Professional papers of John Rigsby Poyser (1872-1954), Nottingham architect,c.1900-1920

Scope and Content

The collection comprises photographs, designs and printed material. It includes:

  • Album containing 65 black and white photographs depicting the interior and exterior of houses inNottinghamshire and Lincolnshire designed by Poyser and the images of central library in Nelson,Lancashire designed by him jointly with William Savidge. undated. c.1900-1920 (MS 651/1/1-65);
  • Album entitled 'Specimens of Gothick Architecture in England from Existing Ancient Examples'containing 48 pages of ink drawings of examples of Norman, early English, decorated andperpendicular architectural details in English churches. c.1900 (MS 651/2);
  • Copy of The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art, volume 36, number 153containing a feature on 'Some Recent Designs in Domestic Architecture' which includes passages,plans and photographs relating to houses by Poyser. 15 December 1905 (MS 651/3);
  • Six black and white photographs depicting the interior and exterior of the central library,Nelson, and houses at Ruddington and Attenborough, Nottinghamshire, c.1900-1920 (MS 651/1/66-71);
  • Printed images depicting a cottage at Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, and the central library, Nelson,c.1905 (MS 651/4).

Administrative / Biographical History

John Rigsby Poyser (1872-1954), Nottingham architect, is identified in trade directories for thecity where he set up practice at 3, St Anne's Hill Road between 1897 and 1900. He remained at thataddress until about 1920. His entry in the 1922 Kelly's Nottinghamshire Directory confirmsthat he was an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects living at Brookside, a housein Attenborough, Nottinghamshire. After this entry, he disappears from directories for the county.Poyser appears to have specialised in designing houses for private clients. The issue of TheStudio in this collection states: 'Mr Poyser's aim in designing the cottages at Beeston and EastBridgeford has been to combine individuality with simplicity, trusting to good proportion andcontrast of materials to impart character to the design'.

Poyser's work in Nottinghamshire included: Brook Cottage in Ruddington; a pair of cottages at StJames Grove, Beeston; a cottage at East Bridgeford; houses in Elm Avenue, The Gables, The Willows,Skerrydene, and Brookside, Attenborough; and a pair of houses in Carlton. Beyond Nottingham, hiswork included a weekend cottage at Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire and the central Library at Nelson,Lancashire (jointly with William Brandreth Savidge ARIBA).

Arrangement

The collection has been divided by document type into series. Within these series, items havebeen arranged chronologically.

Access Information

ACCESS: Accessible to all registered readers.

LANGUAGE: English

Other Finding Aids

This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright in thedescription belongs to The University of Nottingham.

Conditions Governing Use

REPROGRAPHIC: Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposesonly, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

COPYRIGHT: Permission to make published use of any material from this collection must be soughtin advance in writing from the Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections(email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). The Department will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but the responsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the reader.

Custodial History

The collection was acquired by The University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts andSpecial Collections in two accessions in 1995 and 1997.

Related Material

  • The Royal Institute of British Architects; British Architectural library: Biographical filerelating to John Rigsby Poyser.

Bibliography

The Studio, vol. 36, no. 153, 5 December 1905