Architect, born in London, UK, the grandson of George Gilbert Scott. He studied at Beaumont College, designed the Anglican cathedral in Liverpool (begun 1904), and was knighted after the consecration ceremony in 1924. He designed many public buildings, including the new Bodleian Library at Oxford (193646), the new Cambridge University Library (19314), Battersea Power Station (19324), and the new Waterloo Bridge (193945).
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, OM, FRIBA (November 9, 1880 – February 8, 1960) was an English architect known for his work on such buildings as Liverpool Cathedral and Battersea Power Station. He came from a family of famous architects, being the son of George Gilbert Scott (junior), grandson of Sir George Gilbert Scott, nephew of John Oldrid Scott, and brother of Adrian Gilbert Scott.
Family
Born in London, Scott was the third son of George Gilbert Scott (junior).
Scott was sent to Beaumont College on the recommendation of his father, not because of any educational significance but because he admired the school buildings, the work of J. Scott spent his school holidays 'steeple-chasing' with his mother, which meant riding round Sussex on bicycles to look at interesting church architecture.
Qualification as an architect
Scott's mother decided that her sons Giles and Adrian should become architects and he was articled to Temple Lushington Moore in 1899 for three years. Moore, who had been a pupil of Scott's father, actually worked at home while Scott worked in his office, which allowed Scott to develop his own architectural knowledge of his father's designs - which he regarded as the work of a genius, and superior to those of his grandfather (the latter judgment not shared by most architectural commentators).
Liverpool Cathedral
Scott is perhaps best-known for his work on Liverpool Cathedral. The choice of Scott surprised others as well, because of Scott's youth (he was 22), lack of experience (he had designed a few private houses), and faith (as Liverpool was strongly divided between Anglicans and Roman Catholics).
Because of these factors, the Dean and Chapter decided that Scott should work with George Frederick Bodley on the new Cathedral.
In 1910 Scott realised that he was not happy with the main design, which looked like a traditional Gothic cathedral in the style originated in the previous century.
With construction halted temporarily in the First World War and other delays, the building of the Cathedral lasted the whole of Scott's life and he remained involved in the project until his death, refining the design as he went.
Other early work
While Scott was feuding with Bodley in Liverpool, he managed to design and see built his first complete church. This was the Church of the Annunciation, a Roman Catholic Church in Bournemouth, in which he made a high transept similar to that he wanted at Liverpool. His work on another new Roman Catholic Church at Sheringham, Norfolk showed his preference for simple Gothic frontages. Other churches built by Scott at this time, at Ramsey on the Isle of Man, Northfleet in Kent and Stoneycroft in Liverpool, show the development of his style.
Inter-war years
As Liverpool Cathedral rose Scott's fame rose too, and he began to secure commissions for secular buildings.
Signature buildings
The London Power Company had commissioned a new electricity generating station at Battersea and in 1930 commissioned Scott as a consultant to make the inevitably massive architecture more appealing.
In Cambridge, next to Clare Memorial Court, Scott designed a matching library for the University of Cambridge.
Professional recognition
In the early 1930s Scott's reputation was at its height, and he was chosen as President of the Royal Institute of British Architects for 1933, its centenary year (having already been awarded the RIBA's prestigious Royal Gold Medal in 1925).
Late work
After the immediate rush for building work caused by war damage had died down, Scott put a new roof on the Guildhall in the City of London and designed modernistic brick offices for the Corporation just to the north. At Preston he built a new Roman Catholic Church which is notable for an unusually long and repetitive nave. His Carmelite Church in Kensington used transverse concrete arches to fill a difficult site (the church replaced another lost in the war).
Death
Scott remained working into his late 70s. He was working on designs for the Roman Catholic Church of Christ the King, Plymouth, when he contracted lung cancer.
