Charles J. Phipps


Charles John Phipps FSA, known as C.J. Phipps was an English architect best known for his theatres.

Biography

Born in Bath, his first major work was the rebuilding of Theatre Royal, Bath in 1862/3, after the old theatre had been destroyed by fire. Moving to London, he quickly established himself as the leading theatrical architect, building, in rapid succession, the Queen's Theatre, the Gaiety Theatre, the Olympic Theatre and the Vaudeville Theatre.
Phipps designed the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin for John and Michael Gunn, opened in November 1871.
Phipps's Savoy Theatre, a state-of-the-art facility, was the first public building in the world lit entirely by electric light.
Other major London theatres included the Strand, the Prince's, the Lyric, the original Shaftesbury Theatre, the Garrick, the Tivoli and Daly's.
In addition to Phipps's London theatres, he was responsible for over forty theatres in the provinces. He also designed Leinster Hall in Dublin for Michael Gunn, the Star and Garter Hotel at Richmond and the Savoy Turkish Bath.
Phipps was chosen to design the Royal Institute of British Architects’ own premises at 9 Conduit Street. The building is still there, though no longer occupied by the RIBA and is considered by some to reflect the influence of the architect's native town. He was a fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, serving on its council in 1875–6, and also of the Society of Antiquaries.
Phipps died on 25 May 1897, aged 62.

Family

On 10 April 1860, he married Miss Honnor Hicks, by whom he had two sons and three daughters. For some time previous to his death he had been associated in partnership with his son-in-law, Arthur Blomfield Jackson.

Theatres

Among the theatres Phipps designed, or co-designed, are: