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96 ] A fter thirteen years in America, in the first days of 1860 Wheeler returned to England with his family for reasons about which we can only speculate: the unsettled political climate in advance of the Civil War, lack of recognition by his colleagues at the a.i.a., homesickness ? He had had a rather successful career in the States, with two popular books and many executed buildings to his credit, yet something drove him to return. He continued his practice in England, billing himself as architect, surveyor, and civil engineer, with offices until 1869 at 16 Hawley Square, Margate. An entry in the 1868 Architects, Engineers, and Building-Trades Directory published in London summarized the range of his practice: “railway buildings, banks, churches, mansions , and private residences in the United States and England; [he] has also been engaged in laying out lands, and in sanitary appliances.” The documented catalogue of his design work in America includes all of the above except railway stations. As odd as it seems, no Wheeler-designed buildings have to date been located in his native country. Overlooked when architects formed the American Institute of Architects, Wheeler now found support for his candidacy in the Royal Institute of British Architects (r.i.b.a.). At this period in the nineteenth century, membership in the r.i.b.a. was limited to a small fraction of those in the profession, namely, gentleman architects.1 Wheeler met the qualifications, for on 11 February 1867, recommended by Fellows George Godwin, editor of The Builder; William Slater, a former fellow apprentice of R. C. Carpenter; and H. A. Derbyshire, he became a member, at the full rank of Fellow.2 He also, about this time, moved from Margate to Kilburn in London, where he would reside until 1873 when he presumably retired, for he was dropped then from the r.i.b.a. rolls for nonpayment of dues. According to the late Jill Allibone, architectural historian in London, scant availableinformationexistsregardingWheeler’scareerinEngland.Hedid,inFebruary 1868, read two papers before an Ordinary General Meeting of the r.i.b.a.; both concerned the “Peculiarities of Domestic Architecture in America.”3 A summary of part of his address, namely the description of a “new York Up-Town House” was subsequently published in The Builder.4 That summary began by warning a visitor to America that he will not find “subjects of aesthetic value for his note book,” although there are other things worthy of investigation. His comments reflect the tilt of his work in this country. He goes on to say that “there is nothing in public buildings . . . to show the dawn Epilogue E P I L O G U E [ 97 of a new development, and that in . . . domestic architecture must be sought the germ of a national style, if such a flower is ever to bloom on transatlantic soil!” One may study American domestic architecture, he said, and “learn a useful lesson, not without advantage in its application” in England. “American architectural art is in a transition state, but from its domestic buildings,” he fully believed, “is the embodiment of some fixed principles of design to spring.” Although Wheeler mentioned the influence in the United States of English, French, Italian, and German styles, his discussion here, as in his American books, was largely devoted to location, planning, structure, heating, ventilating, and other practical considerations . In much of this he pointed to differences between English and American domestic design, especially in urban dwellings. These, he wrote, are “not French, nor . . . English, although possessing features common to both countries; and if the newly-acquired wealth of the citizens leads to some vulgarity of display, I do not know that we can afford to say much in the way of censure in face of examples we can call to mind at home.” The reading of the r.i.b.a. paper drew comments from Charles Barry, Thomas L. Donaldson, Robert Kerr, and J. B. Papworth, all of a practical nature. By 1871 Wheeler had once again published a book on domestic architecture. Reviews of The Choice of a Dwelling in the literary journals were generally positive . The critic for The Athenaeum thought that “Mr. Wheeler offers the largest, most carefully prepared, and, on the whole, wisest and most comprehensive collection . . . of pieces of advice on the subject.”5 That for The Illustrated Review, while complaining of the “superfluity of volumes treating of the planning and building of an English gentleman’s house,” wrote...

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