Works
A comprehensive list of Gilbert Scott's designs:
St Botolph's Church, Carlton-in-Cleveland, Yorkshire (1896 - 1897; Gilbert Scott did not design the church but was Clerk of the Works) Nanfans (private house), Prestwood, Buckinghamshire (1903) Liverpool Cathedral (design 1903 - Scott continued to be associated with the building until his death) Chapel on London Road, Harrow, London (1905 - 1906) Church of the Annunciation (RC), Bournemouth (1906) Church of the Holy Ghost, Midsomer Norton (1907-1913; conversion of a tithe barn for use as a church) Nave seating, All Saints' Church, Bubwith, East Riding of Yorkshire (1909) East window, St Giles's Church, Burnby, East Riding of Yorkshire (1909) Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Maughold Church (RC), Ramsey, Isle of Man, (1909 - 1912) Nave, St Mary's Church, Bury (c. 1910) restoration of cloisters, including east window of the refectory and the Rood in the crossing at Chester Cathedral (1911 - 1913) Chancel of All Hallows' Church, Gospel Oak (1913 - 1915) Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (RC), Northfleet, Kent (1913 - 1916) Lady Chapel Reredos, St Michael's Church (RC), Elswick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1914) Rood Beam, St Deiniol's Church, Hawarden, Flintshire (1915 - 1916) St Paul's Church, Stoneycroft, Liverpool (1916) weblink Chancel, St Catherine's Church, Pontypridd (1919) War memorial, Hanmer, Flintshire (1919) War memorial, Hawarden, Flintshire (1919 - 1920) War memorial, St Saviour's Church, Oxton, Birkenhead (1920) War memorial cross, Our Lady of Victories Church (RC), Clapham (1920) Alterations to south chancel chapel, Church of St Mary Abbot Kensington (1920 - 1921) War Memorial Chapel, Church of St Michael Chester Square, Belgravia (1920 - 1921) Rectory, War memorial tablet and northern aisle screen, Holy Trinity Church, Trefnant, Denbighshire (1921) New church, Ampleforth Abbey, Ampleforth, North Riding of Yorkshire (1922, not completed until 1961) Extensions to Junior House, Ampleforth College, Gilling, North Riding of Yorkshire (1920s - 1930s) Memorial Court, Clare College, Cambridge (1923 - 1934) Nave and monument to Abbot Ramsay, Downside Abbey, Somerset (c. 1923 - 1925) K2 Red telephone box (1924) Reconstruction of St George's Church, Kidderminster (after 1924) War memorial, All Saints' Church, Wigan (1925) Church of St Alban and St Michael, Golders Green (1925, built 1932 - 1933) Chester House (private house), Clarendon Place, Paddington, London (1925 - 1926; completed and unveiled 1927) All Saints' Church, Wallasey (1927 - 1939, uncompleted) Church of St Michael, Ashford, Surrey (1928; uncompleted) New Chapel, Bromsgrove School, Bromsgrove (1928 - 1939) Continuation of the north range, St Swithun's Buildings, Magdalen College, Oxford (1928 - 1930) St Ninian's Church (RC), Restalrig, Edinburgh (1929; uncompleted) St Francis of Assisi Church, High Wycombe (1929 - 1930) weblink Whitelands Teacher Training College, Wandsworth (1929 - 1931) Plinth for statue of Sir Joshua Reynolds, Burlington House, Piccadilly (1929 / 1931) Battersea Power Station, London (consultant on exteriors 1929 - 1935) North East Tower, Our Lady of Grace and St Edward Church (RC), Chiswick (1930) K3 Red telephone box (1930) Phoenix Theatre, off Charing Cross Road, London (1930 with Bertie Crewe) Altar, St Augustine's Church, Kilburn Park Road, London (1930) St. Columba's Cathedral, Oban, Argyll 1930 - 1953) Cropthorne Court (private residences), Maida Vale (1930 / 1937) Apse and north tower, Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea (RC), Broadstairs, Kent (1930 - 1931) Classroom range, Gilling Castle, Gilling, Yorkshire (after 1930) St Andrew's Church, Luton (1931 - 1932) Chapel and college buildings, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford (1931) New University Library, West Road, Cambridge (1931 - 1934) William Booth Memorial Training College, Camberwell, south London (1932) Vincent House, Vincent Square, Westminster (1932; consultant) Clergy House for St Francis of Assisi Church, High Wycombe (1933) Guinness Brewery, Park Royal, London (1933 - 1935) (demolished 2006) Buildings in north court, Trinity Hall, Cambridge (1934) Font, Church of St Michael, Chester Square, Belgravia (1934) Additions to St Joseph's Church (RC), Sheringham, Norfolk (1934) Restoration of St Etheldreda's Church (RC), Ely Place, Holborn (1935) Fountains House, Park Lane, London (1935 - 1938; consultant) K6 red telephone box (1935) Main Building, University of Southampton, Southampton (1935, in association with Gutteridge and Gutteridge) Private house, 22 Weymouth Street, St. Marylebone (1936) New Bodleian Library at Oxford (1937 - 1940) Alterations to barn at Denham Golf Club, Denham, Buckinghamshire (1938) St Anne's College, Oxford (1938) High pedestal for King George V monument, Old Palace Yard, Westminster (1939) North and South Blocks, County Hall, London (1939 and 1950 - 1958) Waterloo Bridge, London (1937 - 1940) Chamber of the House of Commons, Palace of Westminster (1945 - 1950) War memorial, St John the Baptist Church, Penshurst, Kent (1947) Forth Road Bridge (1947; consultant) Bankside Power Station, London (1947, constructed 1957 - 1960) (now the Tate Modern art gallery) Extension to St Anne's College, Oxford (1949 - 1951) Power Station, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire (c. 1952) St Leonard's Church, St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings (1953 - 1961 with his brother Adrian) Roof for the bomb-damaged Guildhall, City of London (1953 - 1954) Extension at Clare Memorial Court, Clare College, Cambridge (1953 - 1955) Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (RC), Kensington (1954 - 1959) St Anthony's Church (RC), Preston (1954 - 1959) Offices for the Corporation of London, Guildhall, City of London ( 1955 - 1958; demolished) St Mark's Church, Biggin Hill (1957 - 1959) Church of Christ the King (RC), Plymouth (1961 - 1962;
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