On the death of Mrs. Rickman, in 1808, he removed to Liverpool, and entered the office of an insurance broker. Here it was that his taste for æsthetic forms and methodical arrangements again overcame his sectarian prejudices, and directed his attention to the study of architecture, and especially Church Architecture. The business of his office, which commenced at ten and closed at four, gave him much leisure: this he employed in making excursions on foot into the country round Liverpool, and examining the details of all the churches which he could reach. He would start very early in the morning, and accomplish a good deal before his office opened; and on Saturday afternoons he would set off on a longer journey to more distant places, and spend the whole of Sunday, which had no special claims on his Quaker conscience, in pursuing his favourite researches. This course he pursued with untiring industry for several years, until he had made himself master of all the characteristics of Church Architecture which could be found in that part of the kingdom. He afterwards extended his journies to other counties, and examined and took notes of the special features of almost all the churches in the kingdom; making accurate measurements and drawings of all that he thought worthy of notice. In this laborious investigation he spent not only many years, but many thousand pounds; and he thereby accumulated a vast fund of architectural data, on which he founded the system of classification of styles which is now universally accepted.
His maiden sister followed him to Liverpool, and opened business as a confectioner; and those who were conversant with that town some forty years ago may remember her very odd looking shop front, the design for which “is said to have been taken by Rickman from the Choragic monument of Thrasyllus, in Greece.”
While in Liverpool, he married his second wife Christiana Horner, sister of Thomas Horner, who passed so much of his time on the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral, painting the Panorama of London, which was exhibited at the Colosseum in the Regent’s Park. The first result of Rickman’s architectural investigation appeared in the shape of an Essay in the Liverpool “Panorama of Science and Art,” bearing the same title under which he afterwards published it in an enlarged form, “An attempt to discriminate the styles of architecture in England.” [6a] This Essay, on its first appearance in 1817, attracted general attention and brought its author under the notice of many influential persons both in Liverpool and Chester, for whom he furnished designs for monuments and other buildings. The Church of St. Mary, at Birkenhead, was erected from his designs, and is one of the earliest efforts of his skill. The transepts now attached to this Church formed no part of Rickman’s design, but are the work of a later architect.
At this time the Parliamentary Grant for the building of new Churches called forth a host of aspiring Gothic architects; amongst them Thomas Rickman appeared, and gained the first prize for a design, which was afterwards executed for St. George’s Church at Birmingham. [6b] Hitherto he had not been a professional architect; and having no practical experience in the constructive department of the art, he was unable to undertake the exercise of it until he had associated with himself Mr. Henry Hutchinson, a gentleman who supplied this defect. [7] He then entered upon a large field of work, and was the popular Gothic architect of the day. Amongst the many Churches which he designed and erected in different parts of the kingdom may be mentioned Oulton, near Leeds, Hampton Lacy, in Warwickshire, St. David’s, Glasgow, and St. Jude’s, Liverpool. He also erected the Chapel and Asylum for the Blind at Bristol; and, in 1827, the new building of St. John’s College, Cambridge. Rose Castle, the palace of the Bishop of Carlisle, was also restored by him.
In 1830, Mr. Hutchinson died; and four years after, Rickman took into partnership Mr. R. C. Hussey, a gentleman who is now employing his talents on the restoration of St. John’s Church, Chester. In 1835, he married his third wife, Miss Millar, of Edinburgh, by whom he had a son, and who survived him. At this time he had relinquished his connection with the Quakers, and attached himself to the sect of the Irvingites, to which he continued to belong until his death, which took place in 1811.
The characteristics of Thomas Rickman’s mind were great intelligence and quickness of perception; considerable powers of method and arrangement; and indefatigable industry in investigation. He was physically strong and active, and capable of enduring great bodily fatigue. He cannot however, be said to have possessed much imagination, or inventive genius. His work on Architecture is one that displays rather acuteness of observation, and energy of mind, than power of conception; and the character of the buildings which he executed indicates the same accuracy of imitation from authentic examples, and the same want of originality and fertility of invention. “But after all abatement is made, it must be granted that to Rickman, more than to any other man, is due the great advance which within the last few years has been made in the knowledge and appreciation of Gothic Architecture in this country.” [8a]
An Archæological Description of the Cathedral Church of Chester,
by Thomas Rickman. [8b]
The Metropolitan Cathedrals of Canterbury and York, and the Episcopal edifices of most of the English sees, have not only been described as beautiful and valuable remains, but many of them have become not undeservedly celebrated over almost every part of the British Empire. Amongst these, however, the Cathedral of Chester has not only been almost entirely overlooked, but, by a late writer in a very popular work, described as “a heavy, uninteresting pile, not worth examining.”
Having examined it with some attention, and finding therein a more complete succession of styles than I recollect to have met with in almost any other building, I wish by a few remarks to excite some attention to its beauties. I therefore beg leave to offer a slight sketch of what appears from its present state to have been the order of its construction.
From the situation of those remains of the Norman fabric which are still visible, I have little doubt the present church stands pretty nearly on the same foundation as the Norman did; for these remains consist of the north wall of the Nave forming the south wall of the Cloisters, and of the east Wall of the North Transept.