George Grey Wornum was born in London, England on 17 April 1888 and was articled to Ralph Selden Wornum (1847-1910) in London from 1906 to 1909. He also attended the Architectural Association Schools in London and the Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London. He then worked as an assistant to John William Simpson (1858-1933) and to Ormrod Maxwell Ayrton (1874-1960) of Simpson & Ayrton in 1909-10.
Wornum commenced architectural practice in London in 1910. He was in partnership with Philip Dalton Hepworth (1888-1963) from 1919; and with Louis de Soissons (1890-1962) from c.1921 to 1930. He then practised alone from 1930 to 1945 when he formed a partnership with Edward Playne (c.1907-1987) which continued until his death. He also practised in San Francisco [dates not known].
In 1923 he married the US-born artist and designer Miriam Alice Gerstle (Miriam Wornum). She collaborated with him on a number of his projects, including the painting of murals for the Lutyens Room and Library of the Royal Institute of British Architects' building at 66 Portland Place in London, designed by him in 1934. Together they also contributed to the decoration of the ocean liner RMS Queen Elizabeth, launched in 1938, for which she created mosaic designs for the swimming pool.
Wornum was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1923. He was President of the Architectural Association in 1930 and was awarded the Royal Gold Medal in 1952.
He was badly injured whilst serving in the Army in World War One and lost his right eye.
Wornum died in New York City on 11 June 1957.
Studio for Hugh G. Riviere in St John's Wood, London, 1910; reconstruction and decoration, Palais de Dante, Derby, 1921; and King's Hall, Bournemouth, 1922. House and garden, St. Margaret's Bay, Kent, conjointly with P. D. Hepworth. A.R.I.B.A., 1923; shipping offices, Gracechurch Street, 1910; offices, Cornhill, 1910; Yacht "Syria". 1920; 3, Seamore Place, W.1, 1920; water garden, Hayling Island, conjointly with L. de Boissons, F.R.I.B.A., 1920; house at Cumnor, Berks, 1922; and in Heath Drive. Hampstead, 1922; additions to the Mill House, Heacham, 1922. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1923]
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"The Edge," St. Margaret's Bay, 1923; Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, 1924; St. James's Church Hall, Muswell Hill, 1925: alterations and additions, Hurtwood Edge, 1924; reconstruction and decoration, Palais de Danse, Derby, 1921; King's Hall, Bournemouth, 1922; Queen's Hotel, Eastbourne, 1925; and various London houses. In association with P. D. Hepworth, F.R.I.B.A.: — Shipping offices, Gracechurch Street and Cornhill, 1919; 3, Seamore Place, W.1, 1920; Yacht " Nyria", 1921. In association with L. de Soissons, F.R.I.B.A.: — " Longleys", Cumnor, Berkshire, 1921; various domestic work In London and the provinces. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1926]
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Later works by Wornum included Royal Institute of British Architects building, 66-68 Portland Place, London (1932-34); English Girls' College [now known as the El Nasr Girls' College] in Alexandria, Egypt (c.1935); Ladbroke Grove housing estate, Ladbroke Grove, London, with E. Maxwell Fry, Robert Atkinson, and C. H. James (1936); the highways depot for the City of Westminster, Gatliff Road, London (1936); Kensal House, Ladbroke Grove, London, with Maxwell Fry (1936-38); Kensal House day Nursery, Ladbroke Grove, London, with Maxwell Fry (1936-38); street decorations in London for the coronation of George VI; Fraser Gardens housing estate in Dorking, Surrey (1930s); the redesign of Parliament Square, Westminster, London (1945-51); completion of the interior decoration of the RMS Queen Elizabeth, with E. C. Leach (1946, begun in 1938).
Darling, Elizabeth. ‘Kensal House: the Housing Consultant and the Housed’ in British Architecture and Design in the 1930s. Edited Suannah Charlton, Elain Harwood and Alan Powers. The Journal of the Twentieth Century Society, no. 8, 2007 pp.106-116
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
Harwood, Elain. Art Deco Britain: Buildings of the Interwar Years. London: Batsford, 2019
Richardson, Margaret. ‘The RIBA building’. Architectural Design vol. 49, nos. 10/11, 1979, pp. 60-71.
Simms, Barbara. ‘Parliament Square: the significance of the Grey Wornum landscape’ London Gardener vol. 13, 2007/2008, pp. 73-89.
Who’s Who in Architecture 1923. Edited by Frederick Chatterton. London: The Architectural Press, 1923
Who’s Who in Architecture 1926. Edited by Frederick Chatterton. London: The Architectural Press, 1926
‘Biographical notes on Grey Wornum’. Architects’ Journal 15 January 1953 pp.72-73
‘County primary school at Kingsnympton Park Estate for Surrey County Education committee’ [Architects: G. Grey Wornum & E. Playne]. Architect & Building News 22 January 1953 pp. 107-111
'Flats, Denmark Road, Lambeth’ [Architects: G. G. Wornum & Partners]. House Builder January 1947 pp. 302-305
'Obituary’. RIBA Journal Au=gust 1957 p.439
‘Obituary’. The Architect & Building News vol. 211, 20 June 1957 p. 800
‘Obituary’. The Architects’ Journal vol. 125, 20 June 1957 p. 910
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 192, 21 June 1957 p. 1115
‘Queen Elizabeth interior decorations’ [Architects: G. G. Wornum & E. C. Leach] Building October 1946 pp. 293-296
‘Queen Elizabeth interior decorations’ [Architects: G. G. Wornum & E. C. Leach] The Builder 18 October 1946 pp. 398-401
‘Queen Elizabeth interior decorations’ [Architects: G. G. Wornum & E. C. Leach] Wood October 1946 pp. 288-292
'The Royal Gold Medallist 1952: illustrations of some of the work of G. Grey Wornum’ RIBAJournal March 1952 pp. 162-165
The work of the London Boroughs: flats at Denmark Road, Lambeth’ [Architect: G. Grey Wornum]. House Builder July 1949 pp. 139-142