Explore Collections Explore The Collections
You are here: CollectionsOnline  /  Reading, Berkshire: Castle Street, unexecuted house for William Blackall Simonds and then William May, 1806 (2)

Browse

Purpose

Reading, Berkshire: Castle Street, unexecuted house for William Blackall Simonds and then William May, 1806 (2)

Notes

William Blackall Simonds (q.v.) married Elizabeth May, daughter of Daniel May, miller of Pangbourne in 1783. It is likely that William May was related to Elizabeth whose sister had married her husband's uncle. (www.berkshirehistory.com). Soane's office 'Ledger D' has under W.B.Simmonds an entry for May 1804 ' Making a design for a House and Offices / intended to have been built in Castle Street / consisting of several fair Plans, & Elevations / and a Perspective View of the exterior / appearance'. Soane added a note 'transfer this / to W. May Esq / Burghfield / Berks'. The bill of [£] 26:5:0 was sent to Mr May on 20 November 1815.

It seems that Simonds had commissioned Soane to design a house in Castle Street and William May had taken an interest though not maintained it since Soane's designs were not carried out.

Jill Lever, February 2012

Level

Scheme

Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation

If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk

Contents of Reading, Berkshire: Castle Street, unexecuted house for William Blackall Simonds and then William May, 1806 (2)