Sir Charles Reed Peers
Born 12 September 1868
Died 16 November 1952
Active: 1893 - 1945
Country of birth and death: England
Architect, archaeologist
Born at Westerham, Kent. Peers studied Classics at Cambridge and then became a pupil in the office of Thomas Graham Jackson, who encouraged his interest in medieval architecture. After leaving Jackson's office, Peers ran his own practice for six years, also doing some archaeological work in Egypt.
In 1903 Peers was appointed architectural editor to the recently founded Victoria History of the Counties of England and helped to develop the methodology adopted by the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments after its creation in 1908. Peers was appointed inspector of ancient monuments in His Majesty's office (later Ministry) of Works, from 1910 and then chief inspector following the Ancient Monuments Act of 1913. Peers remained in the post until his retirement in 1933.
Following this he was busier than ever, becoming a consultant architect, and a surveyor to Westminster Abbey from 1935. He held similar posts at York and Durham, was Seneschal of Canterbury Cathedral, he also advised the dean and chapter at Winchester, sat on the Oxford diocesan committee, and carried out work for New College, Oxford.
Peers received numerous honours for his work, including being made a trustee of the London Museum (1933), a trustee of the British Museum, Antiquary to the Royal Academy (1933-52), he was also a fellow of the British Academy (from 1926) and of the Royal Institute of British Architects, receiving its gold medal in 1933. He died at Woodcote Grove House, Coulsdon, Surrey.
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Speaker at Evolution of the Mediaeval Statue (Art Workers Guild), 1913
Speaker at Seals (Art Workers Guild), 1913
Institutional and Business Connections
Member of Art Workers Guild
1912 - 1930
Resigned
Member of committee at British Museum
1933 (Circa)
A member of the Board of Trustees, duration of appointment unkown
Sources
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1913-1933
1913, pp.12-13.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
2004
L. H. Cust, ‘Clarke, Theophilus (1773x6–1832)’, rev. Mervyn Cutten, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 ;online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/5532, accessed 14 Aug 2010]
Citing this record
'Sir Charles Reed Peers', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib2_1216648270, accessed 22 Sep 2023]
