Basic Biographical Details

Name: Charles Alfred Chastel de Boinville
Designation:  
Born: 1850
Died: 1897
Bio Notes: Charles Alfred Chastel de Boinville was born in 1850 of an old French aristocratic family, and was a pupil of A Guyot from 1862. He worked with Geoffroy of Cherbourg in 1868, followed by two years in unspecified offices to July 1870. In 1871 he moved to Glasgow in the wake of the Franco-Prussian war where he was employed by Campbell Douglas & Sellars, shortly to become a partner, and it was probably in his company that James Sellars made his first trip to Paris in 1872. French Beaux-Arts developments in the work of Hugh and David Barclay and William Leiper suggest Chastel de Boinville may also have assisted in one of these Glasgow practices. On the strength of his experience he was appointed architect to the Board of Public Works in Japan from 7 October 1873. Whilst there he taught architecture, the first significant westerner to do so, and he designed The Hall of the Imperial College of Engineering, since demolished; but his aristocratic demeanour, heavily accented English and somewhat unsystematic teaching resulted in his contract not being renewed and he returned in 1881 to London to set up practice at 2 Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street. He was admitted ARIBA on 4 January 1882, his proposers being William Henry White, Campbell Douglas and James Piers St Aubyn. Shortly thereafter he was joined in practice by what appears to have been a younger brother, William Chastel de Boinville, who had been articled to James Piers St Aubyn from 1870 to 1875 and remained as assistant. While at Victoria Street they seem to have been employed in some capacity at the India Office.

His practice in London was merged with that of James Archibald Morris in 1891 but was demerged again c.1893-1895, most probably in 1895 when James Kennedy Hunter left the Ayr office of Morris to set up practice on his own.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 4Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1871  
Item 2 of 4Ivedon Cottage, Springfield Road, Kingston on Thames, Surrey, EnglandPrivate1881 * With William Chastel de Boinville
Item 3 of 42 Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, London, EnglandBusinessBefore 1881After 1891With William Chastel de Boinville
Item 4 of 46, Delahay Street, London, EnglandBusiness1891  

* 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 2Campbell Douglas & Sellars18711872Partner 
Item 2 of 2Chastel de Boinville & Morris1891 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Campbell Douglas4 January 1882for Associateship
Item 2 of 3James Piers St Aubyn4 January 1882for Associateship
Item 3 of 3William Henry White4 January 1882for Associateship

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA Journal1897 London: Royal Institute of British Architectspp359-360
Item 2 of 2RIBA Journal1902 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp228 (William Chastel de Boinville)

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v8 p15 (microfiche 30/C4)