Isaac Thomas Shutt

Gravestone of I.T. Shutt

Shutt died at his home, Cygnet House, Harrogate, on 14 March 1879, aged 61 years, after a "severe and painful illness."[14][15][16] He was described at his death as an architect and land surveyor of Harrogate. His will was proved at Wakefield on 3 April 1879.[15] The Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale Herald said he was a "kind and genial man, who never hesitated to fulfil those public duties which his clear mind, large experience and position in the town appeared to demand ... He died in harness as a member of the Harrogate Local Board, a position which he ... held for many years." He was buried on 19 March 1879 at Harrogate Cemetery, now known as Grove Road Cemetery, in section D, plot 324.[13][17][nb 1]

By 1841, Shutt was an architect lodging in Southwark.[5]

Old Swan Hotel

In 1849 Shutt inherited the ownership of the Swan Hotel, Harrogate, which had previously been run by his sisters, and before that by their father Jonathan Shutt, who was its proprietor and occupier for thirty years. It had gardens and pleasure gardens, hot and cold indoor baths, wines, private sitting rooms with fires and wax lights, personal attendance by a waiter and chambermaid, stabling, lock-up coach-houses and servants' apartments, a boots and an ostler. Accommodation cost up to £2 12s 6d per week, plus extras.[18] In 1878 Shutt sold or rented the Swan Hotel to the Harrogate Hydropathic Company Ltd, of which he was one of the directors. The company was formed for the provision of a hydropathic curative treatment which made use of the local spa waters; the Swan Hotel was to be adapted and redecorated for the purpose.[19]

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In 1847 he was vice-chairman of the Pannal and Harrogate Agrucultural Society, and in that year its fourth annual exhibition was held in a field near the Swan Hotel, then run by Shutt's father and sisters, and in the Pump Room, now the Royal Pump Room Museum.[20] In the same year he was listed as having a game certificate, that is, he was licensed to sell game from Bilton, Harrogate.[21][22] Shutt had some success with livestock: he won first prize for "his celebrated prize bull, Baronet" at Ripley Agricultural Show on Tuesday 20 September 1859.[23] At the dog-show section of the 1878 Ripon and Harrogate Agricultural Show, Shutt donated a special prize for the best animal in the broken-haired terrier classes.[24][nb 2]

In April 1841 he was dealing in property, advertising Cornwall House, Low Harrogate, for sale.[25] He was at one point a stockbroker in Harrogate, in partnership with John Cheyne; this was dissolved on 20 November 1845, possibly due to bankruptcy.[26] In 1862 Shutt was serving on a committee set up to sell shares in the Cheltenham Room and grounds in Harrogate. This was a public place of amusement which was up for sale, and the town did not want the establishment to fall into private hands and be closed.[27] He was a member of the Harrogate Improvement Commissioners and Local Board of Health from about 1848 until at least 1971, when he replied to a speech at the opening of the Baths at Harrogate.[28]

Royal Pump Room

In 1842 at the age of 24 years he designed the neo-classical Cheltenham Pump Room in Harrogate, a Grade II* listed building which is now known as the Royal Pump Room.[29][30][31] The glazed Annexe was added in 1913 by architect Leonard Clarke (fl.1913–1939)[32] In his obituary, the Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale Herald said, "Mr Shutt, as an architect, has left behind him numerous specimens of his skill, foremost amongst which is the Royal Sulphur Well – a piece of architecture surpassing in originality of design and suitability to its object any similar work of its day in Harrogate."[13]

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Site of villas

On 9 February 1846 an auction took place for five building plots to the west of the old Crescent Inn, which then stood in what is now Crescent Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Purchasers were obliged to build according to an elevation designed by Shutt. To the north of the properties was a beck, and to the north of the beck were gardens attached to the Victoria Baths. These lots were "open to the Stray, within sight of the public wells and Montpelier Gardens, and commanding a full view of the Cheltenham Pump Room and its extensive pleasure grounds."[31] The site, including the Crescent Inn, was cleared in the 1890s to make way for the present Crescent Gardens.[nb 3]

Shutt provided a specification and design for a workhouse on the east side of Stockwell Road, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. It was to replace an earlier 18th century one next to St John the Baptist church.[33][nb 4] This plan was approved by the Knaresborough Board of Guardians, who said there should be a water cistern on top. This was recorded at a board meeting on Wednesday 15 October 1856. The works were to be completed by 1 June 1857.[33] Three buildings were later added to the site to form an infirmary, then the buildings were demolished in 1996 and the land was redeveloped for housing.[34]

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All Saints Harlow Hill

St George Hotel

This is a Grade II listed building, built as a mission church, or chapel of ease, consecrated by the Bishop of Ripon in 1871. It has a "circular bell tower reminiscent of Irish bell-houses". It is not known whether Shutt drew plans or supervised construction, but Gothic Revival churches and towers require design skills which Shutt had not previously demonstrated. This begs the question as to whether the partnership came into being because Strutt had the connections by which to gain the commission, and Thompson ARIBA was the project architect. After some years of closure due to wet and dry rot, as of 2014 the building was being restored for use by a funeral director company.[1][36]

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Thompson and Shutt designed the enlargement for the George Hotel, Harrogate, and advertised for tenders for building work to be received by 26 October 1871. The plans were kept at Thompson's office in Leeds, but both architects held the bills of quantities for the builders. This highlights a possibility that it was Thompson who was mostly responsible for the plans.[35]

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