Thomas Henry Poole

Thomas Henry Poole
Born January 1, 1860(1860-01-01)
Shrewsbury, England
Died July 31, 1919(1919-07-31) (aged 59)
Manhattan, New York City, New York State
Nationality English
Work
Buildings Holy Name of Jesus
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Saint Cecilia's

Thomas Henry Poole (1860 – 31 July 1919[1]) was British-born architect who designed numerous churches and schools in New York City.

Poole was born in Shrewsbury, England, in 1860. He was educated at Rugby and Christ Church, Oxford.[2] Poole is listed in a Manhattan city directory as an architect in 1887, when he was 27, suggesting that he may have had a substantial apprenticeship.[3] In 1886 he resided at 127 West 56th Street. In 1900 he was listed at 15 West 30th Street. In 1918, the T. H. Poole Co. had offices at 13 West 30th Street.

Contents

Works (partial list)

Poole was a Roman Catholic, and most of his commissions were for the archdiocese in and around New York. He seldom designed Protestant churches; but these too were in the city.

Brooklyn

Bronx

Manhattan

Queens

Long Island

Outside New York City

Writing career

Poole also served his Catholic faith as a writer. He contributed articles to The Messenger, a church publication with offices in Manhattan. He wrote a detailed architectural review of the Westminster Cathedral when it opened in London, England, in 1903:

“…outside of its practical character it ought certainly to lead to the further development of all that is beautiful in art and to the better interior adornment of our churches… giving us the best possible facilities for the carrying out of all the requirements of our religion to the fullest possible extent with all the solemnity and grandeur that the service of man can invoke and the offering of our best works and thoughts as well as of our bodies and souls to God the Lord and Master of all.” [11]

Poole’s name also appears as a contributor in the Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference, published in 1913. He wrote entries about architectural terms, such as apse chapel, also known as the lady chapel.[12]

Poole died July 31, 1919, at his Manhattan office, 13 West 30th Street. His funeral was held at Saint Cecilia's in Brooklyn, one of his churches.[13]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ The American Review of Reviews: An International Magazine, July–December 1919, page 252
  2. ^ "Thomas H. Poole (obituary)". New-York Tribune. August 2, 1919. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1919-08-02/ed-1/seq-8/. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 
  3. ^ Streetscapes, by Christopher Gray, The New York Times, December 22, 2002
  4. ^ Streetscapes, by Christopher Gray, The New York Times, December 22, 2002
  5. ^ "About Us". Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (Queens, NY). http://mountcarmelastoria.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=1&Itemid=2. Retrieved 2010-11-16. 
  6. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 
  7. ^ http://www.sacredheartsofjesusandmary.org
  8. ^ St. Lawrence parish history
  9. ^ Blessed by the Archbishop, The New York Times, October 17, 1898, p. 7
  10. ^ The Catholic University of America Facilities Operations - Gibbons Floorplans
  11. ^ The Messenger, 1903, page 498
  12. ^ The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913, page 660
  13. ^ Obituary 2, The New York Times, August 2, 1919, page 7