Drawings [35] to [43] were made by the four pupils working in the office in September and October 1796: Robert Smirke (1780-1867), pupil May 1796-January 1797; Henry Joseph Good (1775-1857), pupil January 1795-January 1799; Henry Hake Seward (1778-1848), pupil and assistant May 1794-September 1808; Thomas Jeans (c.1775-1866), pupil August 1792-August 1797. Smirke's short stay as a pupil to Soane was because of a mutual antipathy.

The drawings attributed to the four pupils have the name and date in a feint pencil at the bottom right-hand side of the drawing. The titles are in the rather ugly hand of Henry Provis (1760-1830, clerk July 1791-February 1802).

The drawings catalogued here are generally thought of as 'record' drawings. Pupils learned something about draughtsmanship and design by re-drawing to a reduced scale the original plans and elevations. Mounting them into volumes preserved them and became a handy way for Soane to reflect on past schemes, to discuss them with friends and fellow architects and to show prospective clients the range of his designs.

It is likely that Good, Seward and Jeans made some of the drawings or copies of the drawings [1] to [33]. The most experienced person in the office at that time was William Lodder (1757-1827) who was an assistant from April 1789 to September 1796 and the majority of the drawings may be in his hand.

Sub-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