Dolphin lamp post base, South Bank, London

George John Vulliamy (19 May 1817 – 1886) was a British architect who designed some buildings in Victoria Street London, several fire-brigade stations, the pedestal and sphinxes for

Cleopatra's Needle Cleopatra's Needles are a separated pair of ancient Egyptian obelisks now in London and New York City. The obelisks were originally made in Heliopolis (modern Cairo) during the New Kingdom period, inscribed by the 18th dynasty pharaoh Thutmose I ...

on the Thames Embankment, and the sturgeon lamp posts (colloquially "

dolphin lamp post Dolphin lamp standards provide electric light along much of the Thames Embankment in London, United Kingdom. Two stylised dolphins or sturgeons writhe around the base of a standard lamp post, supporting a fluted column bearing electric lights i ...

s") that line the embankment.

Biography

He was the second son of

Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (25 January 1780 – 8 January 1854) was a clockmaker, active in 18th and 19th century Britain. He succeeded his father Benjamin Vulliamy as head of the firm and Clockmaker to the Crown. Biography The family was of Sw ...

and was born in Pall Mall on 19 May 1817. He was admitted to

Westminster School (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...

on 13 February 1826, and on leaving was articled to Messrs. Joseph Bramah & Son, engineers, in 1833. In July 1836 he entered the office of 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 ...

, with whom he remained till 1841. He then went abroad, and visited France, Italy, Greece, Asia Minor, and Egypt. While travelling he was employed by

Henry Gally Knight Henry Gally Knight, F.R.S. (2 December 1786 – 9 February 1846) was a British politician, traveller and writer. Biography Knight was the only son of Henry Gally (afterwards Gally Knight), barrister, of Langold, and was educated at Eton and Tr ...

to make drawings for his work on the ''Ecclesiastical Architecture of Italy'', 1842–4. Returning to England in 1843, he commenced practising as an architect, and subsequently assisted his uncle,

Lewis Vulliamy Lewis Vulliamy (15 March 1791 – 4 January 1871) was an English architect descended from the Vulliamy family of clockmakers. Life Lewis Vulliamy was the son of the clockmaker Benjamin Vulliamy. He was born in Pall Mall, London on 15 March 179 ...

. He exhibited designs in 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 ...

in 1838 and in 1845. He erected a mansion at Dyffryn, Monmouthshire, and the Swiss Protestant church in

Endell Street Endell Street, originally known as Belton Street, is a street in London's West End that runs from High Holborn in the north to Long Acre and Bow Street, Covent Garden, in the south. A long tall narrow building on the west side is an 1840s-buil ...

(1853). He became a member of the

Royal Archæological Institute The Royal Archaeological Institute (RAI) is a learned society, established in 1844, with interests in all aspects of the archaeological, architectural and landscape history of the British Isles. Membership is open to all with an interest in these ...

in December 1848, and acted as secretary for some time. He exhibited objects of interest at the meetings of the institute on several occasions. On 15 March 1861 he was elected superintending architect to the

Metropolitan Board of Works The Metropolitan Board of Works (MBW) was the principal instrument of local government in a wide area of Middlesex, Surrey, and Kent, defined by the Metropolis Management Act 1855, from December 1855 until the establishment of the London County ...

, and thenceforth devoted all his time to the work. He designed for the board some buildings in Victoria Street, several fire-brigade stations, and the pedestal and sphinxes for Cleopatra's Needle on the embankment. He resigned his appointment in May 1886 on account of ill-health, and died at his residence, Ingress House, Greenhithe, on 12 November 1886. He was buried on 17 November at Stone-next-Dartford. He was a cousin of the art potter

Blanche Georgiana Vulliamy Blanche Georgiana Vulliamy (1869 – 4 August 1923) was an English ceramic artist, painter, and writer. Half-Belgian, after training as a portrait artist Vulliamy worked mainly as a designer of art pottery and is best known for her work portr ...

Notes

References

;Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vulliamy, George John 1817 births 1886 deaths Italianate architecture in the United Kingdom Artists from London People educated at Westminster School, London 19th-century British architects George John Architects from London

Biography

See also

Notes

References