Charles Sydney Spooner [also known as Charles Sidney Spooner*] was born in Hammersmith, London, England on 6 January 1862. He was articled to Arthur William Blomfield (1829-1899) in 1881 and remained as his assistant until 1885. The following year he worked as an assistant to John Anthony Butler (1828-1900). Spooner also attended classes at the Architectural Association in London from 1882 to 1886 and at the Royal Academy Schools in London from 1886 to 1890. In 1890 he was awarded a Royal Academy Studentship.
In July 1900 he married Minnie Dibdin Davison (1867-1949), a painter, sculptor and designer. They subsequently collaborated on many projects. Spooner commenced independent practice as an architect in London in 1892. In c.1910-11, Spooner was in partnership with Sidney Burgoyne Kitchener Caulfield (1877-1964) as Spooner & Caulfield in London.
In c.1904 Spooner and the architect Arthur Joseph Penty (1875-1937) established Elmdon & Co., a furniture workshop with premises at 1 Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith, London. The company largely, or possibly exclusively, produced "moderately priced" furniture. They exhibited at the Alpine Club in London in 1905. They also participated in the eighth exhibition of the Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society at Grafton Galleries in London in 1906.
In addition to his work as an architect and designer, Spooner taught furniture design and woodwork at Central School of Arts and Crafts in London from c.1898 to 1930. In 1887 he was elected a member of the Art Workers Guild. He was also an early member of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society with whom he exhibited, and was a member of the Consulting Architects panel of the Incorporated Church Building Society from 1909 to 1938. In 1906 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA).
His address was given as 19 Margravine Gardens, London in 1891; 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London in 1894 and 1897; Eyot Cottage, Chiswick Mall, London in 1899 and 1938; 17 Red Lion Square, London in 1902; 17 Bedford Row, London in 1904 and 1906. He died in Wandsworth, London on 30 December 1938.
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* Spooner's middle name is frequently given as Sidney, however census and baptismal records confirms that it was Sydney
Spooner designed eight churches and worked on the restoration of many others. He also designed the decoration and furnishings of several of the churches. In addition he built a number of large private houses, country cottages, estate cottages at Bawdsey in Suffolk, a suburban 'ideal home' at Gidea Park, and a farm at Steeple Claydon, Buckinghamshire. He also designed two war memorials - at Ranby in Nottinghamshire (unveiled in 1920, and at Hadleigh in Suffolk (unveiled in 1921) and ).
With Sidney Burgoyne Kitchener Caulfield, at least three houses in Gidea Park, Havering, Essex - 52 and 56 Parkway, and 4 Reed Pond Walk (c.1910-11).
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
Gray, A. Stuart. Edwardian architecture: a biographical dictionary. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co., Ltd., 1985
Hamilton, Alec. Charles Spooner (1862-1938) Arts and Crafts architect. Donington, England: Shaun Tyas, 2012
Hamilton, Alec. Arts & Crafts Churches. London: Lund Humphries, 2020
‘Obituary’. Architect & Building News vol. 157, 6 January 1939 p. 6
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 156, 6 January 1939 p. 6
‘Obituary’. RIBA Journal vol. 46, 9 January 1939 pp. 256
‘Obituary’. RIBA Journal vol. 46, 23 January 1939 pp. 311-312
Spooner, Charles. 'House and church furniture' in The Arts Connected with Building, edited by T. Raffles Davison. London: B.T. Batsford, 1909 pp. 153-168