Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of London, for whom see Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 (RIBA 2001), 722-3, Oxford DNB, Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects &c. George Edmund Street, one of the most original and successful ecclesiastical architects of his day, designed two Church of Ireland churches in Ireland: St John's, Ardamine, Co. Wexford (1860-1862) and Fiddown parish church, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny (1860-1863). He also restored Christ Church cathedral, Dublin (1871-1878), designed the adjacent Synod Hall (1871-1875), and began the restoration of Kildare cathedral (1872-1896), which was formerly in ruins. He was consulted over the continuation of the restoration of St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick, in 1876, after WILLIAM SLATER' WILLIAM SLATER' s work there had been completed(1) and in April 1877 inspected St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny, 'with a view to report upon way the remaining works of restoration are to be completed'.(2) On a visit to Dublin in 1866, he gave a lecture at the Museum of Industry.(3)



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References



(1) IB 18, 15 Feb 1876, 54.
(2) Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette 19, no. 216, 1 Apr 1877, 117.
(3) DB 8, 15 Apr 1866, 95


10 work entries listed in chronological order for STREET, GEORGE EDMUND #


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Building: CO. WEXFORD, ARDAMINE (GOREY), CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST (CI)
Date: 1860-62
Nature: New church (replacing church of 1829) in E. English style with semicircular apse. Built partly as memorial to Mr & Mrs Richards of Ardamine. To seat about 100. Ded. 1860. Licensed for worship, 4 Jul 1861. Cons. 26 May 1862. Ardamine limestone, Knockavacka stone dressings. Godwin's encaustic tiles. Irish marbles. Stained glass by Clayton & Co., London. Contr. & supervisor of work: John Kelly, Gorey
Refs: DB 3, 1 Jul 1861, 554; 4, 15 Jun 1862, 157; Wexford Independent, 29 Jun 1861, 31 May 1862 (information kindly supplied by Conor O'Brien, Annacurra, Co. Wicklow); J.B. Leslie, Ferns Clergy and Parishes (1936), 108; Douglas Scott Richardson, Gothic Revival Architecture in Ireland (1983), 526;  exterior illus. in Clergy of Waterford, Lismore and Ferns (Ulster Historical Foundation, 2008), 429;  exterior and interior illus. in Claude Costegalde & Brian Walker, The Church of Ireland: an illustrated history (2013), 344.

Building: CO. KILKENNY, PILTOWN, CHURCH OF ST PAUL (CI, FIDDOWN PARISH, NEW)
Date: 1860-63
Nature: New parish church to seat 298 on site given by Earl of Bessborough in Bessborough demesne. 3-bay nave & 2-bay chancel, N, vestry, W door. 6 lancet windows surmounted by circular light in W gable. Bellcote on W gable. Chancel side lights brought from old Fiddown church. 1st stone laid, Nov. 1861. Completed end 1863. Contractor: J. Fitzpatrick, Waterford. Work supervised by Mr Richardson, under-agent to Earl of Bessborough.
Refs: Drawing(s), signed and dated 'G.E. Street, 33 Montague Pl, WC, May 1860' in RCB Library, portfolio 24 (photostat copies in NLI); DB 2, 1 Mar 1860, 225; 3, 1 Apr,15 Nov 1861, 473,689; 5, 1 Oct,15 Dec 1863, 165,205; B 21, 5 Dec 1863, 867; Douglas Scott Richardson, Gothic Revival Architecture in Ireland (1983), 523-4; exterior and interior illus. in Claude Costegalde & Brian Walker, The Church of Ireland: an illustrated history (2013), 339.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CHRISTCHURCH PLACE, CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL (CI)
Date: 1871-1878
Nature: Restoration, funded by Henry Roe, distiller, commenced Spring 1871. Choir shut for restoration in summer of 1872. S aisle wall complete and S arcade in progress, W front advanced, E end removed apart from 2 bays of apse, to be retained, by Apr 1873. Builder: Gilbert Cockburn & Son, Dublin. Clerk of Works: Doolin. Re-opened 1 May 1878. Henry Roe to pay for pulling down some adjacent buildings, for istallation of electric lightting and for Bishop's Throne, designed by GES and costing about £500, Dec 1878. Tiling by Craven, Dunhill & Co., under direction of GES.




Refs: RA 1871, No. 944; Building Trades Directory (1868), 138;  Irish Times, 29 Mar 1871,20 Jan 1882;  IB 13, 1,15 Apr,1 Aug,1 Sep,15 Nov 1871, 88,104,194(illus.),224,299; 14, 1,15 Apr,15 Oct 1872, 91,119(illus.),276; 15, 15 Apr,15 Sep 1873, 106,246; 30, 1 Oct 1888, 245(illus.); 73, 6 Jun 1931, 504d;  B 27, 16 Jan 1869, 52; 29, 1 Apr,17 Jun 1871, 253,457; 30, 6 Apr 1872, 269; 36, 4 May 1878, 464; 44, 27 Jan 1883, 99,117,227; 29, 17 Jun 1891, 457;   Architect 1, 16 Jan,20 Mar 1869, 31(illus.),78(illus.),154(illus.);5, 20 May 1871, 256; 8, 13 Jul 1872, 28;12, 3 Oct 1874, 174(illus.);  Freeman's Journal, 2 May 1878;  Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette 20, no. 237, 1 Dec 1878, 357;  William Butler, The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity Dublin (1901), passim; R.B. McVittie, Details of the restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin (Dublin, 1878);  Roger Stalley, ed., George Edmund Street and the Restoration of Christ Church Cathedral (Dublin, 2000);  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005),317-337.

Building: CO. KILDARE, KILDARE, CATHEDRAL OF ST BRIGID (CI)
Date: 1871-1896
Nature: Restoration of ruined cathedral. Contractor: Waldron, Sunny Hill, Kilcullen. Estimated cost: £5,000. First stone of restoration laid, 20 Aug 1875, by Master Richard Chaplin, son of Dr Chaplin of Kildare, 'who, when he was only ten years of age, suggested the idea of commencing a fund for the purpose of preserving the fine old structure, and was the first contributor to it himself.'  Walls and buttresses of nave nearly up to eaves, Jun 1876. Work not completed until 1896.
Refs: [G.E. Street],Kildare Cathedral Restoration (Dublin, Forster & Co. [1871]; RA 1872, No. 1183; B 29, 18 Nov,16 Dec 1871, 902,991-2; IB 13, 1 Aug,15 Nov 1871, ?,291; 16, 1 Dec 1874, 334; 17, 1 Sep,1 Oct 1875, 248,276-8; 21, 1 Mar 1879, 73; 73, 6 Jun 1931, 506  Irish Times, 26 Nov 1874,14,15 Sep 1896;  ;  Irish Ecclesaiastical Gazette 18, no. 206, 23 Jun 1876, 186;  Architect 44, 28 Nov 1890, 334; H.N. Craig, Some notes on the Cathedral of St Brigid, Kildare (1931), ?; Douglas Scott Richardson, Gothic Revival Architecture in Ireland (1983), 627-30; exterior and interior illus. in Claude Costegalde & Brian Walker, The Church of Ireland: an illustrated history (2013), 306-7.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ST MICHAEL'S HILL, SYNOD HALL (CI)
Date: 1871-75
Nature: New hall on site of former church and school of St Michael. joined by bridge over Michael's Hill to Christ Church Cathedral. Old church tower incorporated in new building. Funded by Henry Roe, distiller. Opened 6 Apr 1875. bridge 'all but completed', Sep 1875. Criticized on grounds of poor construction, poor ventilation and poor accoustics, 1879
Refs: IB 13, 15 Apr,1 Jun 1871, 104,137; 21, 1 Jul 1879, 201; 22, 1 May 1880, 124; Architect 12, 3 Oct 1874, 174(illus.); Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette 17, no. 196, 21 Sep 1875, 211;  The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. An account of the restoration of the fabric by George Edmund Street…with an historical sketch…by Edward Seymour…and a dedication, by Sir Theodore Martin. (1882), 166-7

Building: CO. CLARE, KILLALOE, CATHEDRAL OF ST FLANNAN (CI)
Date: 1876
Nature: GES reports on necessary alterations and probable expense.
Refs: Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette 18, no. 208, 23 Aug 1876, 255; no. 209, 23 Sep 1876, 290; 19, no. 217, 1 May 1877, 153.

