Gimson and the Arts & Crafts Movement

John D Sedding and his architectural office

Burford Church - a student sketch by Gimson

John Dando Sedding made his reputation as a church architect, working on both new buildings and restorations. He moved to London from Bristol in 1876 and set up offices on the upper floors of 447 Oxford Street. When Gimson joined his office ten years later, Sedding was working on the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Clerkenwell, London, one of the first churches in the capital to be built in the classical style since the time of Sir Christopher Wren.

Sedding encouraged his students to study old buildings, to work with traditional craftsmen and to draw from nature. He took a fatherly interest in his pupils and assistants.

Many of the young radical students who formed the driving force of the Arts & Crafts Movement came from his office and that of Richard Norman Shaw. Gimson worked with Henry Wilson, Walter Butler, Alfred Powell, Arthur Grove and Ernest Barnsley in Sedding’s office. Ernest Barnsley had moved to London from Birmingham early in 1885. Later that year his younger brother Sidney started training with Shaw and the two men provided a close and important link between the two offices. Gimson became particularly close to the Barnsleys, to Butler and Powell, and to W. R. Lethaby who was Shaw’s chief clerk.

Gimson’s letters reflect the close knit and rather chaotic character of Sedding’s office. One of his first jobs was to survey the site for the new church at Clerkenwell. As there was no tape measure in the office he had to borrow one from another architect. There was a certain amount of fun and games as well as discussions on politics, literature and design alongside long hours at a drawing board.