his children in 1826 and 1830 suggests he was still living in Devon at this time.(6)
Information on Welch’s career in the early 1830s is not known at this time but he was certainly living at 4, Carlton Place, Pennywell Road Bristol by 1835 and likely working as both an architect and surveyor. In 1835, Welch altered a road passing through Oldbury Court, Fishponds, Bristol.(7) It is possible that Welch was involved in further improvements to this estate owing to the house having been sold in c.1833 to Charles Carpenter Bompas.
The year of 1836 saw Welch emerge with several large commissions relating to new workhouses outside of Bristol for the Axbridge Union and Wells Union.(8) Having designed the Axbridge Union workhouse, he followed this up with the Axbridge Registry Office in 1837 but the project may have been reduced or shelved in the same year.(9)
Welch was also possibly the ’T. Welch’ who was unsuccessful with a design for Haresfield Vicarage in 1836.(10) However, it is known that Welch designed/installed a new heating system for Badminton House, Stoke Gilford in 1837, but was later sued by the owner (Duke of Beaufort) owing to the system being unfit for purpose.(11) In 1839 Welsh designed a school on Pennywell Road(12) and followed this up in 1841 by National School Rooms in the Parish of Mansgotfield(13) and continued working for Workhouse Unions with unspecified alterations to the Workhouse of St Phillips and Jacob.(14) Welch also appears to have designed the new Clifton Union Workhouse established in Stapleton in c.1845.(15) Although as Gomme, Jenner and Little suggest the circumstances over the workhouse's commission was controversially and upon its opening in 1847 was found to be too small.(16)
During the 1840s, Welch also benefitted from church building programmes, designing St Luke’s Parish Church of St Phillip and Jacob in 1842 and Church of Saint Barnabas, Ashley Road in 1843.(17) This more prominent work coincided with Welch removing from 4 Carlton Place, Pennywell Road first to No. 11 Park Street and then to No.15 Park Street.(18)
Documents held within the Bristol Archives suggest that Welsh was involved in alterations or perhaps the redevelopment of the Hope and Anchor Inn on Redcliff Hill(19) in c.1851. Additionally, Welch appears to have commenced on some speculative housing developments in this decade with houses at Camden Terrace off Clifton Vale attributed to him. Initially, Welch promoted 26 plots but the varied designs of this terrace would suggest that either his interest in the promotion was not fully realised or much reduced.(20) Welch also promoted the sale of No.1 Sidney Place located on the corner of Wellington Park Road and Whiteladies and given the design similarities for the six further terraced houses on Whiteladies, these could also be by him.(21) Interestingly, both Camden Terrace and Sidney Place demonstrate Welch’s first known use of polite stylings, contrasting his typical use of Gothic.(22)
In the late 1850s, Welch is known to have designed several schools including Lower Easton St Mark’s School (1858) and Horfield’s Edmonds Trust School (1859).(23) There are limited works attributed to Welch in the early 1860s he is considered to have designed St Michael and All Angels, Bishopton, Bristol.(24) He also unsuccessfully entered competitions to design Northampton’s Town Hall(25) and the Bristol General Hospital.(26) Welch taught architectural drawing classes in 1861 and advertised for at least one apprentice from c.1861-1863(27) which suggests he remained busy but there are no other known works by him. Welch appears to have continued to practice up until his death at his residence in Berkley Crescent in 1868.(28)
Welch advertised for apprentices in 1843, 1856 and in the early 1860s(29) but not being a Freeman of Bristol, it is not known who he may have taken on. In contrast to his peers, there is no evidence to suggest that Welch was called upon as an expert witness in property disputes etc. However, he was considered important enough as to be one of the thirteen architects to have established the Bristol Society of Architects in 1851.(30)
The timing of Welch’s professional transition from a builder into an architect and his removal to Bristol is also unclear. An announcement of his removal from No. 4 Carlton Place, Pennywell Road to No. 11 Park Street in 1843 states that he’d resided in Bristol for 15 years and therefore, would have arrived in Bristol in 1828.(5) However, the Baptism of two of his children in 1826 and 1830 suggests he was still living in Devon at this time.(6)
Information on Welch’s career in the early 1830s is not known at this time but he was certainly living at 4, Carlton Place, Pennywell Road Bristol by 1835 and likely working as both an architect and surveyor. In 1835, Welch altered a road passing through Oldbury Court, Fishponds, Bristol.(7) It is possible that Welch was involved in further improvements to this estate owing to the house having been sold in c.1833 to Charles Carpenter Bompas.
The year of 1836 saw Welch emerge with several large commissions relating to new workhouses outside of Bristol for the Axbridge Union and Wells Union.(8) Having designed the Axbridge Union workhouse, he followed this up with the Axbridge Registry Office in 1837 but the project may have been reduced or shelved in the same year.(9)
Welch was also possibly the ’T. Welch’ who was unsuccessful with a design for Haresfield Vicarage in 1836.(10) However, it is known that Welch designed/installed a new heating system for Badminton House, Stoke Gilford in 1837, but was later sued by the owner (Duke of Beaufort) owing to the system being unfit for purpose.(11) In 1839 Welsh designed a school on Pennywell Road(12) and followed this up in 1841 by National School Rooms in the Parish of Mansgotfield(13) and continued working for Workhouse Unions with unspecified alterations to the Workhouse of St Phillips and Jacob.(14) Welch also appears to have designed the new Clifton Union Workhouse established in Stapleton in c.1845.(15) Although as Gomme, Jenner and Little suggest the circumstances over the workhouse's commission was controversially and upon its opening in 1847 was found to be too small.(16)
During the 1840s, Welch also benefitted from church building programmes, designing St Luke’s Parish Church of St Phillip and Jacob in 1842 and Church of Saint Barnabas, Ashley Road in 1843.(17) This more prominent work coincided with Welch removing from 4 Carlton Place, Pennywell Road first to No. 11 Park Street and then to No.15 Park Street.(18)
Documents held within the Bristol Archives suggest that Welsh was involved in alterations or perhaps the redevelopment of the Hope and Anchor Inn on Redcliff Hill(19) in c.1851. Additionally, Welch appears to have commenced on some speculative housing developments in this decade with houses at Camden Terrace off Clifton Vale attributed to him. Initially, Welch promoted 26 plots but the varied designs of this terrace would suggest that either his interest in the promotion was not fully realised or much reduced.(20) Welch also promoted the sale of No.1 Sidney Place located on the corner of Wellington Park Road and Whiteladies and given the design similarities for the six further terraced houses on Whiteladies, these could also be by him.(21) Interestingly, both Camden Terrace and Sidney Place demonstrate Welch’s first known use of polite stylings, contrasting his typical use of Gothic.(22)
In the late 1850s, Welch is known to have designed several schools including Lower Easton St Mark’s School (1858) and Horfield’s Edmonds Trust School (1859).(23) There are limited works attributed to Welch in the early 1860s he is considered to have designed St Michael and All Angels, Bishopton, Bristol.(24) He also unsuccessfully entered competitions to design Northampton’s Town Hall(25) and the Bristol General Hospital.(26) Welch taught architectural drawing classes in 1861 and advertised for at least one apprentice from c.1861-1863(27) which suggests he remained busy but there are no other known works by him. Welch appears to have continued to practice up until his death at his residence in Berkley Crescent in 1868.(28)
Welch advertised for apprentices in 1843, 1856 and in the early 1860s(29) but not being a Freeman of Bristol, it is not known who he may have taken on. In contrast to his peers, there is no evidence to suggest that Welch was called upon as an expert witness in property disputes etc. However, he was considered important enough as to be one of the thirteen architects to have established the Bristol Society of Architects in 1851.(30)
