Godfrey (Bertie) Schwabe

• Born : 15 April 1877 Patricroft, Eccles
• Baptism: 17 May 1877 at St. Catherine, Barton Upon Irwell
• Articles : Pupil of Edgar Wood 1893
• Married : Katherine Elizabeth Harper on 26 March 1913 at the parish church of Marldon, Devon.
• Died :  22 August 1960

Godfrey Albert Edward (Bertie) Schwabe  was born in 1877 at Patricroft, Eccles, the son of Edward Schwabe and Julie Schwabe. His mother a Naturalised British Subject, was born in Engelkirchen Prussia. He was the first pupil taken on by Edgar Wood, in 1893 and remained until 1910. A gifted artist, like Wood himself and other Arts and Crafts designers he did not confine himself to architecture, but worked in several other media, exhibiting various pieces of metal work at the Northern Art Workers’ Guild in 1903: a hanging lamp, a beaten brass rose pot, and a spirit decanter of silver plated copper and green glass. He became an Associate of the MSA in April 1907 and remained so until 1936 or later.

With his parents and sister, Julie Alice, Bertie Schwabe moved to Braunton, Devon, where he commenced independent practice in 1912. Braunton overlooks Barnstaple Bay and Appledore on the other side of the Taw estuary. At the time it was developing a reputation as an inspirational location for artists. Godfrey married Katherine Elizabeth Harper, the daughter of Joseph Harper, physician, of Barnstable on 26 March 1913 at the parish church of Marldon, Devon.  There were no children.

His sister, Julie Alice Schwabe married Thomas Adolphus Falcon (1872 -1944), a painter and silversmith. For the small drawing room at Sharlands House, Braunton, which was designed by Godfrey Albert Edward Schwabe, Thomas's brother in law,  for Dr Elliston Wright (a relative by marriage to G A E Schwabe), he painted a series of six decorative panels. From 1914  until 1934 they lived at Hill Close, Braunton, another house by Bertie Schwabe.

Godfrey Albert Edward Schwabe died 22 August 1960 at Alexandra Hospital Barnstaple Devon.

* Headstone gives date of Schwabe’s birth as 15 April 1876. Other sources generally give 1877

Address
1910 : 78 Cross Street Manchester (Wood and Sellers offices)

Residence
1881 : Claremont House 95 Cambridge Road, Hale Cheshire
1901 : Burton Road, Didsbury, Manchester
1912 : Braunton
1913-1936 : “Wincot,”  West Hill Lane, Braunton, Devon
1960 : Vellator Lane Terrace, Braunton

Reference : Studio International 1903 page 65 - metalwork
Reference : Royal Academy Exhibitor 1905-70
Reference : Who’s Who in Architecture 1914, 1923, 1926