Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Porden
Designation:  
Born: 1754 or 1755
Died: 14 September 1822
Bio Notes: William Porden was born in 1745 (possibly in December) or 1755 and was baptised on 29 January 1755, the son of Thomas Porden or Purden, labourer. He worked in the office of James Wyatt and was there when he exhibited for the first time at the Royal Academy in 1778. The following year, along with the elder Smirke and a painter called Watson, he wrote am amusing skit on the Royal Academy entitled ‘The Exhibition, or a second Anticipation: being remarks on the principal works to be exhibited next month at the Royal Academy: by Roger Shanhagan, Gent.’. Porden was probably responsible for the architectural section in which members of the establishment were criticised and ridiculed while Wyatt received praise.

He seems to have moved to become a pupil of Samuel Pepys Cockerell and then to have become secretary to Lord Sheffield who appointed him paymaster of the 22nd Dragoons, a regiment created by the latter, but Porden returned to architecture in about 1783 when the regiment was disbanded.

Porden began exhibiting again in the 1784. He may have returned to Wyatt’s office as senior assistant. In about 1785 he was appointed surveyor to Lord Grosvenor and by then must have been in independent practice. Porden had a range of country house commissions. He was known to be a good designer in the Gothic style similar to Wyatt, an example of this being Eaton Hall, Cheshire. At the same time he was adept in other styles – the oriental style at the circular stables and riding school in Brighton for the Price of Wales and in the neo-classical style for example in the interior of Grosvenor House. His one Scottish commissions, the design of a new north front for Broomhall in Fife, was not executed. He was never appointed a member of the Royal Academy. He visited France in 1815 and 1818, though his diaries from this period contain no information relating to architecture.

Porden planned to retire from the post of surveyor to the Grosvenor estate in 1821 but this was accelerated by the failure of an over-ambitious scheme for the speculative rebuilding of the north side of Berkeley Square. He died shortly after this on 14 September 1822 at 59 Berners Street, London. He had a large family, all of whom died early, except two daughters. There is a portrait of Porden in the Brighton Pavilion.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 159, Berners Street, London, EnglandPrivate 1822 

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 2c. 1800Taymouth CastleTaymouth PerthshireScotlandOriginal architect? as referenced in Building News
Item 2 of 2c. 1808BroomhallLimekilns, Dunfermline FifeScotlandProposed north front exhibited at Royal Academy 1808. For 7th Earl of Elgin. Not executed

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5APSD The Dictionary of Architectureed Wyatt PapworthThe Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892) 
Item 2 of 5Colvin, H M1995A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-18403rd editionNew Haven and London: Yale University Press 
Item 3 of 5Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 
Item 4 of 5DNB Dictionary of National Biography   
Item 5 of 5Farington, Joseph Diary   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Derbyshire Record OfficeGell Family ArchivesD 3311