William Richard Lethaby (1857-1931)

  Lethaby started his architectural career in Devon where he was born, later joining Shaw's office as chief clerk. He became a founding member of the Art Workers Guild in 1884 and its Master in 1911.

He was also active in the founding of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society in 1887. Lethaby helped Morris & Co decorate Stanmore House and joined E. Gimson and the Barnsley Brothers in the short lived Kenton & Co in 1890.

Sketch of the chairs designed for the Eagle Insurance Building, 1900. Private Collection.

His Designing career took off more than his Architectural career with his designs being made by Coalbrookdale, Farmer & Brindley, Longden & Co Portland Metalworks and the cabinet makers Marsh Jones & Cribb.

When applying for the position of Art Inspector at the Central School of Arts and Crafts he submitted references from Shaw, Morris, Burne-Jones, Walter Crane and Philip Webb.

Edited By Sylvia Backemeyer and Theresa Gronberg, W. R. Lethaby 1857-1931 Architecture, Design and Education, 1984
Charlotte Gere and Michael Whiteway, Nineteenth Century Design, 1993