Frederick Crace
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Frederick Crace (1779 – 18 September 1859) was an English
interior decorator Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordin ...
, who worked for George IV when Prince of Wales, for whom he created the
chinoiserie (, ; loanword from French ''wikt:chinoiserie#French, chinoiserie'', from ''wikt:chinois#French, chinois'', "Chinese"; ) is the European interpretation and imitation of China, Chinese and other East Asia, East Asian artistic traditions, especial ...
interiors of the
Brighton Pavilion The Royal Pavilion, and surrounding gardens, also known as the Brighton Pavilion, is a Grade I listed former royal residence located in Brighton, England. Beginning in 1787, it was built in three stages as a seaside retreat for George, Pri ...
. Crace was also a collector of maps and topographical prints and drawings, now at the
British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...
. Frederick was the son of the prominent London decorator John C. Crace (1754–1819), who had been hired in 1788 to provide Chinese works of art for the Royal Pavilion. Beside his familiar interiors at the Marine Pavilion, Brighton, Crace provided interiors at
Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original cast ...
and
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
, in which he was assisted by his son,
John Gregory Crace Vice Admiral Sir John Gregory Crace (6 February 1887 – 11 May 1968) was an Australian who came to prominence as an officer of the Royal Navy (RN). He commanded the Australian-United States Support Force, Task Force 44, at the Battle of the C ...
. Frederick married Augusta Harrop Gregory, the daughter of John Gregory, a London magistrate and treasurer of the
Whig Club Whig or Whigs may refer to: Parties and factions In the British Isles * Whigs (British political party), one of two political parties in England, Great Britain, Ireland, and later the United Kingdom, from the 17th to 19th centuries ** Whiggism ...
. In 1830 his son John Gregory became a full partner in the family business, thereafter known as Frederick Crace & Son, in 1830, on inheriting property and capital from his mother, who had died in 1827. Crace & Son designed the
St James's Theatre The St James's Theatre was in King Street, St James's, London. It opened in 1835 and was demolished in 1957. The theatre was conceived by and built for a popular singer, John Braham; it lost money and after three seasons he retired. A succ ...
, London (1835) and the younger Crace developed into a well-regarded designer of theatres on his own. For Crace's collection of topographical prints and drawings,
Thomas H. Shepherd Thomas Hosmer Shepherd (16 January 1793, France – 1864) was a British topographical watercolour artist well known for his architectural paintings. Life and work Thomas was the brother of topographical artist George "Sidney" Shepherd ...
was employed to paint old London buildings prior to their demolition, to provide a historical record. He died at his home in Hammersmith on 18 September 1859, aged 80.'The Late Mr. Frederick Crace', ''
The Builder ''Building'' is one of the United Kingdom's oldest business-to-business magazines, launched as ''The Builder'' in 1843 by Joseph Aloysius Hansom – architect of Birmingham Town Hall and designer of the Hansom Cab. The journal was renamed ''Bu ...
'', 1 October 1859, p. 647.
He was buried at
West Norwood Cemetery West Norwood Cemetery is a rural cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery. One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the " Magnificent Seven" cemeteries of L ...
. His extensive collection of British topography was purchased for the British Museum, from his son, in 1880.


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Crace, Frederick 1779 births 1859 deaths English interior designers Antiquarians from London Burials at West Norwood Cemetery