Correspondence with Edwin Lutyens, contractors, 1851 Commissioners and the British Embassy, 1911 - 1917

File

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Documents included in this file are mostly concerned with the construction of the British School at Rome building in Valle Giulia and comprise numerous letters to/from the the building contractors Humphreys Limited, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park, London. Subjects covered are primarily a water softening plant, payment of personnel and the financing of building costs. A number of known Italian and British authorities are represented in this file: the British Ambassador Sir James Rennell Rodd, Sir Edwin Lutyens, Sir Evelyn Shaw, Thomas Ashby, Sir Aston Webb and Eugénie Sellers Strong. A drawing by Lutyens was also included (see 'Separated materials' section in this record). Subjects of folders, which are numbered from 1 to 9, are the following:

'Water Softening Plant'. Enquiries into the installation of a water softening plant at the new BSR building (1917).
'Copies of ‘Blue Orders’'. Comprises eight orders placed by Sir Aston Webb and Sir Edwin Lutyens at Humphreys Contractors, paid for by the 1851 Commission and signed by Sir Aston Webb on behalf of Executive committee of the 1851 Commission. Approved and amended orders paid for by the commission include: a Rome municipality type fence around the whole perimeter, foundation work, paving, shutters and doors (1914-1916).
'Miscellaneous papers'. Copies of receipts of orders from Humphreys (1916-1917).
'The Contractor’s foreman'. Letters from Sir Rennell Rodd and Sir Evelyn Shaw enquiring into the removal from Rome of the contracter Humphreys' foreman, A. J. Thomas, on the grounds of his political convictions (1915).
Letters from Sir Evelyn Shaw and George Freeman (contractor Humphreys' foreman).
Envelope concerning letters about payment of the gardener Berarducci by Eugénie Sellers Strong (BSR Assistant Director and Librarian).
Correspondence by Sir Aston Webb, William Squire, Sir Evelyn Shaw, and Sir Edwin Lutyens. The aforementioned drawing was mentioned in the minutes of 17 March 1915.
Receipts and accompanying letters from contractor Humphreys addressed to Sir Edwin Lutyens concerning the Pavillion.
Letters regarding plans for the building of the school by Sir Aston Webb, contractor Humphreys Squire, Sir Evelyn Shaw, Thomas Ashby.

Reference number

AR-03.01.01/685.01-09

Dates

1911 - 1917

Conditions Governing Access

Materials in this sub-fonds are restricted until 40 years after creation.

Extent

9 Folders

Language of Materials

English

Italian

Additional Description

Arrangement

This file is organised in 9 folders and the documents are mainly presented in chronological order (from the most recent to the oldest letter) from years 1911 to 1917, with the exception of a few folders that are arranged also thematically.

Related Materials

This material is related to the BSR Architectural Drawings Collection (https://archive.bsr.ac.uk/repositories/3/resources/93) preserved at the BSR.

Separated Materials

The drawing of the design for the floors of Portico and Exhibition Hall (now Entrance Hall) by Sir Edwin Lutyens, originally in folder 7, has been removed and transferred to the BSR Architectural Drawings Collection. See Librarians for more information.