02 October 2009

Cathedral architect’s descendant visits Christ Church, Dublin

Mr Simon Street (centre) with Canon Patrick Comerford (left) and Canon Mark Gardner (right)

This week’s edition of the Church of Ireland Gazette [2 October 2009] carries this photograph and the following report on page 5:


Cathedral architect’s
descendant visits
Christ Church, Dublin


Simon Street – a direct descendant of the architect, George Edmund Street, who the architect responsible for the restoration of Christ Church Cathedral in the 1870s – recently visited the Cathedral to see his ancestor’s work and legacy.

Street was also the architect of the Royal Courts of Justice (the Law Courts) in London, Cuddesdon Theological College in Oxford, the nave of Bristol Cathedral, East Grinstead Convent, and St Philip and St James’ Church in North Oxford, which now houses the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies.

His death in December 1881 was hastened by overwork and professional worries connected with the erection of the Law Courts. He was buried in the nave of Westminster Abbey.

Mr Street was welcomed to Christ Church Cathedral by the Dean’s Vicar, Canon Mark Gardner, on behalf of the Dean and Chapter, and Canon Patrick Comerford.

[Mr Street] was brought on a tour of the cathedral; was shown a sculpted image of George Edmund Street on one of the pillars in the cathedral nave; visited the chapter house; and attended Evensong.

He recalled that his mother, Noreen Mary (née) Comerford of Brighton Road, Rathgar, Dublin, and her family were parishioners of Rathfarnham. Her brother, Dr Charles Henry Comerford, is named on the World War I memorial in Rathfarnham parish hall, the War Memorial Hall. Her family moved to England in the 1920s and she died in Portugal in 1957.

Update 3 October 2009:

A similar report and photograph are published in the October edition of the
Church Review (Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough).