Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

English architect, specializing in theatre design, for whom see Oxford DNB, Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 (RIBA 2001), II, 368, the biography in IB 29, 1 May 1887, and the obituary in B 72, 29 May 1897, 488. In Ireland Phipps designed the Gaiety Theatre (1871) and Grand Concert Hall (1885-86) in Dublin, the Theatre Royal in Derry (1876), reconstructed the Athenaeum Theatre in Cork as the Theatre Royal and Opera House (1876) and refurbished the fire-damaged Theatre Royal in Belfast (1881). He was the father-in-law of ARTHUR BLOMFIELD JACKSON ARTHUR BLOMFIELD JACKSON , who succeeded to his practice.

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9 work entries listed in chronological order for PHIPPS, CHARLES JOHN #


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Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KING STREET SOUTH, NO. 046-50 (GAIETY THEATRE)
Date: 1871
Nature: New theatre for Mssrs. Gunn. .Drawings inspected by Irish Times correspondent, 4 Feb 1871.  FS laid 1 Jul 1871 by Lord Mayor. Opened 27 Nov 1871. Contractor: Meade & Son.
Refs: Irish Times, 7 Feb,27 May 1871;  IB 12, 1 May 1870, 99; 13, 1 Feb,1,15 Jul,1 Nov 1871, 30,175,188,280; 45, 3 Dec 1903, 3007; 76, 1 Dec 1934, 1017; B 29, 28 Jan,8 Jul,2 Dec 1871, 64,531,942; Architect 6, 15 Jul 1871, 35;  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 549.

Building: CO. CORK, CORK, EMMET PLACE, OPERA HOUSE
Date: 1877
Nature: New Theatre Royal opened 17 Aug (or Sep?) 1877. Builder: Terence O'Flynn. Work supervised by Maximilian Clarke from CJP's office.  Decoration by Edward Ball, London;  corton pierre ceiling and box fronts by Jackson & Sons. (Building had previously been Fine Arts Court in Cork Exhibition of 1852 and was moved from Albert Quay to Emmet Place. Destroyed by fire, 1955 and replaced by new opera house by Michael Scott & Partners).
Refs: Irish Times, 16,19 Mar,12,19 May,13 Aug 1877;  IB 19, 15 Aug 1877, 245; B 35, 7,29 Sep 1877, ?,989; 72, 29 May 1897, 488;  Roger Herlihy, A Walk through the South Parish (Cork: Red Abbey Publications, 2010), 35.

Building: CO. DERRY, DERRY, CARLISLE ROAD, THEATRE ROYAL (ROYAL OPERA HOUSE)
Date: 1877
Nature: New theatre to seat approx. 1,500 opened 10 Aug 1877. For J.F. Warden, proprietor of the Belfast Theatre. Contractors: Mssrs. McClelland, Derry.
Refs: IB 19, 15 Aug 1877, 245;  Irish Times, 18 Aug 1877; Architect 18, 18 Aug 1877, 90; B 72, 29 May 1897, 488

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, HAWKINS STREET, THEATRE ROYAL
Date: 1878
Nature: Refurbushment. New stage, cloakrooms, entrances enlarged, new additional entrances &c.
Refs: Irish Times, 19 Aug 1878.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, HAWKINS STREET, THEATRE ROYAL
Date: 1880
Nature: Proposed new theatre on site of old theatre destroyed by fire. For Mr Gunn, proprietor. Not built because of difficulty in obtaining long lease from Trinity College but concert hall (Leinster Hall) built instead.
Refs: IB 22, 15 Mar 1880, 87; 26, 1 Feb 1884, 32; B 39, 31 Jul 1880, 158;  Irish Times, 3 Jul 1880,31 Jan 1884.

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, ARTHUR SQUARE, THEATRE ROYAL
Date: 1881
Nature: Refurbishment after destruction by fire on 8 Jun 1881, for J.F. Warden. Reopened Dec 1881.
Refs: B 40, 25 Jun 1881, 809; 72, 29 May 1897, 488; Marcus Patton, Central Belfast: an historical gazetteer (UAHS, 1993),19

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, HAWKINS STREET (& POOLBEG STREET), LEINSTER HALL
Date: 1884-86
Nature: New Grand Concert Hall on site of Theatre Royal. Plans prepared by Oct 1884. Nearing completion Sep 1886. For Michael Gunn, proprietor. Contractor: H. & J. Martin. Clerk of Works: Mr Farrar (engineer to Mr Gunn). (Interior demolished prior to conversion of premises into Theatre Royal, 1897.)Redecorated, Mar-Apr 1889 by Dobson & co., Stephen's Green.
Refs: Irish Times, 13 Oct 1884 (letter from Michael Gunn explaining his choice of an Englisharchitect), 20 Apr,15 Jul,29 Oct 1886, 22 Apr 1889;  Weekly Irish Times, 18 Oct 1884,24 Apr 1886;  IB 27, 15 Aug 1885, 235; 28, 15 Sep 1886, 253(illus.)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, HAWKINS STREET (& POOLBEG STREET), LEINSTER HALL
Date: 1891
Nature: Proposal to convert same into opera house for Michalel Gunn, building having been originally commissioned from Phipps by Gunn to provide for such an eventuality.
Refs: Irish Times, 23,30 May,3 Jun,15,17 Jul 1891.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KING STREET SOUTH, NO. 046-50 (GAIETY THEATRE)
Date: 1891
Nature: Redecoration and refurbishment, including new fibrous plaster ceiling, tympanum, panels, groins, fronts of upper circle and private boxes by George Jackson & Sons, London. For Michael Gunn.
Refs: Irish Times, 1,3 Aug 1891.