Building an Architect: Sophia Gray from Yorkshire to the Cape

Yorkshire-born Sophia Gray’s wide-ranging legacy is little known in the northern hemisphere. In South Africa however Gray is widely acknowledged and still fêted as the country’s first woman architect, credited with designing, adapting and administering the construction and alteration of 100 buildings between 1848 and 1871.

This talk will explore aspects of Gray’s life in the North of England, those influences that enabled her to take up the mantle of ‘Architect to the Diocese’ in the British colony of South Africa.

Deirdre (Thackray) has been a member of The Leeds Library for close to 20 years. Her interest in architectural history was stirred when she arrived in Yorkshire from southern Africa several decades ago. When she embarked upon a Master’s programme at the University of York her initial thesis ideas vaguely revolved around medieval architecture (hard to ignore in York). However, a chance encounter with images of Gothic Revival churches in the South African Cape led her to the inimitable Sophia Gray. The question that drove Deirdre’s thesis was: ‘how was this woman from the East Riding able to get off a ship in Cape Town in April 1848 and design and build her first church by Christmas that same year?’ It has proven a tale well worth the telling.

The Leeds Library is one of Leeds' oldest institutions, founded in 1768 and moving to its current home in 1808. We have long been a hub of learning and community in the heart of Leeds. Our main entrance into our foyer, with stairs up to the main library room, is located between Co-op and Ann Summers, and our accessible entrance with elevator is between Ann Summers and Bird and Blend. This event will be held in our Events Space on the first floor, adjacent to the main library room.