John Raphael Rodrigues Brandon

• Name — John Raphael Rodrigues Brandon • Born — 5 April 1817 • Birthplace — London, England • Died — 8 October 1877 • Occupation — British architect and architectural writer

Raphael Brandon was the second child of the six children of Joshua de Isaac Moses Rodrigues Brandon and his wife, Sarah. He studied with an architect named Dédeau in Alençon, France, before being apprenticed to Joseph T. Parkinson in 1836. After his apprenticeship he set up in practice with his younger brother Joshua Arthur Rodrigues Brandon at Beaufort Buildings in the Strand, London. Following Joshua's early death in 1847, Raphael Brandon went into partnership with Robert Ritchie. This partnership was formally dissolved on 10 October 1856.

• Illustration — View of the south side of the east end of the Church of Christ the King in Bloomsbury In the 1840s, Raphael and Joshua designed several stations and engine-houses in the style of medieval manor houses on the London and Croydon Railway, disguising chimneys as early Gothic church bell-towers. Raphael's exhibited designs at the Royal Academy between 1838 and 1874 included a design for Colchester Town Hall (1843, in his and John Blore's name – built in 1845) and in 1853, together with Robert Ritchie, a design for the interior of the Church of Christ the King, Bloomsbury for the Catholic Apostolic Church. Although the Brandons were best known for their expertise in the Gothic Style, the Colchester Town Hall, the nearby Corn Exchange and The Royal Kent Dispensary building (by Brandon & Ritchie; later part of Miller General Hospital) in Greenwich High Road are all in the Classical style. Raphael was architect of the restoration of St Martin's Church, Leicester (now Leicester Cathedral.) This included the building of the tower (completed in 1862) and spire (1867). The work on this was in the correct Early English style, although his work elsewhere in the church was in the perpendicular style. The tower and spire, described by Pevsner as "intentionally impressive" are loosely based on those of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Ketton in Rutland. Among the many churches Brandon built independently were the small church of St Peter's in Great Windmill Street, London, and Holy Trinity Church, Knightsbridge (1861), both of which have since been demolished. He also built, altered, and restored many other churches. They include: • Holy Trinity Leverstock Green, Hertfordshire (1846-9). • All Saints, Sculthorpe, Norfolk. New Chancel (1846-7). • Christ Church, Aughnamullen, County Monaghan, Ireland (1847) Extensive rebuilding of a church of c.1820. Much rebuilt in the 1860s, but Brandon's north aisle survives. • Holy Trinity, Stow Bardolph, Norfolk.Extensive restoration. A description of Brandon's work there was published in the Gentleman's Magazine in October 1852. • St Bene't, Cambridge. New North aisle (1853). • All Saints, Harston, Cambridgeshire. Chancel(1853-4). • St Mary, Humberstone, Leicestershire (1858). Major rebuilding leaving only the medieval tower and some fabric in the chancel. • St Mary, Datchet.Berkshire, rebuilding in stages from 1857. • Christ Church, Chesham (1864). Buckinghamshire • St Andrew, Wraysbury, Berkshire • Holy Trinity, Townshend Road, Richmond. London However, even Brandon becoming a fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1860 failed to bring him the same success as an active architect as he had had as an author and this, the early death of his brother Joshua, and the death of his wife and child, all drove him to suicide by shooting himself in the head. Thomas Hardy, who worked briefly for Brandon, based his description of Henry Knight's chambers in his novel A Pair of Blue Eyes on his office at Clement's Inn. Brandon also employed James Rawson Carroll, architect of the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. Paying tribute to Brandon shortly after his death, Charles Barry said: