Metadata: The Godfrey Herbert Samuel papers
Collection
- Country:
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Holding institution:
- Royal Institute of British Architects
- Holding institution (official language):
- Royal Institute of British Architects
- Postal address:
- British Architectural Library, Drawings and Archives Collections, Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road London Greater London United Kingdom SW7 2RL
- Reference number:
- SaG
- Title:
- The Godfrey Herbert Samuel papers
- Title (official language):
- The Godfrey Herbert Samuel papers
- Creator/accumulator:
- Samuel, Godfrey Herbert
- Valentine, Harding
- Date(s):
- 1925/1961
- Language:
- English
- Extent:
- 100 boxes
- Scope and content:
-
These papers relate mainly to Godfrey Samuel's career as an architect and contain little pertaining to his life after 1948, when he became Secretary of the Fine Art Commission. The outbreak of war in 1939 and the death of his partner Val Harding effectively put an end to his architectural career. Within that limit, however, the papers are remarkably complete and, as far as one can tell, cover practically every project on which he worked with the exception of some of the Tecton projects for which he was architect in charge. They cover his first year, 1931-1932, when he had a few independent commissions; his time with Tecton, 1932-1934; his return to independent practice in 1935, including projects done in collaboration with Elisabeth Benjamin; and above all his partnership with Val Harding, 1936-1939. There were 83 Samuel & Harding projects, some of which were continuations of projects started while the two were at Tecton and some of which were in collaboration with Elizabeth Denby. In addition there are some of Samuel's personal papers, relating to his membership of the MARS Group and the CIAM, his writings, his work on exhibitions, his contacts with foreign architects, his efforts to help refugees from fascist regimes in Europe, and his work on various RIBA committees.
Samuel and Harding shared the office at 6 Cavendish Square with another former Tecton partner, Anthony Chitty, and his partner Robert Hening. Each partnership had about three assistants at any one time and Samuel and Harding's assistants included Gerhard Rosenberg, Bernard Le Mare, Gordon Cullen, Donald Craik, Kenneth Capon, John Wheeler and Michael Powers. It was Powers who more or less ran the office after the outbreak of war and completed the outstanding jobs. Samuel & Harding's clients consisted, for the most part, of a small circle of friends and relations, particularly of Samuel's. His mother's side of the family, the Franklins, feature prominently, as do clients recommended by R.N. (Bob) Eichholz (himself a client, and a partner in the firm of solicitors Adler & Perowne). The quantity surveyors used by Samuel & Harding were Davis & Belfield (Owen A. Davis and John Belfield).The completeness of the Samuel & Harding files in particular, which include papers relating to the running of the office itself, provides a valuable record of the work of a small office, struggling to establish its reputation but always busy. There were a number of projects for large schemes - flats, hotels, the headquarters of the Civil Service Clerical Association, etc - which which never got beyond the drawing board and, for the most part, the work was domestic - small houses (which are remarkable examples of the best sort of undogmatic modern movement architecture), alterations and conversions and so forth. There are exceptions to this, notably the internal remodelling of the Vega Restaurant, a carpet factory in Rotherham and, from 1938, commissions for temporary buildings to provide accommodation for evacuees from London. The usual problems encountered by the modern movement architect over planning permission are represented here; Mott's Down at Withyham, Six Pillars at Dulwich and the studio for Clare Leighton all had to be amended before permission was granted, and the proposed house at Merton Lane for R.G. Hare was abandoned altogether.The papers also include some of Val Harding's files pre-dating the partnership, as well as some of his personal papers; some papers relating to Tecton, which do not appear to be directly connected with Samuel or Harding; and one file belonging to Enid Albu, an interior decorator who worked closely with Samuel and Harding on some of their schemes.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Hon. Godfrey Herbert Samuel, 1904-1982, architect. Born 12 Jan 1904, third son of Sir Herbert (later Viscount) Samuel. Educated at Westminster School and Balliol College, Oxford (1st Class Hons, PPE). Trained at the Architectural Association, 1926-1931, working for short periods in the offices of Graham Dawbarn and G. Val Myer. Co-founder and partner of Tecton, Apr 1932-Sep 1934. Elected ARIBA, 1934. Set up in private practice at 23 Haymarket, 1935. Commenced partnership with Val Harding at 6 Cavendish Square, Jan 1936. Called up, 1940, and served with the Royal Engineers, reaching the rank of Lt Colonel. Elected FRIBA and AMTPI, 1947. Secretary of the Royal Fine Art Commission, 1948-1969. Appointed CBE, 1969. Died 11 Dec 1982.
- Valentine (Val) Harding, 1905-1940, architect. Born 22 June 1905, son of G.V. Harding. Educated at Rugby School and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Trained at the Architectural Association, 1927-1932. Co-founder and partner of Tecton, 1932-1935. Elected ARIBA, 1934. Set up in partnership with Godfrey Samuel, 1936. Called up, Nov 1939, and served with the Royal Engineers. Killed in action in Belgium, probably on 30 May 1940. Married Cicely (Peggy) Chadwick, 1930; two sons and a daughter. Founder member of the MARS Group and member of the RIBA Small Houses Committee.]
- Access points: persons/families:
- Harding, Val
- Samuel, Godfrey Herbert
- Subject terms:
- Architecture
- Personal records
- Refugees
- Access, restrictions:
- Please request the materials you wish to consult in advance of your visit so that we can retrieve them for you. Due to the size of our collections, some items are housed offsite. Depending on the volume and condition of the material required, it may be possible to arrange access to our offsite store by prior appointment.
- Finding aids:
- Online catalogue.
- Links to finding aids:
- https://www.architecture.com/about/riba-library-and-collections
- Yerusha Network member:
- AIM25