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An architect's letters to his client
Some letters written by the late C.F.A. Voysey to the late Sir Cecil Fitch, between August 1899 and May 1901
This is a transcript of an article by John Brandon-Jones which appeared in The Architect and building news, June 3rd, 1949, pp.494-498, with some additional illustrations.
Notes in italics inside square brackets have been supplied by the transcriber or (where noted) by Brandon-Jones.
THESE letters surviving by accident from a correspondence of fifty years ago, serve to underline some of the most delicate problems of the personal relationship between architect and client. If mutual respect and confidence is complete the building has every chance of success but if the client is meddlesome or fidgety over details, or if the architect is overbearing or careless of the client's purse and convenience, an unhappy ending becomes a certainty.
C.F.A. Voysey's letters go to the root of the matter and the one surviving letter from his client is enough to show that Cecil Fitch was also a man of character and, what is more, of tact. Voysey can never have been an easy architect from the client's point of view, yet his disarming reply to Fitch's letter shows that he was not always so obstinate as legend has painted him; in this case at any rate he was prepared to make a sensible compromise and the plan was modified, as may be seen from a comparison between the original design and the sketch of the executed building.
Many an architect will sympathise with Voysey when he reads the words "All artistic questions you must leave me to decide. No two minds ever produced an artistic result." Not many of us would have the courage to put it to a client so directly, yet it is not arrogance on the part of the architect – it is a plain statement of fact. At the same time one may sympathise with the client too. He is asked to delegate without question the responsibility for the design of the house he will have to pay for and may have to live in for half a lifetime. It is no mean act of faith that the architect demands, and in making such a demand the architect must accept a corresponding liability, he must try to consider and balance up not only the client's needs at the moment of the contract but also, as far as they can be foreseen, the client's requirements and feelings towards the building in ten or twenty or fifty years' time.
Another quotation that might well be printed on a card for sending to all who intend to build is Voysey's warning to his client in the last letter of the series: "The greatest help will be for you to make up your mind that you cannot have first-class material and workmanship without going to a first-class builder and paying a first-class price." The workmanship in the case of this house has proved itself by surviving the explosion of a V2 in the garden. Plaster ceilings have fallen, doors and windows, tiles and chimney pots have suffered, but the main structure still stands and is still occupied by Lady Fitch, for whom it was built.
The letters, interesting enough in themselves, are made more so by the discovery of the original sketch plans among the Voysey drawings in the R.I.B.A. collection. It is easy to follow most of the arguments by comparing the photograph of the first drawing with the modified version shown in the sketches of the building as carried out. It may be added that, at the date of this correspondence, the client, who later became Sir Cecil Fitch, was twenty-nine, and had just started his career as a Barrister, while C.F.A. Voysey was forty-two and had already established his reputation as one of the outstanding architects of his generation.
For other writings by and about C.F.A. Voysey, some of which are available here in full, see our complete bibliography.
The Letters
6 Carlton Hill, N.W.
Aug. 21, 1899.
Dear Mr. Fitch,
I am posting to you to-day the sketch plans for your proposed house at Putney. And I hope you will like it. I think it is the best I can do for you for the money.
Yours very sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
6 Carlton Hill, N.W.
Sept. 23rd, 1899.
My dear Fitch,
I hope you will agree to dropping the Mr. on both sides.
Let me know the reasons for your objection and I will meet them. It is what I am meant for. Tell me what you want and I will tell you how to get it most economically. If you move your house further from the hedge you increase the height of your walls so adding to expense as the building act will require you to have thicker walls.
Can you call to-morrow Sunday aftemoon, and I will discuss the whole matter with you?
Yours very sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
Above, Gordondene as designed by Voysey. Top, south (garden) elevation; below, north (entrance) elevation. Drawings cropped from the originals at the RIBA. Compare with the modified design as carried out.
6 Carlton Hill, N.W.
October 10, 1899.
Dear Fitch,
I am sending you the catalogue for iron railing No. 2, p.6 is what I have just put up and I think when painted white it is the nicest and cheapest railing you can have, being only 2/8 per yd. fixed.
I cannot spoil my proportions by cutting off the stable roof. We must manage by moving the stable building 5 ft. to the East and the house 5 ft. to the west and 3 or 4 ft. to the south. [This was done. – J.B.J.] You won't mind that, will you? I am sorry about the larder as I think it will help you to keep a good coachman. But you can buy a cage from Whiteley and hang it outside if you like. As to the light in the hall, I hope you will forgive me for saying you know nothing about it at all. You will ruin the look of the hall from the outside and the in if you alter the staircase window, which is going to light the hall magnificently. [Nevertheless, he did enlarge them on the final scheme. – J.B.J.] For every casement you must reckon an additional expense of about £3.
