Basic Biographical Details

Name: Henry Edward Coe
Designation:  
Born: 1826
Died: 4 December 1885
Bio Notes: Henry Edward Coe was born in 1826, the son of Henry John Coe, solicitor. Prior to 1849 he had been pupil in the office of George Gilbert Scott simultaneously with George Edmund Street but full details of his early training are lacking as he never sought election to the RIBA. According to his obituarist he 'obtained the honour of being placed first in the competition for the Foreign Offices, but was not allowed the priviledge [sic] of carrying this out'. In 1849 he set up practice in London in partnership with E W Goodwin who has not yet been traced, their earliest known works being Holy Trinity, Bracknell, Berkshire, and the Birmingham Blind Institute, both won in competition in 1849. In 1852 they won the competition for the Dundee Infirmary, which resulted in three further works in Dundee and district.

The partnership with Goodwin ended in 1856 when Coe entered into partnership with H H Hofland and won the competition for the War Office with a French Visconti-type design, but this partnership ended when Coe entered into a third partnership with Frederick Peck which lasted until Peck's death in 1875. In that year Coe formed a fourth partnership with Stephen Robinson. This partnership lasted until 1882 and was placed second in the first Glasgow Municipal Buildings Competition of 1880. Coe's final partnership was with Arthur Catt who had been a pupil, which lasted until Coe's death in London on 4 December 1885. He was buried at Highgate Cemetery. Arthur Catt continued the practice with S R J Smith.

Coe was an extremely skillful Gothic architect, but the Dundee Infirmary project suffered contractual difficulties which were investigated by John Dick Peddie. All of Coe's Dundee buildings suffered from the use of Caen stone which proved unsuitable for the Scottish climate; the details of the Infirmary were subsequently modified by Alexander Johnston in local stone.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 9London, EnglandPrivate 1885Died in London
Item 2 of 9Lewisham, London, EnglandBusiness1848  
Item 3 of 94, Frederick Place, London, EnglandBusiness1850  
Item 4 of 924, John Street, London, EnglandBusiness1853  
Item 5 of 949, Pall Mall, London, EnglandBusiness1854 *  
Item 6 of 93, Great James Street, London, EnglandBusiness1855  
Item 7 of 9Danes Inn, London, EnglandBusiness1858  
Item 8 of 921, Montague Streeet, London, EnglandBusiness1860  
Item 9 of 913, Great Ormond Street, London, EnglandBusiness1863  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 6(Sir) George Gilbert Scott 1849Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6Coe & Goodwin18491856Partner 
Item 3 of 6Coe & Hofland18561857Partner 
Item 4 of 6Coe & Peck18571875Partner 
Item 5 of 6Coe & Robinson18751882Partner 
Item 6 of 6Coe & Cattc. 18821885Partner 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 81849Birmingham Blind Institute  BirminghamEnglandWon in competition
Item 2 of 81849Holy TrinityBracknell BerkshireEnglandWon in competition
Item 3 of 81851Dundee Royal Infirmary  DundeeScotlandWon in competition
Item 4 of 81853Baldovan Institution  DundeeScotland 
Item 5 of 81853Corn Exchange  DundeeScotlandPlans prepared - not executed
Item 6 of 81853Farington Hall  DundeeScotland 
Item 7 of 81853St Mary Magdalene's Episcopal Church  DundeeScotland 
Item 8 of 81880Glasgow Municipal Buildings  GlasgowScotlandSecond premiated design in first competition (£500 premium), and design for second competition shortlisted in final ten but unplaced

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Architects Engineers and Building Trades Directory1868Architect's, Engineer's and Building Trades' Directory London, Wyman 
Item 2 of 3Graves, Algernon1905The Royal Academy of Arts: a complete dictionary of exhibitors and their works…1905-6London: Graves and Bell1853
Item 3 of 3Port, M H1995Imperial London: Civil Government Building in London, 1851-1915 New Haven & London: Yale University Press 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Builder19 December 1885  Obituary