Corinne Bennett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Corinne Bennett MBE
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| Born |
Corinne Marie Wilson
3 March 1935 London
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| Died | 10 July 2010 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University College London |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Spouse(s) | Keith Bennett |
| Awards | MBE |
| Practice | Purcell Miller Tritton, National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty |
Corinne Marie Gillian Bennett (born March 3, 1935, died July 10, 2010) was a special kind of architect from England. She was known as a conservation architect. This means she helped fix and protect many old, important buildings in England. Some famous ones she worked on include Winchester Cathedral and the Royal Pavilion. She worked for the National Trust in the 1980s. Later, in 1991, she became the first person to hold the job of national cathedrals architect for English Heritage. This was a very important role.
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Early Life and Education
Corinne Marie Wilson was born in London in 1935. Her dad, Gilbert, taught about rocks and the Earth at a big university. Her mom, Lucile, was from Canada.
During World War II, Corinne, her mom, and her younger brother moved to Montreal, Canada, for safety. They came back to England in 1944. Corinne went to a convent school in Hove.
By the time she was 12, Corinne knew she wanted to work on old buildings. She wanted to help fix and save them. Her school even hired a male teacher just to give her drawing lessons. From 1952 to 1957, she studied architecture at University College London.
A Career in Conservation
After becoming an architect, Corinne Bennett first worked for a company called Powell & Moya. Soon, she started focusing on historic buildings. In 1963, she joined the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works.
New Ways to Clean Stone
In her role, Corinne experimented with new ways to clean old stone. She worked with the Building Research Establishment to find the best methods. These new cleaning techniques were used on many famous buildings. These included the Tower of London, the Jewel Tower, and Holyrood Palace. Her dad, who was a geologist, inspired her interest in stone.
Working on Cathedrals and Historic Homes
In 1968, Corinne started working for Purcell Miller Tritton. Her first big project was helping to repair Ely Cathedral. She later became a senior partner at the firm. She even opened a new office in Sevenoaks, Kent.
In 1974, Corinne began a huge 15-year project. She worked on restoring Winchester Cathedral. This made her the first woman to be a consultant architect for an English cathedral. This was a big achievement!
In 1980, she became the consultant architect for the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. She managed repairs and changes there. Throughout the 1980s, she also worked on other important places. These included Wilton House, Ealing Abbey, and the ruins of Cowdray House.
At the same time, she helped the National Trust with many historic properties. Some of these were Mompesson House and Lacock Abbey. She also helped redesign chapels in Rome and Wonersh. In 1989, she helped start a group called the Hampshire and the Islands Historic Churches Trust.
National Cathedrals Architect
In 1991, Corinne Bennett joined English Heritage. She became the first person ever to be the national cathedrals architect. This meant she was in charge of all cathedrals in England. She stopped most of her other jobs to focus on this important role.
She also served on other committees. These included groups for St George's Cathedral, Southwark and Chichester Cathedral.
Awards and Recognition
Corinne Bennett received an MBE award in 1988. This was for her excellent work repairing churches in Kent. In 1997, she became a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. She also became a member of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in 1979. She was later given the high title of dame commander.
Personal Life
Corinne Bennett was a Roman Catholic. In 1979, she married Keith Bennett. He was also a conservation architect. They often visited Corsica, an island. They were the only English members of a historical group there.
They lived for many years in the village of Michelmersh. Later, they moved to Brighton and Hove. Corinne Bennett passed away on July 10, 2010.
Images for kids
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Winchester Cathedral: Corinne Bennett led a 15-year restoration project starting in 1974.
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Royal Pavilion, Brighton: Corinne Bennett managed repairs and changes in 1980.
