Home > Edmund Beckett, 1st Baron Grimthorpe

He was also responsible for rebuilding the west face, roof, and transept windows of St Albans Cathedral at his own expense. Although the building had been in need of repair, popular opinion at the time held that he had changed the cathedral's character, even inspiring the creation and temporary popularity of the verb "to grimthorpe", meaning to carry out unsympathetic restorations of ancient buildings. Part of Beckett's additions included statues of the four evangelists around the western door; the statue of St Matthew has Beckett's face. He later turned his attentions to St Peter's church in the same town.

He was born on May 12 1816, studied at EtonEton College is a public school (that is, an independent, fee-paying secondary school) for boys in Eton, Berkshire near Windsor in England. It boards approximately 1,200 boys between the ages of 13 and 18 who enjoy some outstanding facilities at a cost of and Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Trinity is the largest and richest of the colleges in Cambridge, and is now a home to around 600 undergraduates, 300 graduates, and over 160 Fellows., was made a Q.C. in 1854Events January 13 The accordion is patented by Anthony Faas. February 11 Major streets lit by coal gas for first time. February 14 Texas is linked by telegraph with the rest of the United States, when a connection between New Orleans and Marshall, Texas i, and was created Baron Grimthorpe in 18861886 is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) Events January 18 Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. January 29 Karl Benz patents the first successful gasoline-driven automobile. March. He is sometimes known as Edmund Beckett Denison, the same name as his father; his father had taken the additional name Denison in 1816, and his son dropped it on his father's death in 1874Events January 1 New York City annexes The Bronx January 23 Marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria, to Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, only daughter of Emperor Alexander III of Russia. January Signing of the Pangkor Tr. He died on April 29April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). There are 246 days remaining. Events 1400-1799 1429 Hundred Years' War: Joan of Arc relieves Orleans from English siege. 1661 China's Ming Dynasty occupies Taiwan. 1905 after a fall, and is buried in the grounds of St Albans Cathedral.

1 Quotation

• "I am the only architect with whom I have never quarrelled."

2 External links

• Photograph of his grave
• The verb "to grimthorpe"