Arthur Beresford Pite [also known as Beresford Pite] was born in Walworth, Surrey, England on 2 September 1861. After studying at the National Art Training School in South Kensington, London, he was articled to William Gilbee Habershon (1818?-1891), Alfred Robert Pite (1832-1911) and James Follet Fawckner (c.1828–1898) of Habershon, Pite & Fawckner in Cardiff, Wales from 1876 to 1881. Habershon left the practice in 1878, and he completed his articles with A. R. Pite. During these years he attended University College, London (where he received the Donaldson Medal in 1879), and the Architectural Association in London. In 1882 he won the Soane medallion of the Royal Institute of British Architects. In 1883 he went to John Belcher (1816?-1890) in London as an improver and subsequently became his managing clerk, a position he held until 1897 [Dictionary of National Biography. Note: some sources state that he was in partnership with Belcher]
In 1883 Pite was admitted as a student at the Royal Academy Schools in London. He qualified as an architect in 1887 and the following year was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1896. He commenced independent practice in London 1897. From 1900 to 1923 he was Professor of Architecture at the Royal College of Art in London. He was also a Professor at Manchester School of Architecture and taught at the University School of Architecture, Cambridge. He was Architectural Director of London County Council School of Building in Brixton from 1905 to 1928. Pite was a founding member of the Art Workers Guild in 1884 and was President of the Architectural Association in 1896.
Pite's address was given as 5 Bloomsbury Square, London in 1888; 20 Hanover Square, London in 1894; 21 Willow Road, Hampstead, London, and Earlywood, Frinton, Essex in 1914; 101 Great Russell Street, London in 1923 and 1933. He died at his home, 22 Manor Way, Beckenham, Kent on 27 November 1934.
A biographical file on Arthur Beresford Pite is available on request from the Enquiry Desk, Royal Institute of British Architects Library, London
House and shop, Paganini's Restaurant, Great Portland Street, London (c.1889); 82 Mortimer Street, London (1896); Church Home, 46-54, Great Titchfield Street, London (1896); Christ Church, Brixton Road, Oval London (1897-98); church hall for Christ Church, Mowll Street, Oval, London (1897-1903); house and shop, 32 Old Bond Street, London (1898); church school offices, 126 Great Portland Street, London (1898); 37 Harley Street, London (1898); Earlywood, near the church, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex (c.1901); chancel of Holy Trinity, Clapham Common, London (1902-03); Ames House, Great Titchfield Street, London (1904); warehouse, 21 Little Portland Street, London (1904); offices of Amalgamated Approved Societies, Euston Square, London (1905–08); Methodist Church and caretaker's cottage, Agincourt Road, Gospel Oak, London (1906-07); All Souls' School, Foley Street, Marylebone, London (1906-08); Carnegie Public Library, Thornhill Square, Islington, London (1906-08); the headquarters of the London, Edinburgh and Glasgow Assurance Company in London (1906-08); new entrance to the Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly , London (1911-30); Namirembe Anglican Cathedral, Kampala, Uganda (1913-18); Canterbury War Memorial (1921); and Cheadle Hulme War Memorial (1921).
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See also
Source of Images
Armstrong, Barrie and Armstrong, Wendy. The Arts and Crafts movement in the North West of England: a handbook. Wetherby, England: Oblong Creative Ltd., 2006
Crimson, Mark. Empire building: orientalism and Victorian architecture London: Routledge, 1996
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
Fyfe, Theodore ‘Beresford Pite’. Architects’ Journal 25 July 1923 pp. 128-141
The golden city: the architecture and imagination of Beresford Pite. Edited by Brian Harrison. London : The Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture, 1993 [Catalogue of an exhibition held at the RIBA Heinz Gallery, September 16-October 23, 1993]
Goodhart-Rendel, H. S. ‘The work of Beresford Pite and Halsey Ricardo’. RIBA Journal, vol. 43 7 December 1935 pp. 117–128
Gray, A. Stuart. Edwardian architecture: a biographical dictionary. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co., Ltd., 1985
Hanson, Brian. ‘Masters of building. Beresford Pite: building with art’. Architects’ Journal vol. 193, no. 18, 1 May 1991, p.p 30-39, 42-49.
Harrison, Brian. ‘Beresford Pite’. Architects' Journal 1 May 1991 pp. 30–49
'Obituary'. Architect & Building News vol. 140, 30 November 1934 p. 260
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'Obituary'. RIBA Journal vol. 41, 8 December 1934 pp. 212-213
'Obituary'. RIBA Journal vol. 41, 23 December 1934 pp. 277-279
Service, Alastair. 'Arthur Beresford Pite' in Edwardian Architecture and its Origins. Edited by Alastair Service. London: The Architectural Press Limited, 1975 pp. 395-404
Who's Who in Architecture 1923. Edited by Frederick Chatterton. London: The Architectural Press, 1923