Basic Biographical Details Name: | Ignatius Bonomi | Designation: | | Born: | 1787 | Died: | 1870 | Bio Notes: | Ignatius Bonomi was born in 1787, the second surviving son of the architect Joseph Bonomi. He trained in his father’s office. He would have gone on the Grand Tour had the Napoleonic Wars not intervened besides which his father died in 1808 and he had to start practice on his own account at the age of 21. He moved to the north of England perhaps because of his father’s work at Lambton Castle. His first job in independent practice was for John Wharton, brother-in-law of the owner of Lambton.
Bonomi’s practice flourished and was second only to John Dobson’s in the north of England. He attracted clients from the local aristocracy and clergy of various denominations and was appointed Surveyor of Bridges in Northumberland in 1813. This experience led to work for the Stockton & Darlington Railway Company.
John Loughborough Pearson was articled to Bonomi in 1831 and stayed on after their completion. He had hoped to be a partner in Bonomi’s practice but left when Bonomi formed a partnership with John Augustus Cory.
Bonomi retired in 1850 and left Durham to live near his brother in Wimbledon. Cory continued in Durham until 1856 and then formed a partnership with C J Ferguson in Carlisle.
Bonomi was a competent designer in the neo-classical and Gothic styles. ‘The Camels’, designed for himself and his Egyptologist brother Joseph is eccentric almost in the manor of Soane’s house. Some of his early churches are very fine but his later ones follow a standard pattern.
Bonomi died in 1870.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 6, North Bailey, Durham, Co. Durham, England | Private | 1851 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Joseph Bonomi | | Before 1808 | Apprentice | |
Employees or Pupils
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1834 | Hutton Parish Church and Churchyard | Hutton | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | 1837 | Whittingehame House | Whittingehame | | East Lothian | Scotland | Gothic monument to the Hay family in old burial ground. | | 1840 | St Helen's Parish Church | Cornhill | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | 1846 | St Cuthbert's Parish Church | Norham | | Northumberland | England | South porch and aisle | | 1847 | Duns Castle | Duns | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Unextecuted design for additions - with Cory |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Colvin, H M | 1995 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | 3rd edition | New Haven and London: Yale University Press | | | Crosby, J H | 1878 | Ignatius Bonomi of Durham | | | | | Meadows, Peter | 1986 | Ignatius Bonomi: an Architect in Cleveland | 50 | Cleveland and Teesside Local History Society's Bulletin | | | Meadows, Peter | 1989 | Palatinate Patronage | | Country Life 14 December 1989 | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Census records online | Censuses | | |
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