Yours very sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
76 Finchley Road.
Oct. 11, 1899.
Dear Voysey,
Many thanks for the catalogue. I suppose I had better order it at once.
As regards the light in the hall, you are no doubt correct in saying I know nothing about it and if you say there is sufficient I am more than satisfied.
As regards the movement of the stables you will recollect your statement that to move the house further down hill would enormously increase the cost. It was because of this statement of yours that I altered in the plan the position of the main body of the house in relation of the part containing the dining room and kitchen. I moved the latter portion down hill to give room for the passage to the yard and left the main portion where it was. You now seem to propose to move the whole house bodily down hill (i.e., 5 feet to the west and 3 or 4 ft. to the south). If you assure me now that it will not increase the cost of the house I don't mind, but if it will I mind very much when I see that two feet off the length of a gable will obviate the difficulty. Seriously, do you think the difference of that two feet will spoil the proportion of the stable roof? I tried it and did not think it would, but you know and I don't desire to be in any way unreasonable. Perhaps some other way may be found so long as it adds nothing to the expense.
I understand, and in some measure share, your horror of an iron larder to be supplied by Whiteley's. It will no doubt not be beautiful but it is cheap and will be hidden from view. This again is a question of £.s.d. I have no fears of not keeping a coachman on that account. My experience has been that coachmen are many and places few.
Yours very truly,
Cecil E. Fitch
[This is the only surviving letter from the client.]
* * *
6 Carlton Hill, N.W.
October 12, 1899.
My dear Fitch,
Many thanks for your most reasonable letter. You make me quite ashamed of my own impulsive strong language. I wish to be emphatic, but not rude. I will look to your light. Certainly bringing the building very much forward would increase the cost, but if we bring it only 3 feet to the south and 5 ft. to the W. I think the extra if any will be very small because the ground does not drop so much in the west corner. Then we can compromise by cutting off a little from the stable roof and shifting the stable perhaps a trifle. [He moved the stable five feet and cut five feet off it, but got his ridge back by adding 12 feet of laundry at the other end. – J.B.J.] Room must be made somehow for turning a carriage that is essential. The cage larder will be quite hidden by the yard wall I hope, it was the man's convenience rather than appearance that led me to say what I did but now I have pointed it out to you, you shall have it your way.
Yours very sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
6 Carlton Hill, N.W.
Octbr. 15th, 1899.
My dear Fitch,
Would you like to go with me to inspect the hole? I could go on Saturday but Friday I have to go to Sandwich. I am considerably distressed to hear that you are letting anyone fill up the charming little hollow on your ground. They will give you rubbish that will kill your fruit trees and be no good for growing anything and will spoil the natural beauty of the uneven ground and if they go near the ground we are to build on it will all have to be shifted. They will also cut up your ground with their horrid carts. Certainly I should be careful every ounce of surface soil was preserved.
Yours sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
23 York Place, W.
December 4, 1899.
My dear Fitch,
The detail drawings for your house are progressing and all will be finished by Xmas or end of the month. Certainly you had better not see the drawings until they are finished and coloured. They will not give you the slightest idea of what you are going to have. All artistic questions you must trust to me to decide. No two minds ever produced an artistic result.
We cannot invite tenders until all the Drawings are finished and traced and the specification written and copied.
Of course I shall be truly pleased to see you if you will call at any time.
C.F.A. Voysey.
[Voysey moved his office from Carlton Hill to York Place in 1899.]
* * *
23 York Place. W.
January 15, 1900.
My dear Fitch,
Your architect would be an incompetent noodle indeed if he let you in for the misery and inconvenience you suggest in your last letter. I assure you this was all thought of long ago and carefully provided for in instructions to Wenham & Waters.
It is quite possible to arrange for the hot water to be produced by the range or the boiler in the servants hall at will. I will write and tell Wenham & Waters to provide for this.
Yrs. sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
23 York Place, Baker Street.
March 18, 1900.
My dear Fitch,
Your letter has arrived; it is £3,543 for the house and £794 for the stable. I shall be here to-morrow (Monday) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. please let me know if you would like me to call upon you.
Yrs. very sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
23 York Place, Baker Street.
June 5th, 1900.
My dear Fitch,
If you move the house back 40 or 45 feet you will be compelled to have an entirely new set of drawings and a new contract. I am going down on Thursday to approve the pegging out and my time will be utterly wasted if you are going to alter your house. So please let me know if you are really serious. Think of the delay as well as the extra expense, far more than the digging, which I have planned your house to avoid as much as possible.
