John Macduff Derick or Derrick

• Birth date            1805-1806 at Ballymoat, Co Sligo (1841 census record)
• Marriage (I)        1836 to Elizabeth Jane Rathbone at Saint Giles In The Fields, Surrey
• Marriage (II)       1852 to Elizabeth Joyce Fulcher at St. George Hanover Square, London
• Death date          September 1859 at New York

John Macduff Derick was the son of James Derick of Ballymoat, Co Sligo. The principal source of biographical information about Derick is the obituary which appeared in the New York Evening Post of 23 Sep 1859 and was reprinted in Jackson's Oxford Journal, 29 Oct 1859 - see below. According to this source he studied at University of Dublin and then became a pupil of Sir John Soane. His work was mainly ecclesiastical, and he had offices in London, Oxford and Dublin. He emigrated to America in 1858 and died there the following year. However, this obituary must be treated with caution as attempts to verify many of the details have proved impossible. (See Phil Morris 'John Macduff Derick…a biographical sketch' 2004)

 J M Derick is known to have signed himself with a single “r” in his surname, but frequently appears as “Derrick”. Again, his date of birth is widely given as 1810. However, the RIBA Directory gives 1805-6, based on information given by Howard Colvin to IAA. This accords with the census record for 1841. Two marriage records have been found. The 1841 Census records two sons, John and Edward, by his first wife. The Builder obituary indicates another son by his second wife.

 His name does not appear in Alumni Dublinenses; nor is there a record of a Dublin office in the directories in the IAA (1839,1844,1847,1853,1857). The Sir John Soane Museum maintains comprehensive records. All assistants were properly articled and anyone providing paid services was entered in a ledger. Derick's name is not listed in either case.

The New York Evening Post obituary states that notice of his death was first given on 20th September 1859. The usual date of death cited, 1861, is a misunderstanding caused by the delayed notice in The Builder of 26 October 1861, occasioned by the return of his widow to England in which his death is referred to as having occurred 'recently'.   

Claims of an extensive practice in the North of England appear exaggerated. His known works include Ilam Cross, Staffordshire, in 1840/1, St James, Birch-in-Rusholme, in 1845, alterations to St Peter’s, Swettenham, in 1846, and a restoration of the church of St James and St Paul at Marton, Cheshire, in 1850. Between 1842 and 1845, he built St Saviour’s in Leeds, which Pevsner called the most important Victorian church in the city and the one which marked the beginning of Anglo-Catholicism in England.

DEATH OF MR. DERRICK, ARCHITECT - The late John Macduff Derrick, whose decease was recorded in the journals of the 20th instant, was the son of James Derrick, Esq., C of Ballymoat, in the county of Sligo, Ireland. He was descended, by the father's side, from an old and honourable Connaught family, and maternally from the ancient race of the Macduffs, Earls of Fife. After, studying at the University of Dublin, Mr. Derrick became a pupil of the eminent Sir John Soane, architect of the Bank of England, and of several important public buildings in London. He completed his professional training by an extensive course of travel in Normandy, southern France, and Italy. His career was now one of rapid and unprecedented success. Though bred in a classic school, his attention was early turned to the revival of Christian art and he may be considered one of the veterans of that movement. While still a young man, he was engaged in an extensive and lucrative practice, chiefly in Ecclesiastical works, in the north of England and Ireland, being at one time established simultaneously in Oxford, London, and Dublin. But severe domestic affliction and failing health induced him to relinquish the active pursuit of his profession till a course of unforeseen losses compelled him again to revert to it for the sake of his family. His life was now a continued battle with ill fortune - a career of which the unflinching courage and heroic energy can only be appreciated by those who witnessed it. He at length resolved, though comparatively late in life, to begin entirely afresh, and sailed for the New World. He landed in our city in the summer of 1858, and at once applied himself with almost youthful ardour to the practice of his profession. But the already overwrought brain at length gave way to continued mental excitement. He fought the battle of life bravely to the last, and his death was worthy of his career. Among his works may be mentioned St. Saviours, Leeds: the church at Bombay in memory of the troops who fell in the Afghan war; the Bruen testimonial at Carlow and several restorations and additions among the Collegiate Buildings at Oxford. His contributions to the literature of his profession were numerous and varied - his pen and pencil being ever employed more for the interest of art than the gratification of literary vanity. The opinions of many capable judges bear testimony to the rare union of vast antiquarian learning, mathematical ability, practical skill, and deep artist-feeling which distinguished his professional character. Mr. Derrick was one of the original promoters of the Architectural Society of Oxford, H a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy, and of several learned Societies, He enjoyed the friendship of the lamented Pugin, of Douglas Jerrold, Wilkie, Haydon, Allan Cunningham, Chantrey, and many others equally distinguished in the world of art and letters. Although naturally of a modest and retiring nature, Mr. Derrick was ever cheerful, his conversation animated, pointed, and always profitable. In his intercourse with the world, he was a man of strict integrity and honour. His hand and heart were always open to the suffering and needy; self was a word the meaning of which he had never learned to comprehend; deceit, chicanery, and oppression in all its forms, were his perfect abhorrence. The writer of this hasty tribute to his memory had the honour of knowing him intimate and never has he met a man more unselfish in his aims, more true and abiding in his friendship, more frank and chivalrous in his bearing, or more generous and genial in his feelings - "His life was gentle, and the elements  "So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up  "And say to all the world, 'This was a man.'" Cut off in middle life, at a moment when a brilliant future in his newly adopted home again dawned before him, it will be felt by many of his professional friends that no ordinary man has passed from among them." [New York Evening Post 23 September 1859]

