'A casket to enclose pictorial gems': in 1838 James Morrison, one of the richest men in England commissioned the architect J.B. Papworth to complete, decorate and furnish Basildon Park in Berkshire as a setting for his art collection. It was the culmination of a long relationship between architect and patron, but, as Caroline Dakers explains, it ended unhappily

Apollo, April, 2004 by Caroline Dakers

The architect John Buonarotti Papworth and his immensely wealthy patron James Morrison were first brought together, though possibly not in person, in 1815, through a mutual friend, the engineer Alexander Galloway. Papworth (1775-1847) was invited to design a set of handkerchiefs for the Fore Street haberdashery business of Morrison's father-in-law, John Todd. Then, in 1823, Papworth was personally introduced to Morrison by Galloway, and commissioned to carry out improvements to Morrison's recently acquired villa on Balham Hill. Morrison (1789-1857) was shortly to become sole owner of the Fore Street business and Papworth quickly found himself responsible for re-designing the firm's premises.

As Morrison's wealth and possessions increased (at his death he owned 100,000 acres and was worth approximately 4 million [pounds sterling]), (1) Papworth undertook ever larger commissions, from building work and interior decoration to advising on the acquisition of works of art and antiquities. (2) In 1830 Morrison employed him to embellish and extend the Pavilion at Fonthill, the surviving wing of Alderman Beckford's Fonthill Splendens, and in 1831 Papworth worked on the interior design of Morrison's London townhouse at 57, Upper Harley Street. When Morrison bought Basildon Park in 1838 Papworth was made responsible for the completion of the mansion and the reclamation of the park, as well as repairing existing and designing new farm buildings and estate cottages. Sadly the sheer size of the commission proved too much for Papworth; client and architect fell out over money. The letters, invoices and inventories which now provide clues to the appearance of Basildon in the nineteenth century were gathered together by Morrison's solicitor to use in court against a once-valued architect. (3)

Morrison desired Basildon from the moment he first saw it, in the summer of 1830 (Fig. 1). He wrote to Papworth: 'For me I have seen nothing like Basildon ... such a House and such a situation! What a casket to enclose pictorial gems'. (4) The grand Palladian mansion had been designed by John Carr (1723-1807) in 1776 for the wealthy 'nabob' Sir Francis Sykes (1732-1804). (5) Sykes died, however, before Basildon was completed and his son and grandson (the second and third baronets) lacked the health, wealth or interest to complete Carr's designs. The third baronet, also Sir Francis, tried to sell the whole estate in 1829 (6) but failed to receive an offer near the required 100,000 [pounds sterling]. It came on the market again in 1838 following the social disgrace of his 'headstrong, wilful and passionate' (7) wife Henrietta. Both the baronet and society had tolerated Henrietta's affair with the novelist and rising politician Benjamin Disraeli, conducted in part at Basildon. However, Sykes's discovery of his wife and the artist Daniel Maclise in flagrante delicto (Maclise had completed a family portrait shortly before) was the final straw; Henrietta was forever barred from society. (8)

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

Morrison's own rise from 'rags to riches' could have been imagined by the novelist. (9) Disraeli observed in Vivian Gray, 'In England, personal distinction is the only passport to the society of the great. Whether this distinction arise from a fortune, family or talent, is immaterial; but certain it is, to enter into high society, a man must either have blood, a million, or a genius'. (10) 'Morrison lacked the 'family'--he was the son of an innkeeper from Middle Wallop in Hampshire--but he undoubtedly possessed talent and, by 1838, he was worth just over one million pounds. (11) His annual income was about 85,000 [pounds sterling] and turnover of the Fore Street haberdashery business was 1,622,910 [pounds sterling]. His offer for Basildon in September of 97,000 [pounds sterling] (including 21,000 [pounds sterling] for timber) was accepted, although Sykes and his trustees had to wait a year to receive the first instalment of 25,000 [pounds sterling].

Basildon was unfinished and neglected. Disraeli transformed his mistress Henrietta Sykes into the heroine of Henrietta Temple who rescued the 'dingy and desolate villa', creating 'a temple worthy of the divinity it enshrined'. (12) Morrison turned to the ever-obliging Papworth. They spent a day looking over the 'noble' property. The roofs of the two wings needed new slates, and the stable block was in danger of collapse. Even the turret clock was broken. The interior of the house was little better. Only half of the principal rooms had been decorated to Carr's designs, and many lacked plaster ceilings, mouldings, complete door furniture and mantelpieces. The house was also in need of an efficient hot-water and heating system, new external drains and cesspools, improved internal sanitation and complete re-wiring for bells to link all the floors. In a letter, typical for its attention to detail, Papworth explained to Morrison that the bells were intended for security as well as communication.

Basildon I believe is quite safe for the present--but looking to the future I have had Bells to the Men Servants Rooms (to ring from your sleeping room) prepared for--& although happily, not subject to fear--I should if proprietor of that place have an Alarm Bell on the top of the House--an Alarm bell is an outward & visible sign to Thieves, that precaution is taken against them, & they have respect to it--on this principle Bankers & Goldsmiths display Fire arms in their shops--even Fire--it is said--never occurs in a House that displays a row of Fire Buckets. Certainly the signs of precaution are of some value--& the dumb Fire Buckets--as they are passed by the Servants, give the council Beware of Fire--Nothing of this would I say before Mrs. Morrison but I feel it my duty to say so much to you. (13)