Pace Family Papers

George Pace's notes on Surrey churches, c.1933.

George Gaze Pace was born in Croydon, Surrey, on 31 December 1915, the son of George Henry Pace, a shipowner’s clerk, and his wife Alice Gaze. He was educated at Addiscombe New College and then studied architecture at London Polytechnic whilst working for several architectural firms; James Ransome and Cootes, Darcy Braddell and Humphry Deane, and Pite, Son and Fairweather.
He qualified as an architect in 1939 and, after serving in the Royal Engineers during the Second World War, settled at York where he established his own practice, specialising in ecclesiastical buildings. In 1941 he married Ina Jones and the couple had five children together. Their son, Peter, also became an architect.
During his career George Pace worked on approximately 700 churches, combining modernist and traditional style. He was surveyor to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, where he was responsible for the King George VI memorial chapel and tomb, as well as surveyor to the Diocese of Sheffield. He was also honorary consulting architect to the Historic Churches Preservation Trust and served as consultant to the cathedrals of Durham, Peterborough, Lichfield, Chester, Liverpool, St Albans, Newcastle and Southwark.
His notable works include the postwar restoration of Llandaff Cathedral, which included the new chapel of St Michael, the building of a new cathedral at Ibadan in Nigeria in 1960 and of Durham University Library in 1966. He also restored the bomb damaged church of St Martin le Grand on Coney Street, York, in the 1950s and built the new church of the Holy Redeemer at Acomb, York, in 1962 using materials salvaged from the demolished medieval church of St Mary Bishophill Senior.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1949 and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1950. In 1971 he was appointed CVO (Commander of the Royal Victorian Order). He was also active in York conservation circles, as a member of the York Civic Trust and York Georgian Society.
George Gaze Pace died at York on 23 August 1975. His architectural practice was continued by his assistant Ronald Sims, who had joined the firm in the 1950s.

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The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 2009.

George Gaze Pace was born in Croydon, Surrey, on 31 December 1915, the son of George Henry Pace, a shipowner’s clerk, and his wife Alice Gaze. He was educated at Addiscombe New College and then studied architecture at London Polytechnic whilst working for several architectural firms; James Ransome and Cootes, Darcy Braddell and Humphry Deane, and Pite, Son and Fairweather.
He qualified as an architect in 1939 and, after serving in the Royal Engineers during the Second World War, settled at York where he established his own practice, specialising in ecclesiastical buildings. In 1941 he married Ina Jones and the couple had five children together. Their son, Peter, also became an architect.
During his career George Pace worked on approximately 700 churches, combining modernist and traditional style. He was surveyor to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, where he was responsible for the King George VI memorial chapel and tomb, as well as surveyor to the Diocese of Sheffield. He was also honorary consulting architect to the Historic Churches Preservation Trust and served as consultant to the cathedrals of Durham, Peterborough, Lichfield, Chester, Liverpool, St Albans, Newcastle and Southwark.
His notable works include the postwar restoration of Llandaff Cathedral, which included the new chapel of St Michael, the building of a new cathedral at Ibadan in Nigeria in 1960 and of Durham University Library in 1966. He also restored the bomb damaged church of St Martin le Grand on Coney Street, York, in the 1950s and built the new church of the Holy Redeemer at Acomb, York, in 1962 using materials salvaged from the demolished medieval church of St Mary Bishophill Senior.
He became a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1949 and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1950. In 1971 he was appointed CVO (Commander of the Royal Victorian Order). He was also active in York conservation circles, as a member of the York Civic Trust and York Georgian Society.
George Gaze Pace died at York on 23 August 1975. His architectural practice was continued by his assistant Ronald Sims, who had joined the firm in the 1950s.

The archive has not yet been catalogued.

Created by S. A. Shearn, 11.04.17.

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The archive of the architectural practice of George Pace and Ronald Sims is also deposited at the Borthwick Institute.

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GB193