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Thomas Leverton Donaldson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Leverton Donaldson (1795-1885) was a prominent English architect during the 19th century.
Born in London the eldest son of an architect, Donaldson travelled overseas after leaving school, obtaining a clerical job with a merchant on the Cape of Good Hope before volunteering for an expedition to attack the French-controlled island of Mauritius. Once back in London, he was employed in his father's office, before travelling to Italy and Greece to broaden his experience. His first significant work was the church of Holy Trinity in South Kensington, London (built 1826-1829).
With Jacques Ignace Hittorff and Charles Robert Cockerell, Donaldson was also a member of the committee formed in 1836 to determine whether the Elgin Marbles and other Greek statuary in the British Museum had originally been coloured (see Transactions of the Royal Institute of British Architects for 1842).
Donaldson pioneered the academic study of architecture and in 1841 became the first Professor of Architecture at University College, London (UCL) - a post he retained until 1865. He was also a co-founder of the Royal Institute of British Architects, being President in 1863-4 and being awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 1851.
Donaldson reworked substantial sections of the Wilkins building at UCL, and designed the Flaxman Gallery and library buildings. He also designed All Saints Church in London's Gordon Street, and was involved with the Great Exhibition of 1851.
