Gerald Shenstone & Partners is an established practice of Architects and Surveyors.


A descendant of William Shenstone, Poet & Landscape Architect (1714-1763) Gerald Shenstone founded the practice after service in the army in World War I, where he rose to the rank of Brigadier in the 7th Bn Essex Regiment. Later as reservist he rose to the rank of Brevet Colonel, and post war in 1945 became Aide-de-camp to King George VI, and later the young Queen Elisabeth.

He was a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Essex from the 1930’s onwards and later a Justice of the Peace.

For a short time the practice became Shenstone & Crickmay, before reverting.

After retiring from army service following World War I, already qualified, he set up practice in 1920, originally sharing offices with and working together with a noted structural engineer of the day, Mr. D Shepherd and an aspiring quantity surveyor Mr. E. C. Harris.

Despite setting up in private practice Gerald Shenstone continued service in reservist forces eventually taking command of the Territorial Army 82nd (Essex) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.

The practice named after Gerald Shenstone grew steadily between the first and second world wars and soon extended beyond initial private commissions to include work for and on behalf of the Territorial and Reserve Forces and public authorities. 

Indeed, Reserve Forces work continued until well into the 21st century.

Shortly after World War II Gerald’s son, (Gerald) Guy Shenstone joined the practice.

A Major by the age of 22, after initial home service, during the war he became Second in Command of The 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, West African Artillery defending Freetown in Sierra Leone before further distinguished army service in India.

Upon his arrival Gerald Shenstone & Partners started to evolve. In those post-war years the practice moved into Bloomsbury, first at Edlon House in Barter Street, then later in the mid 1950’s at 34 Bloomsbury Way.


Following the introduction of the Inspection of Churches Measure in 1955 the practice began to specialise even more in ecclesiastic work, and church and faith work is still a mainstay today.

 

Reserve Forces work too formed part of the post-second world war portfolio, but upon settling into Bloomsbury, by the late 1950’s the practice began a close working relationship with The Duke of Bedford’s London Estate, which lasted for over forty years, thirty of them in offices at 26 Bloomsbury Square, where the practice stayed from the 1960’s. 


From the 1950’s Shenstone’s had expanded its portfolio to incorporate public works, initially for Essex County Council and later more specifically Epping District Council, New schools and other public buildings began to feature prominently. 

By the 1960’s the portfolio had added work by Surrey County Council, so much so that for a short while a sub-office was set up at Mulgrave Road in Sutton.



Also, at that time the practice added Gough Brothers to its client list. A noted Wine Merchant, Off Licence and Wine Bar chain of its time, Shenstone’s enjoyed a working relationship with them for over 25 years, until their eventual takeover by Scottish & Newcastle Breweries in the late 1980’s.


Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s the practice designed and built Housing (public and church housing estates), homes for the elderly and hostels for those in need, as well as both public and private schools and colleges, private houses and work on behalf of Spratt’s (a noted petfood company in the 1970’s), several laboratories & numerous private clients.



Although Gerald Shenstone retired in 1968 and his early associates and partners before then, the practice was closely guided until the mid-1990’s by his son, (Gerald) Guy Shenstone MA (Cantab) FRIBA AADip. FCI Arb. in conjunction with several contemporary partners and associates. From the early 1970’s onwards for twenty years or so the other partners remained pretty much the same: Ronald Franks Dip. Arch. (Birmingham) ARIBA, Janusz Nekanda-Trepka Dip. Ing.Arch ARIBA, Terry Daniel RIBA and Bernard Gilonis HND (Bldg.) ARIBA. 


The 1970’s and early 1980’ was a successful time for Shenstone’s, particularly in conjunction with the Bedford Estates, notably designing offices at 60-61 Russell Square, new offices in Taviton Street, and new Mews houses in Ridgmount Street (to critical acclaim).


In addition, major refurbishments were carried out to Bedford, Russell and Tavistock Square properties and many others throughout Bloomsbury & Camden, whilst continuing to help oversee the maintenance of the estate’s buildings in Bloomsbury, all the while retaining its predominantly Georgian aesthetic.


Eventually culminating in a major redevelopment and regeneration of a site stretching from Bloomsbury Place to, and along, New Oxford Street and behind at Stedham Place. 

A mixture of shops, offices and residential.

All in addition to designing new reservist army barracks and numerous ATC and similar reservist huts, offices, combat training facilities; as well as student buildings and working with over twenty charities at  any one time. 

The church work had expanded to working with the Diocese’ of Chelmsford, Southwark, London, Oxford, and Southwell & Nottingham overseeing quinquennial reports, repairs and refurbishments to a great number of churches including several designed by Sir Christopher Wren (such as St. Mary Le Bow, St. Magnus The Martyr both in the City of London, amongst others), and by Nicholas Hawksmoor (for example St. George’s, Bloomsbury) as well as other noted and historic churches and places of worship outside of London, mostly towards and in East Anglia, but also as far afield as Worksop and Nottingham.


