Lucas Brothers, Builders
Encyclopedia
Lucas Brothers was a leading British
building
business based in London
.
, London. Charles joined his father's business: he was soon employed to manage construction of the Norwich and Brandon Railway for Sir Samuel Morton Peto
.
In 1842 Charles set up his own contracting business in Norwich
and progressed to rebuilding Peto's house, Somerleyton Hall
. Charles and Thomas established a facility in Lowestoft
from where they undertook various works, including the railway, the station, the Esplanade, St John’s church and several hotels.
At their works in Lowestoft
the brothers pre-fabricated huts for the navvies who built the Crimea railway. Their centre of operations then moved to London
where they built various public buildings.
completed in 1871 although as well as that they built Covent Garden Opera House
completed in 1858 and the Floral Hall completed in 1860, King's College Hospital
completed in 1862, the Junior Carlton Club
completed in 1866, Charterhouse School
completed in 1872 and the Alexandra Palace
completed in 1873. Private houses included Cliveden
completed in 1851, Henham Hall
completed in 1858, Rendlesham Hall
completed in 1870 and Normanhurst Court
also completed in 1870 and the South Kensington Exhibitions of 1867 and 1871 with Sir John Kelk.
and formed a civil engineering
business known as Lucas & Aird.
Thomas married first Jane Golder and had a daughter and then after her death, married secondly Mary Amelia Chamberlin, daughter of Robert Chamberlin of Norwich and had six sons and four daughters. He lived in London, Ascot and briefly at Ashtead in Surrey.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...
business based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Early history
The business was founded by Charles Thomas Lucas (1820-1895) and Thomas Lucas (1822-1902). They were the sons of James Lucas (1792-1865), a builder, of St PancrasSt Pancras, London
St Pancras is an area of London. For many centuries the name has been used for various officially-designated areas, but now is used informally and rarely having been largely superseded by several other names for overlapping districts.-Ancient parish:...
, London. Charles joined his father's business: he was soon employed to manage construction of the Norwich and Brandon Railway for Sir Samuel Morton Peto
Samuel Morton Peto
Sir Samuel Morton Peto, 1st Baronet was an English entrepreneur and civil engineer in the 19th century. A partner in Grissell and Peto, he managed construction firms that built many major buildings and monuments in London...
.
In 1842 Charles set up his own contracting business in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and progressed to rebuilding Peto's house, Somerleyton Hall
Somerleyton Hall
Somerleyton Hall is a country house in the village of Somerleyton near Lowestoft, Suffolk, England. It has a notable garden.-History:In 1240, a manor house was built on the site of Somerleyton Hall by Sir Peter Fitzosbert whose daughter married into the Jernegan family. The male line of the...
. Charles and Thomas established a facility in Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
from where they undertook various works, including the railway, the station, the Esplanade, St John’s church and several hotels.
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
the brothers pre-fabricated huts for the navvies who built the Crimea railway. Their centre of operations then moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where they built various public buildings.
Building contracts
Perhaps their most famous building contract was the Royal Albert HallRoyal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
completed in 1871 although as well as that they built Covent Garden Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
completed in 1858 and the Floral Hall completed in 1860, King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital
King's College Hospital is an acute care facility in the London Borough of Lambeth, referred to locally and by staff simply as "King's" or abbreviated internally to "KCH"...
completed in 1862, the Junior Carlton Club
Junior Carlton Club
The Junior Carlton Club was a London gentlemen's club, now dissolved, which was established in 1866 and was disbanded in 1977.-History:Anticipating the forthcoming Second Reform Act under Benjamin Disraeli, numerous prospective electors decided to form a club closely aligned to the Conservative...
completed in 1866, Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
completed in 1872 and the Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
completed in 1873. Private houses included Cliveden
Cliveden
Cliveden is an Italianate mansion and estate at Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England. Set on banks above the River Thames, its grounds slope down to the river. The site has been home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor....
completed in 1851, Henham Hall
Henham Park
Henham Park is an estate just north of the village of Blythburgh in Suffolk, England. It lies at the intersection of the A12 and A145 main roads. The current owner is Keith Rous, The Sixth Earl of Stradbroke, ‘The Aussie Earl’.-History:...
completed in 1858, Rendlesham Hall
Rendlesham Hall
-History:The hall was built in the pointed style in 1780 and two lodges, Woodbridge Lodge and Ivy Lodge, were added in 1790. The hall was acquired by Peter Thellusson, a wealthy banker, in the name of his son, in 1796...
completed in 1870 and Normanhurst Court
Normanhurst Court
Normanhurst Court was a large manor house in the village of Catsfield in East Sussex.-History:The building of the house was initiated by Thomas Brassey, one of the leading railway builders of the nineteenth century. The works, which were carried out by Lucas Brothers, were completed shortly after...
also completed in 1870 and the South Kensington Exhibitions of 1867 and 1871 with Sir John Kelk.
Collaboration with Sir John Aird
In the 1860's the brothers collaborated with John Aird & Co.John Aird & Co.
John Aird & Co. was once a leading British civil engineering business based in London.-Early history:The company was founded in 1848 by John Aird with the objective of laying mains for gas and water companies in London....
and formed a civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
business known as Lucas & Aird.
About the founders
Charles Thomas Lucas married Charlotte Tiffin and had five sons and two daughters. He lived in London and then at Warnham in Sussex. He was created a Baronet in 1887.Thomas married first Jane Golder and had a daughter and then after her death, married secondly Mary Amelia Chamberlin, daughter of Robert Chamberlin of Norwich and had six sons and four daughters. He lived in London, Ascot and briefly at Ashtead in Surrey.
Demise of the business
In 1895 following the death of Sir Charles Thomas Lucas the business was dissolved.Further reading
- The Master Builders by Robert Middlemas, Hutchinson, 1963, ASIN B0000CLXYL
- Sir Samuel Morton Peto by Rev Dr Edward C Brooks, Brookes, 1996, ISBN 978-0950298849
- Deptford, Toronto and Kingston by Peter Stirling-Aird, Grimsay Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1845300210