THE LATE MR. J. M. DERRICK, ARCHITECT — Mr. John Macduff Derrick has recently died in America. He was a native of Ireland; and at one time had a lucrative practice as an architect, chiefly in ecclesiastical works, in the North of England and in Ireland; having at one time establishments simultaneously in London, Oxford, and Dublin. Failing health and other causes induced him to retire from practice, but he was again compelled by losses to resume his profession; and at length he went to America, where he practised as an architect till his death. We regret to learn that his widow, who has come to this country for the recovery of her child’s health, is now in entirely destitute circumstances. She is endeavouring to raise a small sum to enable her to return to America, where she anticipates a better opportunity of obtaining a livelihood than in this country. Mrs. Derrick, we are glad to learn, is meeting with much sympathy from the members of the Architects’ Benevolent Society; and we trust she will speedily be able to realize the object she has in view.  Builder 26 October 1861 page 473

THE LATE MR, J. M. DERICK, ARCHITECT. - You may be inclined to add to your short notice (p. 743) of this deceased gentleman the following specific undertakings :—That be made the drawings for the folio work, “Views and Details of Stanton Harcourt Church, Oxon,” published in 1811, for the Oxford Architectural Society; designed the Bruen Testimonial Church at Carlow, Ireland, building in 1853-4, in which he introduced two granite arches of a form calculated to resist extension where great counterfort could not be given. A diagram to illustrate the principle is given in Vol. xii., p. 34. In 1844 he designed a church to be erected at Colahah, in the East Indies, in memory of those who fell in the wars of Scinde and Aftghanistan. This was carried out in a modified Florid Gothic design, a good idea of which may be seen in a small wood engraving in the Illustrated London News for February 1st, 1845, p. 68, representing a cruciform plan, with tower and spire at the crux. The church at Leeds, the first stone of which was laid September14tb, 1842, and consecrated at the end of October, 1845, though then not finished externally, was designed for the Hon. and Rev. Edward Bouverie Pusey. The style is Decorated English, and the spire, proposed to be carried up 230 feet from the ground, was not then begun. He also made the selected design In the competition for the Choristers’ Schools at Magdalen College, Oxford; and built a small church at Manchester. W. P. [Builder 2 November 1861 page 753]

Address
1839             St John's Street, Oxford. (RA)
1843-46        54 Cornmarket, Oxford. 'Left c.1848' (RA)
1846, 1852    Hanover Chambers, 13, Furnival's Inn, London W.C. (RA, RIBA)
1858             New York (New York Evening Post)
No records have been found for a Dublin office

References
Phil Mottram, 'John Macduff Derick…a biographical sketch' Ecclesiology Today 32 (Jan 2004), 40-52.
Dictionary of Irish Architects
Dictionary of Canadian Architects
RIBA Dictionary of British Architects
Additional Information from Richard Fletcher