Building: CO. LIMERICK, LIMERICK, BRIDGE STREET, CATHEDRAL OF ST MARY (CI)
Date: 1876-77
Nature: GES's advice sought on continuation of work of restoration. Submits report, recommending that plaster be removed from stone piers and that common masonry of interior exposed. Report adopted and ordered to be printed for circulation, Jan 1877. GES appoints J.F. Fuller 'to act as his lieutenant for the restoration of Limerick Cathedral', May 1877. Diocesan Council decides, Jul 1877, to divide restoration between GES and Fuller, re-arrangement and decoration of interior being reserved for GES, fabric repairs to Fuller.
Refs: IB 18, 15 Feb 1876, 54;  Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette 19, no. 213, 1 Jan 1877, 21; no. 214, 1 Feb 1877, 52; no. 219, 1 Jun 1877, 186; no. 221, 1 Aug 1877, 252.

Building: CO. KILKENNY, KILKENNY, COACH ROAD, CATHEDRAL OF ST CANICE (CI)
Date: 1877-79
Nature: GES inspects cathedral accompanied by Mr Langrishe, Mar 1877, 'with a view to report upon the way in which the remaining works of restoration are to be completed'. Recommends stripping and relating of entire roof with lead inserted under top stones of parapets and in all gutters.  Mr Langrishe instructed to prepare specification for same. Gift of  carved oak screen designed by GES accepted by Restoration Committee. Chapter house to be panelled. Mr Langrishe to consult GES and prepare specification for same. Work on roof 'being rapidly pushed forward', May 1879.
Refs: Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette 19, no. 216, 1 Apr 1877, 117; 20, no. 227, 1 Feb 1878, 45; 21, no. 243, 1 Jun 1879, 553.

Building: CO. KILKENNY, KILKENNY, COACH ROAD, CATHEDRAL OF ST CANICE (CI)
Date: 1878
Nature: Designed oak screen to Lady Chapel.
Refs: R. Langrishe, Handbook to the Cathedral Church of St Canice, Kilkenny (1879), 6

Building: CO. KILDARE, KILDARE, CATHEDRAL OF ST BRIGID (CI)
Date: 1879
Nature: Font designed by GES completed by Mssrs. Sibthorpe of Cork Hill, Dublin.
Refs: Irish Ecclesiastical Gazette 21, no. 245, 1 Aug 1879, 618.

Author Title Date Details
Drew, Thomas 'Street as a restorer - the discoveries at Christ Church Cathedral' 2000 Roger Stalley, ed., George Edmund Street and the Restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin (2000), 215-222. (Reprint of article by Thomas Drew in Dublin University Review (1886).) reprinted in
Stalley, Roger (ed.) George Edmund Street and the Restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin 2000 Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2000.
Street, George Edmund Report to the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on the restoration of the Cathedral Church 1868 Dublin: Hodges, London: Smith & Foster; Oxford: James Parker & Co., 1868 (reprinted with commentary in Roger Stalley, ed., George Edmund Street and the Restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin (2000), 37-54).
Street, George Edmund Report upon the proposed rebuilding of the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, and on the erection of a Synod Hall in connection with the Cathedral 1871 Dublin,:Hodges, London: Smith & Foster, Oxford: James Parker & Co., 1871 ((reprinted with commentary in Roger Stalley, ed., George Edmund Street and the Restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin (2000), 56-75).
Street, George Edmund The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, commonly called Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. An account of the restoration of the fabric by George Edmund Street…with an historical sketch…by Edward Seymour…and a dedication, by Sir Theodore Martin. 1882 London: Sutton Sharpe & Co., 1882. (Reprinted with commentary in Roger Stalley, ed., George Edmund Street and the Restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin (2000), 64-212). (2 copies in IAA.)