Jonathan Meades :: Case of the Disappearing Architect (1/5)

'Abroad Again' (2007)

"The short and lustrous career of the most mysterious of High Victorian architects is dissected to show the effects of landscape, Francophilia and adultery on his gigantic buildings. At the age of thirty Cuthbert Brodrick was unknown, supported by his shipowner father, earning infrequent minor commissions in the flatlands around his native Hull. By the time he was forty-five his career was over. Yet during those fifteen years he was, briefly, the most celebrated architect in Britain and designed three tours de force that are the finest secular buildings of their age - the Town Hall and Corn Exchange in Leeds and The Grand Hotel at Scarborough. And after that: nothing save almost half a century of apparently willed obscurity in a Parisian suburb."
... description from jonathanmeades.com

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Travel & Events

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• Jonathan
• Meades

[JohnPurchaseArt]

He seems like a clone of Simon Schama.

[jackjude]

...ok never knew he moonlighted for The Telegraph, I was a fan of his food stuff in The Times, though.

[Muteswan1]

As a matter of fact, Meades was actually the Telegraph's restaurant critic for many years - his rotundity might suggest as much.

This was of course before the Telegraph itself dumbed down and sacked most of it's staff, being content now to lift all it's news from the Mail Online.

[jackjude]

This episode in under 2 years old. So there's hope. Surprised that he has written in/for The Telegraph, though he's reminiscent of an older version the cool prefect that they all wanted to be buggered by while they were at public school.

[Muteswan1]

Thankyou very much for posting these lost gems from a time when television was better that it is today. I particularly enjoyed the Pevsner episode, I recall Meades being moved to write a Telegraph article at the time, following the abusive attack on his hero.

What a long way television standards have fallen in ten years. Much appreciated.

[Leibo07]

Fine work Mr Meades. As always.

And surrealistic humor !