James Cubitt

• Born: 1836
• Died: August 1912

James Cubitt's family came from Norfolk and was not related to the civil engineering family of Cubitts. His father was a Baptist minister who taught at Spurgeon's Pastor's College. James Cubitt was articled to Isaac Charles Gilbert in Nottingham in 1851-56 and thereafter worked for W W Pocock who had a large practice of Wesleyan commissions. Cubitt's early practice from 1862 relied on contacts made via his father and Spurgeon. In 1868 he formed a partnership with Henry Fuller who was an already established designer of Congregational chapels.  Cubitt is also known for having published various books on the design of chapels. He produced 'Church Designs for Congregations' in 1870 and 'Nonconformist Church Building' in 1892 in which he argued for central plan designs avoiding the use of pillars, adapting Gothic styles by reference to both classical and basilican architecture. Much of what he wrote appeared initially in 'The Building News'. Cubitt's progressive ideas about the design of chapels would have influenced all those who worked for him.

Address
 1868        26, Finsbury Place, London,
 1890-1910    2, Broad Street Buildings, London, England Business 1890 1910

Residence
1890        Longton Essex

Reference     RIBA 2001   Directory of British Architects 1834 1914    
Reference     Building News 12 August 1912 page 36 Obituary