Thomas Rogers Kitsell

• Christening         10 April 1864 at Church of St George, Ticknall, Derbyshire, England (parish register)
• Marriage              30 June 1896 to Ann Kitsell at Ross, Herefordshire
• Death date          16 May 1918 at Plymouth

Thomas Rogers Kitsell was born at Ticknall, Derbyshire in 1864, the elder son of Thomas Kitsell, an Inland Revenue Excise Officer, and his wife, Emma. He was educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh and attended Edinburgh University Fine Art classes. In 1878 he was articled to the eminent Scottish architect, Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, and remained as assistant in his office until 1888. Over the next two years he was employed as chief assistant to Francis Grinham Howell, assistant to John Alfred Gotch of Kettering and chief assistant to Charles Edwin Ponting in London. He was considered a most promising pupil and won the Welby Pugin scholarship as well as the Tite prize. In 1891 he passed the qualifying examination and was elected ARIBA 8 June 1891: proposed by J A Gotch, J A Morris, C H Howell. In 1907 and 1910 he exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

T R Kitsell commenced independent practice in January 1891 when he succeeded to the practice of A W Cross at 9 West Street, Weston-Super-Mare. Early in his career he accepted a government appointment and was engaged by the Royal Engineers. In this capacity, he was sent to Plymouth in connection with the building of the barracks at Crownhill. The Royal Engineers operated drawing offices around the country tasked with the preparation of designs for military installations for the Board of Ordnance, Pall Mall, London. These offices were frequently run with a partially civilian staff. He remained with the Royal Engineers for eight years before again establishing an independent practice in Plymouth in 1900.

he did a good deal of church’ architectural work and was also employed by Athelstan Riley on work at Petherick, near Padstow. In addition to improvements at Egg Buckland Parish Church, he was architect of the new church of St Mary, Laira, in connection with the Three Towns’ Church Extension scheme.  He also did some elaborate work at St. James-the-Less, Plymouth, including marble pulpits and chancel screen. In 1903 he designed the Drake Institute for Soldiers and Sailors on Devonport Hill beyond the Halfpenny Gate, and Crownhill Board School at Honicknowle.

After 1905 this initial success would be brought to a virtual halt by two factors.  Firstly, his increasing physical disability and, secondly, an arbitration case which resulted in bankruptcy. From 1905, if not before, he was attacked by neuritis, a painful condition which gradually incapacitated his legs. By 1908 he was housebound and henceforth had to be wheeled about in a bath-chair. His bankruptcy he attributed to an arbitration case.  In 1906 he had superintended the erection of a house on the Vinstone estate at Hartley for Mrs. Haydon. Mrs. Haydon was displeased with the work, and alleged he was guilty of professional negligence. It was arranged that the matter should go to arbitration. Mrs Haydon claimed £1000. The arbitrator awarded her £45 plus £25 towards her costs. Naively, Kitsell accepted the award, failing to appreciate that in so doing he became liable for the arbiter’s fees, his own costs, and damages, amounting to an estimated £350. His financial difficulties were further compounded when on 1 January 1910 he entered into partnership with Mr Barker, who paid £300 to join him. The Official Receiver remarked that under this deed the partnership automatically dissolved on bankruptcy and the £300 now became repayable. At his examination the chaotic state of Kitsell’s finances also became apparent. it was recorded that he had kept no books of account, giving as his reason that he was only engaged on three or four works per annum and was easily able to compute his commission. No record of his expenditure had been kept.

On 30 June 1896 at the Parish Church Ballingham, near Ross, Herefordshire, T R Kitsell married Ann Kitsell the youngest daughter of Alfred William Kitsell, of Kilforge House, Ballingham. The marriage produced three children – Mary Pitt Kitsell, born 1901; Cecil Rogers Pitt Kitsell born 1903;and Gordon Thomas Kitsell, born 1910.

Thomas Rogers Kitsell died on 18 May 1918. The interment was at the Plymouth Corporation Cemetery, Egg Buckland, where his father had been buried about a year previously.

Address/Residence
1878-1888    Edinburgh
1890        London
1891        9 West Street, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset,
1897        2, Devon Terrace, Mutley
1907        17 George Street, Plymouth, Devon
1910        The Parapet or Parapet House, Egg Buckland, Plymouth
1912        46 Tavistock Place, Plymouth
1914-1918    27 Portland Square, Plymouth

NOTE: In 1891 Kitsell’s address was also given as “The Derbys”, Manchester Road, Bury, Greater Manchester.  This was the residence of William Noar, local vet and brother-in-law of Thomas Rogers Kitsell. Assumed that this reference refers to Thomas Kitsell senior, a visitor at the time of the census.

Reference    Weston-Super-Mare Gazette, and General Advertiser - Saturday 24 January 1891 page 8
Reference    London Evening Standard Wednesday 8 July 1896 page 1 – marriages
Reference    Westen Morning News 15 March 1911 page 5 col 4. - bankruptcy
Reference    Western Morning News - Thursday 18 May 1911 page 8 - bankruptcy
Reference    Western Morning News - Tuesday 21 May 1918 page 3 - obituary