Deane, Sir Thomas Newenham

Deane, Sir Thomas Newenham (1828–99). Irish architect. He was the son of Sir Thomas Deane (1792–1871), who founded one of the most successful architectural practices in Ireland, designing the Commercial Buildings, Cork (1811–13), and the castellated Tudor-style Dromore Castle, Kenmare (1831–6). Sir Thomas Deane was joined by Benjamin Woodward (1815–61) in 1841, and the latter, a disciple of Pugin, seems to have been the moving force behind the Ruskin-inspired buildings for which the firm (Deane&Woodward) is mainly known: they designed The Queen's College (now University College), Cork (1845–9). T. N. Deane became active in the partnership from 1850: soon afterwards, Deane&Woodward designed the beautiful Trinity College Museum, Dublin (1852–7), which established their reputation and, moreover, gained the approval of Ruskin, who admired the vigorous carvings of the O'Shea brothers that enriched the detail. The Oxford University Museum (1855–61) followed, their most celebrated work, a monumental secular Gothic edifice with pronounced Continental features: it has a cortile, roofed with a structure of iron, timber, and glass, surrounded by Venetian Gothic cloisters. The firm also designed the Debating Room of the Oxford Union Society (1857), the Kildare Street Club, Dublin (1858–61), and, after Woodward's death, T. N. Deane built the Meadow Buildings, Christ Church, Oxford (1862–6). Deane&Woodward were important in the history of the Gothic Revival in England, and were the first significant followers of Ruskin's ideas. From 1871, T. N. Deane continued in practice, and was joined by his son, Thomas Manby Deane (1851–1933), in 1876. They designed the National Library and Museum, Dublin (1885–90), which earned T. N. Deane his knighthood, and that forms part of the handsome group of buildings (also designed by the firm) around Leinster House. T. N. Deane was active in preserving Ireland's ancient buildings. T. M. Deane, a pupil of Burges, was in partnership with his father from 1884, and then with Aston Webb from 1899. He, too, was knighted, in 1911.

Bibliography

Acland & and Ruskin (1859);
Blau (1982);
Dinsmoor & and Muthesius (1985);
Eastlake (1970);
Hersey (1972);
Hitchcock (1954);
S. Muthesius (1972);
O'Dwyer (1997)