Seely & Paget

Seely & Paget was the architectural partnership of John Seely, 2nd Baron Mottistone (1899–1963) and Paul Edward Paget (1901–1985).

Seely & Paget
41-42 Cloth Fair, home and workplace of the partnership from 1930 onward
Practice information
Firm type	Architecture firm
Partners	John Seely, Paul Paget
Founded	1922
Dissolved	1963
Location	London
Coordinates	51.5189°N 0.1000°W / 51.5189; -0.1000
Significant works and honors
Buildings	Eltham Palace

Their work included the construction of Eltham Palace in the Art Deco style, and the post-World War II restoration of a number of bomb-damaged buildings, such as houses in the Little Cloister (Westminster Abbey), the London Charterhouse and the church of St John Clerkenwell.

Early lives and meeting

John Seely, son of John Seely, 1st Baron Mottistone,^[1] and Paul Paget, son of Bishop Henry Luke Paget, met at Cambridge University, where Seely studied architecture, though Paget did not.^[2][3]

Beginnings as architects

Mottistone Manor and Garden, Isle of Wight

After graduating, Paget worked for a while as a bank clerk in the City of London while Seely remained at Cambridge.^[4] When Seely came down from Cambridge, he insisted that Paget join him in architectural practice, even though Paget had no architectural training. In the partnership, Paget concentrated on working with clients on their requirements, while Seely carried out the design work.^[5]

The first work of the two together was to remodel Mottistone Manor, a historic property owned by Seely's father, and subsequently by the National Trust, in the village of Mottistone on the Isle of Wight.^[6] Seely's father insisted on their plans being approved by Sir Edwin Lutyens.^[4] In the garden they built "The Shack", a tiny house intended as their country office and retreat.^[3]

Seely & Paget

Eltham Palace exterior

In 1922, the two founded the architectural firm of Seely & Paget.

According to Paget, "it was just the marriage of two minds... we became virtually one person". They were inseparable in business and life, and referred to each other as "the partner".^[4] Friends and family also referred to them as "the partners".^[7]

From 1930 they lived and worked together at 41 Cloth Fair, London, where the firm remained until 1986.^[2][1][8] They had what Paget described as a "completely common life together", and installed twin bathtubs so they could bathe together.^[7]

Domestic works

College chapel, College of the Venerable Bede (now the College of St Hild and St Bede), Durham

• 1931 (alterations): 1–2 The Grove, Highgate, north London^[9]
• 1931 (alterations): No. 3, The Grove, Highgate, north London
• 1936 (alterations): Eltham Palace^[8]
• 1951 (restored war damage): Eton College^[10]
• 1955 (restored war damage): Lambeth Palace: Great Hall, Library and Stable Block^[11]
• 1959. (restored war damage): London Charterhouse: Masters Court, Great Hall and Great Chamber^[12]

Churches

• 1933 (new): St Faith Lee-on-the-Solent^[3]
• 1935 (new): St John's Church, Barrow-in-Furness^[13]
• 1939 (new): College chapel, College of the Venerable Bede, Durham^[14]
• 1939 (new): St John the Baptist (later St John & St James), Tottenham, north London^[15]

St Andrew and St George Stevenage

• 1952 (new): St Michael and St George, White City, London
• c.1952 (restored war damage): Fulham Palace, Tait Chapel^[16]
• 1955 (restored war damage): Lambeth Palace Chapel^[11][17]
• 1956 (restored war damage): St Mary Islington
• 1958 (restored war damage): St John Clerkenwell
• 1959 (addition): Chapel for the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral, London^[7]
• 1960 (new): St Andrew and St George Stevenage^[8]
• 1960 (restored): All Saints Church at Cottesbrooke

End of the partnership

Seely died on 18 January 1963 and was buried in St Catherine's chapel garden at Westminster Abbey.^[1]

Paget succeeded Seely as Surveyor of the Fabric of St Paul's Cathedral, in which role he supervised the cleaning of the cathedral and the reconstruction of the tower of St Augustine Watling Street.^[18] However, he completed little further architectural work, and in 1971, aged 70, he married children's writer Verily Anderson and retired with her and her children to Templewood in Norfolk (a house originally designed by the partners for Paget's uncle), where he lived until his death in 1985.^[8]