W. H. Brook Architectural Papers

Architectural notebooks and photographs including two notebooks of drawings, plans and photographs relating to Holy Trinity Micklegate, York and its restoration by Walter Harvey Brook and John Solloway, 1892-1905, including watercolours of archaeological investigations; notebook of drawings and photographs of Jacob's Well, Trinity Lane, York and its restoration by Brook and press cuttings regarding Holy Trinity Micklegate, 1903-1917; typed index to notebooks, produced while they were stored in the King's Manor Library; photographs associated with the restoration of Holy Trinity Micklegate, c.1890-c.1910.

Walter Harvey Brook was born in Salford, Lancashire, in 1863, the son of commercial traveller Walter Brook and his wife Edith. The family had moved to York by 1871, where they settled on East Mount Road in the parish of Holy Trinity Micklegate. Walter went on to train as an architect in London and travelled widely, visiting Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Brook maintained a lifelong interest in historic archaeology. In the 1890s he worked with his friend, John Solloway, Rector of Holy Trinity, Micklegate, to restore Holy Trinity Church, supplying the stained glass for the west window, the entire furnishings of St Nicholas Chapel, new bell ropes and the new bay of the North aisle, with a new doorway. In 1905 Brook also began a restoration of Jacob’s Well, the medieval parish room of Holy Trinity Church, installing a new staircase and bay window and creating a new entrance from the garden. He was also an accomplished artist and produced oil paintings of Holy Trinity and other historical buildings in York.
In 1912 Brook was appointed Honorary Curator of Medieval Archaeology at the Yorkshire Museum by the Yorkshire Philosophical Society. In this role he worked on the excavation of St Mary’s Abbey in the museum grounds, partially rebuilding parts of the North and East Cloisters and co-founding the Museum of Medieval Architecture to showcase the abbey’s stonework. In 1923 he became Vice President of the Society.
Brook died on 6 April 1943.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 1991. A further addition was made to the archive in 2000.

Walter Harvey Brook was born in Salford, Lancashire, in 1863, the son of commercial traveller Walter Brook and his wife Edith. The family had moved to York by 1871, where they settled on East Mount Road in the parish of Holy Trinity Micklegate. Walter went on to train as an architect in London and travelled widely, visiting Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Brook maintained a lifelong interest in historic archaeology. In the 1890s he worked with his friend, John Solloway, Rector of Holy Trinity, Micklegate, to restore Holy Trinity Church, supplying the stained glass for the west window, the entire furnishings of St Nicholas Chapel, new bell ropes and the new bay of the North aisle, with a new doorway. In 1905 Brook also began a restoration of Jacob’s Well, the medieval parish room of Holy Trinity Church, installing a new staircase and bay window and creating a new entrance from the garden. He was also an accomplished artist and produced oil paintings of Holy Trinity and other historical buildings in York.
In 1912 Brook was appointed Honorary Curator of Medieval Archaeology at the Yorkshire Museum by the Yorkshire Philosophical Society. In this role he worked on the excavation of St Mary’s Abbey in the museum grounds, partially rebuilding parts of the North and East Cloisters and co-founding the Museum of Medieval Architecture to showcase the abbey’s stonework. In 1923 he became Vice President of the Society.
Brook died on 6 April 1943.

A typescript finding aid, to file level, is available for consultation in the searchroom of the Borthwick Institute.

Created by S. A. Shearn, 05.04.17.

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

This archive forms part of the University Library Manuscripts collection.

Further accruals are not expected.

The parish records of York, Holy Trinity Micklegate, are also deposited at the Borthwick Institute (Reference: PR/Y/HTM). These include accounts, plans, correspondence and other papers concerning the restoration of the church 1885-1904.

Published

GB193