Later Valerie Owen RIBA MRTPI ARICS (now Valerie Owen OBE, BSc BArch RIBA DipTP MRTPI ACIArb MRICS FRSA CEnv) and Michael Poteliakhoff Dip. Arch (PCL) RIBA were made partners. Valerie's time as a partner was short before she left to start her own practice.


Michael joined first as associate from the practice of the noted post-war Church and church restoration Architect Laurence King, then led by Ian Picken AA Dip. FRIBA. Laurence King & Partners was absorbed into the practice in 1987, with Mr. Picken remaining as consultant for many years afterwards.



Throughout its association with the Bedford Estates Shenstone’s also worked closely with many small and major long-term lessees on the estate such as Heal’s, Bonnington & Southampton Hotels, Philips Electronics, Mullard Industries, and a great many Gower Street Hotels in addition to a newer client, The Frogmore Estates, with whom Shenstone’s designed and planned more than a few developments.


In 1986 Gary Moore Grad. Dip.BS, ARICS joined from The Architects Department of London Regional Transport to replace The Rev. Andrew Read, who had overseen a small team of building surveyors, almost exclusively employed to run the day-to-day maintenance or lease work in conjunction with the Bedford Estates and its tenants.


By the 1990’s the practice was in the hands of Messrs. Franks, Daniels, Poteliakhoff (partners), Moore (associate), Shenstone and Picken (consultants). Guy by that time exclusively, and successfully acting as Expert Witness.

From the late 1980’s the Transport sector work began to feature more prominently.

Initially, acting on behalf of London Buses and their privatised successors, before becoming consultants to London Underground, later becoming Framework Architects for over 20 years to London Transport (now Transport for London).

The building surveying section began to flourish and other diverse organisations such as The London Fire & Civil Defence Authority (London Fire Brigade), British Telecom, Alleyn’s College of God’s Gift, British Rail, and Dulwich College became regular clients.


In 1996 following two major recessions, which necessitated the ‘streamlining’ and restructuring of several clients the decision was made to move to London’s Docklands at St.Paul’s Institute, a Grade II listed building opposite St.Paul’s Church, Shadwell and within the churchyard, sandwiched between the Highway and the former dock of Shadwell Basin.


During that time the practice saw the building and design industries change more rapidly in such a short space of time, more than it had before as so many of Shenstone’s contemporaries can testify. A whirlwind of technology driven by the internet and ever-evolving software and hardware innovations not only led, almost forced, modernisation on the practice and also changed the practice’s portfolio too. Gary Moore Grad. Dip BS, MRICS was added as partner in 1996 joining Messrs. Franks, Daniel and Poteliakhoff.


Early purchasers of, and supporters of Computer Aided Design (CAD) software Shenstone’s were able to expand their portfolio to companies and organisations that demanded newer ways of working such as London Transport (right through its various guises up to Transport for London (TfL)), the various franchised bus companies, Network Rail and subsequent rail franchises, The London Fire Brigade, and several major construction companies such as Bovis, Birse, Mace, MacAlpine, and Bryen & Langley. 

Notably building new offices for TfL at Seven Sisters Station (Pleiades House) and Upminster and successfully converting and refurbishing properties at Queen’s Park (Premier House), West Ruislip and Baker Street.

During that period several station upgrades were designed and at over 80 stations staff facilities were upgraded.


All the while retained as consultants for The Reserve Forces, particularly in the design and eventual build of new facilities and barracks, at Bassingbourn.

 

At the same time Shenstone’s had become involved in some way with about 100 churches (a great many inherited from Laurence King’s portfolio) spreading from London to throughout the home counties and East Anglia.


However, following the financial crisis of 2008 the practice had to reinvent once more and following the retirements of Messrs. Franks and Daniels (and associateship appointees leaving) the practice continues with Michael Poteliakhoff and Gary Moore offering continuity.



Consultancy, Expert Witness and Party Wall Awards became more prominent in its skill sets once more, and although The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 began to create more work from about 2000, as a Central London practice, Party Wall Awards made in accordance with The London Building Acts (Amendment) Act 1939 had already formed a small part of the business from 1945 onwards.


Partner, Michael Poteliakhoff an accredited Conservator for many years, gained significant expertise regarding grant-funded work, although nearly all of its church and Bloomsbury work before had been heavily conservation based prior, mostly to Grade I and II listed buildings.




 

During covid-19 restrictions in 2021 the practice began the process to relocate to Hampstead to start a new chapter in its history. Finally leaving St.Paul’s Institute in 2022, Shenstone’s home for over 26 years, following the closure of its archive store maintained there.


If you would like just a little more background or just fancy wallowing in nostalgia, why not click on the links below to view  examples of archive information showing how it was before computers took sway.


Note - From the later 1990’s onwards websites replaced brochures, power point presentations replaced case studies and Computer Aided Design files replaced tracing paper drawings:


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