Person    | Male  Born 21/4/1861  Died 21/9/1935

Sir Walter John Tapper, KCVO, FRIBA, RA, FSA

Categories: Architecture

Sir Walter John Tapper, KCVO, FRIBA, RA, FSA, was born on 21 April 1861 in Bovey Tracey, Devon, the youngest of the six children of George Tapper (1816-1877) and Elizabeth Tapper née Medland (1818-1881).

Our Picture Source and his Wikipedia page give much information about this Gothic Revival architect.

On 21 May 1861 he was baptised in Bovey Tracey Anglican Church. He was described as a scholar in the 1871 census living at Heathfield House, Bovey Tracey, with his parents and two siblings: Elizabeth Tapper (1851-1884) and Edwin Tapper (1853-1916) together with five lodgers and a female domestic servant. His father's occupation was recorded as a builder employing 8 men & 3 boys, whilst his mother was shown as a lodging house keeper.

On 15 August 1886 he married Catherine Lydia Jotcham (1862-1932) at St Mary's Church, Islington, where the marriage register shows him as aged 25 years, a bachelor and architect living in Granville Square, Clerkenwell, whilst his wife was aged 23 years, a spinster residing in Windsor Road, Islington.

Their son, Michael John Tapper (1886-1963) was born on 27 December 1886 and when he was baptised on 16 February 1887 at St Philip's Church, Clerkenwell, the baptismal register shows the family living at 31 Granville Square, Clerkenwell. The birth of their daughter, Kathleen Mary Tapper (1890-1977) was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1890 in the Holborn registration district.

He is shown as an architect in the 1891 census living at 1 Raymond Buildings, Gray's Inn, Holborn, with his wife, their two children and a female domestic servant. At the time of the 1901 census he was still living at the same address with his wife and their daughter.

His wife was not shown on the 1911 census return form which he completed, describing himself as an architect residing in a 10 roomed property at 10 Melina Place, St John's Wood, with his son, who was shown as a part time architectural student and his sister-in-law Mary Jotcham, together with a cook and a house-maid. 

He was made a Knight Commander in the Chancery of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) on 23 July 1935, but two months later he died, aged 74 years, on 21 September 1935. His body was buried in the west cloister of Westminster Abbey.

Probate records confirmed that he had lived at 4b Dean's Yard, Westminster and when probate was granted on 13 November 1935, jointly to his architect son Michael John Tapper, his solicitor Hugh Christopher Whitehead and to Sir Joseph John Jarvis, 1st Baronet (1876-1950), his effects were initially shown as £29,813-12s-2d. However, they were twice subsequently resworn, firstly at £30,144-3s-8d and finally at £30,648-3s-3d. 

Photo credit: RIBA Collections.

Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Sir Walter John Tapper, KCVO, FRIBA, RA, FSA

Creations i

Marylebone Calvary war memorial

{On the front of the alter-like object:} Of your charity pray for these who g...

Read More

Memorial Cross at Lancaster Gate

A City of Westminster information plaque on the ground at the centre of the t...

Read More

Other Subjects

W. Gilbee Scott

W. Gilbee Scott

William Gilbee Scott had a practice at 25, Bedford Row.  The only building, apart from the How Gateway, we can find by him is the Salvation Army Citadel in Sheffield. 2016: via Facebook Neil Jacks...

Person, Architecture, Scotland

1 memorial
John Thomas Newman

John Thomas Newman

1878 architect of the Stratford Martyrs memorial.  For a time he worked with  William Jacques.

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Thomas Yorke

Thomas Yorke

Architect based in Highgate in 1926.

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Wilfred Mangan

Wilfred Mangan

Architect. Born Wilfred Clarence Mangan. He worked extensively in the Portsmouth diocese, and was an enthusiast for round-arched, predominantly Byzantine, styles which were highly popular for Roman...

Person, Architecture, Ireland

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Sir Frank Brangwyn

Sir Frank Brangwyn

Artist. Born Bruges, Belgium where his father was working as an architect/artist but his Anglo-Welsh family moved back to London in 1874. Largely self-taught he was skilled in various mediums and c...

Person, Art, Belgium, Wales

1 memorial
W. H. Hawkins

W. H. Hawkins

Church warden of St Dunstans Stepney, 1844.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Patrick Hamilton

Patrick Hamilton

Novelist and playwright. Born Anthony Walter Patrick Hamilton at Dale House, Hassocks, Sussex. He suffered multiple injuries when hit by a drunken driver in 1932. This may well have had a bearing o...

Person, Literature, Theatre

1 memorial
Sergeant Frederick Hobson, VC

Sergeant Frederick Hobson, VC

Born as Frederick John Hobson. From our Picture source, the excellent Camden New Journal: "... joined the army aged 24 and was deployed to fight in the Boer War. After he was discharged, he spent a...

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster

Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster

Born, son of Sir Robert, at Millbank House (alias: Peterborough House, Grosvenor House). Shown on this 1690 map to be approximately on the Thorney Street site now occupied by the Hilton Double Tree...

Person, Benefactor, Politics & Administration, Property

1 memorial