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MenuHomeUpfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon | CLARIDGE, TomBorn: fl. 1881Died: 1889 Architect | |||||||||
Probably came out to South Africa from Britain, but nothing is yet known of his origins or early training. He took over the practice of L Ford HANSON in 1881 (whose offices were in Old Main St) in Kimberley and in 1882 he opened tenders for the Dutch Reformed Church building in Newton for which Hanson had originally been commissioned. No work of importance by Claridge has yet been found in Kimberley. In about 1883 he moved to Pretoria where he was listed in 1889. During this time he designed the second Dutch Reformed Church building on Church Square (1883-5) in partnership with another Pretoria architect, JWL SIMMONDS (cf CLARIDGE & SIMMONDS). Apparently the church became unsafe and soon after the Anglo-Boer War (in about 1904) was demolished. Kruger's house in Church Street West is attributed to Claridge. The house was built by the merchant and entrepreneur AH Nellmapius who gave it to President Kruger. The house was described in 1900 by the architect F EMMANUEL, a visitor to Pretoria, who disparagingly noted: 'Kruger's villa, overgrown with greenery, is of the ordinary St John's Wood type' (Arch Rev 1900:54.) According to Meiring (1981:57) Claridge was also responsible for Nellmapius's own house, Albert Lodge in Vermuelen Street. It is not yet certain where or when Claridge died. (Argus annual & SA dir 1889:875; Meiring 1981; Picton-Seymour 1977; Yuill 1984:53)All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. List of projects With photographs With notes
Books citing CLARIDGE
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