Basic Biographical Details

Name: Francis Thomas Verity
Designation:  
Born: 1864
Died: 14 August 1937
Bio Notes: Francis Thomas Verity was born in Kensington in 1864, the son of the theatre architect Thomas Verity. The younger Verity was educated at Cranleigh School, Surrey and studied at the South Kensington Schools under the art master A F Brophy from 1881 before being articled to his father in 1883. While there he studied at University College under Professor Hayter Lewis and at the Architectural Association. In 1887 he entered the Royal Academy Schools, where the art master, Richard Phené Spiers encouraged him to attend the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He undertook a tour of Italy, Germany and France. Although he never officially enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux Arts he entered the atelier of Blouet, headed at that time by Jean Louis Pascal, where, like Burnet before him, he became strongly influenced by Henri-Paul Nénot, architect of the new Sorbonne. On his return in 1889 he won the Tite Prize, passed the qualifying exam and was admitted ARIBA on 3 June 1889, his proposers being his father, Spiers and Arthur Cates.

In 1891 his father died and he became sole partner, inheriting his father's post of Surveyor of Theatres to the Lord Chamberlain and being admitted FRIBA as early as July 1896. He was the architect of many distinguished theatres and London office and apartment blocks, all of which strongly reflected his Beaux-Arts schooling, their style strongly influencing the work of his pupils, Albert Richardson and Charles Lovett Gill. On the accession of Edward VII he was commissioned to redecorate the state apartments at Buckingham Palace, and in the same year (1901) as a result of administrative changes he became architect to the Lord Chamberlin's Department.

Verity was awarded the RIBA's London Architecture Medal in 1923. He was also a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. His wife, Abbie May Leonard, was American.

Verity took his son-in-law Samuel Beverley into partnership in 1930. Born in Australia in 1896, Beverley had joined his office in 1922 and been his chief assistant since the mid-1920s. They became European advisory architects to the Paramount Cinematograph Company and to the Union Cinema Company, the former appointment bringing commissions for large Paramount cinemas in Tottenham Court Road, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Glasgow and Paris.

Verity died in Bournemouth on 14 August 1937. The practice was continued by Beverley who died in 1959, and by his son-in-law, Sir Anthony Denny Bt.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1London, EnglandBusiness   

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 2Thomas Verity1883 Apprentice 
Item 2 of 2Verity & Beverley19301937Partner 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 6Christopher Bristow19021906Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6(Sir) Albert Edward Richardson19041909Assistant 
Item 3 of 6Robert Hunter Cameronc. 1906c. 1907Assistantfor 1 year 2 months
Item 4 of 6Alexander Porteous GracieAfter 1908Before 1926Assistant 
Item 5 of 6Samuel Beverley1922 Assistant 
Item 6 of 6Samuel Beverleyc. 1925 Senior Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Arthur Cates3 June 1889for Associateship
Item 2 of 3Richard Phené Spiers3 June 1889for Associateship
Item 3 of 3Thomas Verity3 June 1889for Associateship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1Robert Hunter Cameron3 March 1919for Associateship

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 31911Regent Street Polytechnic, Central Administration Buildings  LondonEnglandIn collaboration with George Arthur Mitchell (Verity designed street front)
Item 2 of 31928People's Palace  BristolEnglandConversion to purpose-built cinema
Item 3 of 31933Paramount Cinema, Renfield Street  GlasgowScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 4Gray, A Stuart1985Edwardian Architecture: A Biographical Dictionary   
Item 3 of 4Grove Dictionary of Art Grove Dictionary of Art   
Item 4 of 4Pike, W T London   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Architects Journal7 January 1925  Article by A Trystan Edwards
Item 2 of 5Architects Journal26 August 1937  Obituary
Item 3 of 5Builder20 September 1937  Obituary
Item 4 of 5RIBA Journal11 September 1937v44London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp1008 - obituary
Item 5 of 5RIBA Journal16 October 1937v44London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp1071 - obituary by H S Goodhart-Rendel