Charles Harriott Smith (1792–1864) was an English architect and architectural sculptor involved in several prestigious projects, ranging from the

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director o ...

to the

Houses of Parliament The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace lies on the north bank ...

. His iconic works include the capital of

Nelson's Column Nelson's Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, Central London, built to commemorate Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson's decisive victory at the Battle of Trafalgar over the combined French and Spanish navies, during whic ...

supporting the statue by

Edward Hodges Baily Edward Hodges Baily (10 March 1788 – 22 May 1867; sometimes misspelled ''Bailey'') was a prolific English sculptor responsible for numerous public monuments, portrait busts, statues and exhibition pieces as well as works in silver. He carved ...

. His work was influenced by

Johann Joachim Winckelmann Johann Joachim Winckelmann (; ; 9 December 17178 June 1768) was a German art historian and archaeologist. He was a pioneering Hellenist who first articulated the differences between Greek, Greco-Roman and Roman art. "The prophet and founding he ...

and architectural work was largely in the Neo-Hellenic style. Despite his undisputed contribution to London's architecture he tends to be a little-known figure.

Life

He was born in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

on 1 February 1792, the son of Joseph Smith, a monumental sculptor with premises at 5 Portland Road near

Regents Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies of high ground in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden (and historically betwe ...

. Charles left school in 1804 to start an apprenticeship in his father's yard. During his time there he met and befriended Joseph Bonomi (who presumably used the stone yard for supplies or for sculptors). Bonomi encouraged Charles to join the

Royal Academy School The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

in 1814. There he won the Gold Medal for Architecture in 1817. He exhibited at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

from 1809 to 1823. He studied geology, mineralogy and chemistry and was an expert on stone in a manner which greatly benefited the durability of his work. Due to this expertise, Sir

Charles Barry Sir Charles Barry (23 May 1795 – 12 May 1860) was a British architect, best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster (also known as the Houses of Parliament) in London during the mid-19th century, but also responsi ...

consulted him on the project to rebuild the

to chose stone most likely to survive the centuries. Smith and Barry formed part of the Royal Commission charged with sourcing sufficient building stone of the same type and quality to befit this huge project. This involved a tour of British quarries and of some of the better preserved abbeys and cathedrals of the country. They (and the two other geologists on the Commission:

Henry de la Beche Sir Henry Thomas De la Beche KCB, FRS (10 February 179613 April 1855) was an English geologist and palaeontologist, the first director of the Geological Survey of Great Britain, who helped pioneer early geological survey methods. He was the f ...

and William Smith) ultimately chose a

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

Magnesian Limestone The Magnesian Limestone is a suite of carbonate rocks in north-east England dating from the Permian period. The outcrop stretches from Nottingham northwards through Yorkshire and into County Durham where it is exposed along the coast between Ha ...

from a large quarry at

Anston Anston is a civil parish in South Yorkshire, England, formally known as North and South Anston. The parish of Anston consists of the settlements of North Anston and South Anston, divided by the Anston Brook. History Anston, first recorded as ...

. There is reference to his also being involved with hothouse design. From 1851 he lived at 29 Clipstone Street,

Fitzroy Square Fitzroy Square is a Georgian square in London. It is the only one in the central London area known as Fitzrovia. The square is one of the area's main features, this once led to the surrounding district to be known as Fitzroy Square or Fitzro ...

in London. In 1855 he was elected a member of the

Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

. He died at 24

Hatton Garden Hatton Garden is a street and commercial zone in the Holborn district of the London Borough of Camden, abutting the narrow precinct of Saffron Hill which then abuts the City of London. It takes its name from Sir Christopher Hatton, a favourit ...

in London, where he had lived since 1861, on 27 October 1864.ODNB: Charles Harriott Smith

Principal works

*Corinthian columns and architectural detail for portico at

University College, London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = � ...

(1826) *Portico,

National Gallery, London The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director o ...

(1823) *Portico,

Royal Exchange, London The Royal Exchange in London was founded in the 16th century by the merchant Sir Thomas Gresham on the suggestion of his factor Richard Clough to act as a centre of commerce for the City of London. The site was provided by the City of London Cor ...

(1837) *

Bridgewater House, Westminster Bridgewater House is a townhouse located at 14 Cleveland Row in the St James's area of London, England. It is a Grade I listed building. History The earliest known house on the site was Berkshire House, built in about 1626–27 for Thomas Howa ...

(1848) for Sir

Dorchester House Dorchester House was a mansion in Park Lane, Westminster, London, which has had many different forms over time. The last version used as a private residence was that built in 1853 by Robert Stayner Holford. It was demolished in 1929 to make way ...

(1852) demolished 1929 *The capital of

(1850) *Chapel at

City of London Cemetery The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium is a cemetery and crematorium in the east of London. It is owned and operated by the City of London Corporation. It is designated Grade I on the Historic England National Register of Historic Parks and ...

(1853) *

Museum of Practical Geology The Geological Museum (originally the Museum of Economic Geology then the Museum of Practical Geology), started in 1835 as one of the oldest single science museums in the world and now part of the Natural History Museum in London. It transfe ...

, Jermyn Street (1845)

Funerary work

*Obelisk to William Staveley,

Kensal Green Cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of Queens Park in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, it was founded by the barrister George Frederic ...

(1837) *Tomb of

Edward Scriven Edward Scriven (Alcester 1775 – 23 August 1841 London) was an English engraver of portraits, in the stipple and chalk manner. Scriven was the pre-eminent engraver of his generation, with 210 portraits ascribed to him by the National Port ...

(1842) *Grave of A R Freebairn (1847)

Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in north London, England. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East Cemeteries. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for some of the people buried there as ...

*Grave of

Jonathan Pereira Jonathan Pereira FRS (22 May 1804, in London – 20 January 1853) was a pharmacologist, author of the ''Elements of Materia Medica'', a standard work. He was examiner on the subject in the University of London. Life Pereira graduated as apotheca ...

(1853)

Other works

*Bust of Rev Edward J Turnour of

Hambledon, Hampshire Hambledon is a small village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the county of Hampshire in England, situated about north of Portsmouth within the South Downs National Park. Hambledon is best known as the 'Cradle of Cricket'. It is ...

*"Farnese Hercules" at the Geological Museum *Monument to Giles Earle (1811) at

Hendon, Middlesex Hendon is an urban area in the Borough of Barnet, North-West London northwest of Charing Cross. Hendon was an ancient manor and parish in the county of Middlesex and a former borough, the Municipal Borough of Hendon; it has been part of Gre ...

*Monument to Nathaniel Crichton (1814) at

*Monument to Robert Cotton (1821) at

Reigate Reigate ( ) is a town status in the United Kingdom, town in Surrey, England, around south of central London. The settlement is recorded in Domesday Book in 1086 as ''Cherchefelle'' and first appears with its modern name in the 1190s. The earlie ...

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

*Lt Col Fitzgerald (1821)

St Marylebone Parish Church St Marylebone Parish Church is an Anglican church on the Marylebone Road in London. It was built to the designs of Thomas Hardwick in 1813–17. The present site is the third used by the parish for its church. The first was further south, near Ox ...

*Rebecca Phipps (1830)

*Henry Moreton Dyer (1841)

*Countess Beauchamp (1846)

*Elizabeth Peters (1822) in

Badby Badby is a village and a rural parish of about in West Northamptonshire, England.- OS Explorer Map 207: Newport Pagnell & Northampton South (1:25 000) Location Badby is about 2 miles (3 km) south of Daventry, on the A361 Daventry to Banb ...

*John Francis (1824) in

*Lt General

George Deare George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

(1823)

St John's Wood St John's Wood is a district in the City of Westminster, London, lying 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of Charing Cross. Traditionally the northern part of the ancient parish and Metropolitan Borough of Marylebone, it extends east to west from ...

Chapel * Charles Higginson (1824) in Madras Cathedral *Margaret Randall (1824) at

Erith Erith () is an area in south-east London, England, east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, it was in the historical county of Kent. Since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Bexley. It lies nort ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

*Monument to the Stuckey family (1824) in

Langport Langport is a small town and civil parish in Somerset, England, west of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The parish, which covers only part of the town, has a population of 1,081. Langport is contiguous with Huish Episcopi, a separate ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

*Rev Charles Tower (1825) at

South Weald South Weald is a mainly farmland and park settlement in the Borough of Brentwood in Essex, England. The civil parish of South Weald was absorbed by Brentwood Urban District in 1934. In 1931 the civil parish had a population of 6370. South Weald con ...

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

*William Sleigh (1825) at

Stockton, Durham Stockton-on-Tees, often simply referred to as Stockton, is a market town in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, England. It is on the northern banks of the River Tees, part of the Teesside built-up area. The town had an estimate ...

*Georgina Chamier (1826) at

Stoke-next-Guildford Stoke next Guildford, or Stoke juxta Guildford, is a former civil parish in the town of Guildford, Surrey, England. In 1901 the parish had a population of 4462. Location The parish of Stoke next Guildford lies across the River Wey just below Guil ...

*Anthony Parker (1827) at Churchgate Street in

*Rev Edward Meyrick (1839) at

Ramsbury Ramsbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire. The village is in the Kennet Valley near the Berkshire boundary. The nearest towns are Hungerford about east and Marlborough about west. The much larger town of Swindon ...

*Richard Alsager (1841) at

Tooting Tooting is a district in South London, forming part of the London Borough of Wandsworth and partly in the London Borough of Merton. It is located south south-west of Charing Cross. History Tooting has been settled since pre- Saxon times ...

*Rev Francis Goode (1842) in

Clapham Clapham () is a suburb in south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (most notably Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Early history T ...

Parish Church *John Garden (1855) at

Ringsfield Ringsfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Suffolk. It is south-west of Beccles in the East Suffolk district. The parish had a population of 323 at the 2011 United Kingdom census. It borders the parishes of Beccles, W ...

Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...

*Henry Hickman (1855) at

Newnham, Hampshire Newnham is a village and Civil parish (England), parish in Hampshire, England. It is centred east of Basingstoke, and west of Hook, Hart, Hook. At the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 census it had a population of 518. A large portion of its lan ...

Publications by Smith

Lithology The lithology of a rock unit is a description of its physical characteristics visible at outcrop, in hand or core samples, or with low magnification microscopy. Physical characteristics include colour, texture, grain size, and composition. Lit ...

or Observations on Stones used for Buildings (1842)

Family

He married as his second wife,

Fanny Riviere Fanny may refer to: Given name * Fanny (name), a feminine given name or a nickname, often for Frances In slang * A term for the vulva, in Britain and many other parts of the English-speaking world * A term for the buttocks, in the United States ...

, daughter of

Daniel Riviere Daniel Valentine Riviere (1780 – 17 February 1854) was an English miniaturist. He was the patriarch of the colourful London Riviere family of artists and singers. Life He was born in London in 1780 the son of Samuel Newton Riviere and his wife A ...

, both distinguished miniaturists. Their children included: *William Riviere Smith (1806-1876) an artist *Henry Parsons Riviere Smith (1811-1888) a watercolorist *Robert Riviere Smith (1808-1882) a book-binder * Percy Gordon Smith, architect

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Charles Harriott 1792 births 1864 deaths People from London British sculptors British geologists