User:Vernon39/James Spencer-Bell

Article added to Wikipedia 19 September 2010 James Spencer-Bell (?1819 - 1872) was a British politician, who was MP for Guildford from 1852 until 1857.

He died in on 22 February 1872, aged 53 RIBA Library catalogue lists: Title: 	Lecture by James Spencer-Bell entitled On Physics, etc., 24 July 1865 Collection context: 	Forms part of the RIBA Archive: Voluntary Architectural Examination Lectures, 1865 - Contents: Read at the RIBA as part of a course of lectures to students preparing for the RIBA Voluntary Architectural Examination. Summarises elementary physics and chemistry with reference to the practice of architecture, based on two textbooks, Neil Arnott's `Elements of physics, 1828, and George Fownes' `Manual of elementary chemistry, 1858. Order/Ref no.: 	ED/7.2.2 Collection context: Forms part of the RIBA Archive: Papers Read at General Meetings, 1835-1858 General note: Awarded the RIBA Medal of Merit and read at the RIBA on 22 March 1847 Contents: Spencer-Bell proclaims the purity of Grecian architecture, in which the column was the crucial component, and traces its progressive debasement in Roman and mediaeval times, when the column became subordinate to the arch and ceased to regulate the proportions of buildings; the goes on to trace its regeneration by Italian Renaissance architects and praises the purity of detail and correctness of character in the application of the classical orders by Sir Christopher Wren; he comments on the beneficial effects on British architecture of the architectural Grand Tour of Italy and of the archaeological discoveries made in Greece by Professor Cockerell and others; he ends by praising the Germans for 'having made the most successful application of Grecian architecture --- many of the buildings of Berlin and Munich, when referred to a Greek standard, are singularly original and happy in their conception and pure in their execution and detail'. Order/Ref no.: MS.SP\1\5 Collection context: Forms part of the RIBA Archive: Papers read at general meetings, 1835-1858 Order/Ref no.: MS.SP/10/36.
 * Death date: Feb 1872 Microfiche: 3/D3, 78/A6 Obituaries:Builder v73, 9 Nov 1872, p879; RIBA Proceedings 1872/3, p8
 * Lecture by James Spencer-Bell entitled On Physics, etc., 24 July 1865 54p., holograph
 * Essay by James Spencer-Bell entitled 'On the modifications and adaptation of the Orders of the Greeks by the Romans and Moderns', 1847 21 p., ms.
 * Paper by James Spencer-Bell entitled "The architectural remains of the Roman provinces", read at the RIBA, 4 Nov 1850 43p., manuscript

Marriage and name-change
James Bell married Mary Ann Spencer, daughter of Jeremiah Spencer of South Lodge ,

Cockermouth, Cumberland on 9 June 1858, at the Friends Meeting House, Cockermouth He is described as a Gentleman, the son of John Bell, Chemist On 29 January 1866, they received a Royal Licence to change their name to "Spencer-Bell", and to incorporate the Spencer coat of arms in theirs, according to the London Gazette

They had an address at 1, Devonshire Place, London and at Fawe Park, Keswick, Cumberland ,

Mary Ann Spencer-Bell died 16 August 1891, aged 59.

Architectural interests
He trained as an architect but seems not to have practiced in that profession, after the age of 30. He served as Honorary Secretary to the RIBA and received an obituary notice on his death:

I am unable to obtain particulars as to Mr. Bell's professional life. He was, fortunately for his own ease, in a position requiring little labour on his part, but he was attached to the profession he nominally followed and for some time showed his interest in it by acting as honorary secretary to the Institute. He was a pupil of Mr. Railton's but did not attempt to practise after the age of thirty. Mr Bell travelled much, and was indefatigable with his pencil. He represented the borough of Guildford for some time in Parliament. He took an active part in the committees of the House of Commons, and was a diligent worker in several societies of a benevolent and religious character. He was in declining health for some time prior to his death, which occurred in February last, at the age of 52.

Political activity
James Bell, as he was then called, was elected MP for Guildford from the General Election of 1852 along with R. D. Mangles (both Liberals). Mangles was first elected in 1841, in this two-member constituency. After the election, there was a petition, alleging bribery and treating, which was found to be groundless and costs were awarded against the petitioner, in March 1853.

At the General Election of 1857, Bell was displaced by William Bovill.

There is no record in Hansard of James Bell speaking in the House of Commons.

He was a member of a delegation from the Society of Friends to Mr Gladstone and Mr W.E.Forster concerning Quaker views on the Elementary Education Bill of 1870

Children

 * Adelaide Eliza Spencer-Bell (13 September 1859 - 16 June 1922) married Samuel Middleton Fox.


 * James Frederick Spencer-Bell, born 1863 at Alton in Hampshire died 1886..


 * Helen Johanna Spencer-Bell, born 1865 in Marylebone, Middlesex.


 * Juliet Spencer-Bell, born 9 July 1866, in London . In 1892, married Colonel Edmond Herbert Grove-Hills, FRS


 * Hubert John Spencer-Bell born 20 February 1869, in Marylebone, Middlesex, died 1888, aged 19

Fawe Park
Fawe Park is a large Victorian house that was built in 1858 for James Bell (after 1866, called James Spencer-Bell). It was designed by Alfred Waterhouse. It is on the west bank of Derwent Water, opposite the town of Keswick. It is not open to the public (2010).

After James Spencer-Bell's death, the house was occupied by his son Frederick Spencer-Bell and following his early death by his daughter Adelaide and her husband, Samuel Middleton Fox. After their deaths, it was occupied by their son, Commodore Frederick Middleton Fox. The current ownership has not yet been discovered.

Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter, author and illustrator of children's books visited the house in July, 1903. The house was the setting one of the scenes in the 2006 film about her life, "Miss Potter".

Fawe Park Road, Putney
Fawe Park Road in Putney, South West London was developed by James Spencer-Bell and auctioned in 1894. The road still exist and runs east-west from Putney Bridge Road (A3209) to Disraeli Road.