Yours very truly,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
23 York Place, Baker Street.
February 4, 1901.
My dear Fitch,
The eagle range is all right excepting that one of the lugs which support the shelf outside the left hand oven is broken off and will cost about 10/- to repair. 3/4 was paid for delivery by Chamberlain. Will the sink in dark room suit Mrs. Fitch? Wenham & Waters want to know before finally fixing. It is 24 ins. x 14ins. x 8 ins. inside measurement.
I should like to meet you and Mrs. Fitch at Putney some day to settle where you would like to have the extra shelving provided in the contract. There is no hurry for this.
Chamberlain wants to know exactly where the entrance gate is to go.
I am distressed to see the appallingly ugly and gaudy lavatory and bath that have been sent down and to hear that there is to be no casing in so that the very "ornamental" brackets will be a veritable cobweb to catch the dust and dirt. No human creature can ever keep them clean. I had provided beautiful clean oak casing that would have looked gentlemanly and dignified. The electric wire tubes are not yet cut in as they should be. Otherwise all seemed to be going on very satisfactorily.
Yrs. very sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
23 York Place, Baker Street.
February 14, 1901.
Dear Fitch,
Here is the railway receipt which I have only just received at the same time as the 3/4 because I have been North. I cannot say why the taps for the photographic sink are more. You have altered all the plumbing and I have no idea what the fittings will be like. I don't think any client deserves to save anything if he makes alterations. I really cannot pity you.
Yrs. very sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
The Orchard,
Chorley Wood,
Hertfordshire.
March 10, 1901.
My dear Fitch,
You are perfectly right in your suppositions but you are not right in fearing that I could so far neglect my duty as to allow such a terrible blunder to be made in the building of the terrace wall.
"Fear not for I am with thee" ...
Yrs. sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
[Voysey designed his own new house, The Orchard, in 1899, but his office remained at York Place.]
* * *
23 York Place, Baker Street.
March 25th, 1901.
My dear Fitch,
I should case in the seats in oak exactly as my own are done. If you have the cupboards altered a fresh detail will have to be made for which my fee is three guineas. And I think you ought to pay me some compensation in addition as it involves my doing what to any professional eye would be considered a gross blunder ... the wilful planning of a huge dust trap. Surely it is very hard to be expected to do such a thing against all one's instincts of fitness and good manners? I don't believe you like dust traps any more than I do. You must really wait until my work is finished before you criticise it. Then if you don't like it you can pull it down.
I am glad you have settled the position of the sink with Wenham & Waters. I am in correspondence with them about the w.c.s.
With kind regards to yourself and Mrs. Fitch.
Yrs. sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
* * *
23 York Place, Baker Street.
April 22, 1901.
My dear Fitch,
Thanks for cheque the amount was £13 7s. 10d. So there is only 4d. difference. l sent you two copies by the way.
As to your garden, there is no provision for forming beds. And the laying out of the same is a matter of very great importance needing experience and skill in arranging the proportions. So I am in a very uncomfortable position when you ask me to spoil your entrance court. I wish you could see your way to defer altering the plan and contract until I am gone. It won't cost you any more and you can then make your own design undisturbed by any one.
I am sorry I don't remember the name of the creeper but I will try to find out and send it on.
I think as expense is always a consideration you cannot do better than order the guard bars as supplied for the servants rooms. Which do you call the nursery? Shall I order them?
I enclose another copy of account receipted.
Yrs. sincerely,
C.F.A. Voysey.
P.S. Am I to order the stair carpet if so how much?
* * *
23 York Place, Baker Street.
May 9, 1901.
My dear Fitch,
The drawings for the oakwork for dining room were sent to Henry on the 23rd April.
Muntzer has them now.
Of course the trench must be from below the inlet from the cesspool (overflow). But if you will read Dr. Poore you will understand the great importance of keeping the sewage as near the top as possible. It is only the top soil that purifies. I have written for an estimate for the whole concern fitted with clinkers. I quite understand your good intentions and am much obliged for your efforts to help me. The greatest help will be for you to make up your mind that you cannot have first class material and workmanship without going to a first class builder and paying a first class price.
Yrs. very sincerely.
C.F.A. Voysey.
The house as built. Above, south (garden) elevation; below, north (entrance) elevation. (These photographs were not in the original article.)
The plans
The top plans were redrawn by Brandon-Jones from the original sketch now at the RIBA; the bottom plans are the modified design as carried out. A large extension was subsequently built on the west elevation.