Alfred Young Nutt

Transcript

From Olympics festival to artistic Jubilee archways

Views of the past by Elias Kupfermann

I WAS intrigued by a recent discovery by the University of Leicester that a precursor to the modern Olympic Games was run in the grounds of a lunatic asylum in Leicester in 1866.

One of its competitors was Leicestershire-born Alfred Young Nutt, who was in his later years to become Surveyor to the Dean and Canons of St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

Alfred Young Nutt was born in 1847 in Leicestershire. Nutt began an apprenticeship aged 14 years to a Leicester architectural firm in 1861.

A few years later, he took part in what was termed ‘The Grand Olympic Festival‘ of 1866, where accounts showed that he won the ‘pole leap‘ and a sport which is now extinct that involved throwing a cricket ball. He won this competition by tossing a cricket ball some 86 and a quarter yards. Through his work with the
Leicester firm of architects, he met the artist Harry Ward, who was to become a close friend, fostering Nutt’s talent for sketching and painting. Nutt was later to become famous for his watercolour sketches and in particular his Christmas cards. It was his friendship with Ward which brought him to Windsor.

In 1867, he entered the office of works at Windsor Castle as a draughtsman.

During his time in the office, he was involved in the extensive changes being made to St George’s Chapel. In 1873, Nutt applied for the post of Clerk of Works at Windsor Castle, but his application was rejected. However, he secured an appointment as Surveyor to the Dean and Canons of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, a post which he held until his retirement in 1912. Nutt, however, eventually became Clerk of Works in 1901. Alfred Nutt was responsible for decorations during Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897. He erected a canopy around Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee Statue, which at first glance looked as if it was constructed of solid masonry, but in reality was only made of wood and painted canvas. In a similar vein he also constructed celebratory arches both in Windsor and Eton. The grandest was on Windsor Bridge, which again looked like it is constructed with bricks and mortar, but was really made with canvas and wood.

In 1892 Nutt was responsible for the conversion of the old Naval College into St George’s School and was also responsible for the design of a number of monuments in the Chapel. On his retirement in 1912, after 38 years of working in Windsor, he moved to Slough and continued with his own personal architectural practice until his death in 1924.

Images

Curator's Notes

Alfred Young Nutt is found in publications as AY Nutt, A Y Nutt and A.Y. Nutt. It is unusual to see his full name. This makes searching for him ‘interesting‘.

Curator's References

The following articles can be found in Windlesora:

• Windlesora 26 – A Y Nutt
• Windlesora 19 – Porta Victoriana
• Windlesora 25 – George Moore Henton