Anthony Blee FRSA FRIBA, passed away on 23 April 2023. Alan Stanton and Paul Williams of Stanton Williams share this dedication.
"We met Anthony for the first time when he recommended us as architects for a large new country house and estate in the Cotswolds. We subsequently developed a design and worked together with Anthony’s landscape architect daughter Jo Gibbons on the commission. We proved to be a great team and have worked with Jo on a wide range of projects ever since. Unfortunately, the house (Poulton Gorse) was never realised, but the introduction to Anthony and Jo has proved to be something of immense value.
We first visited Anthony in his rather beautiful Georgian house round the corner from our studio, and were immediately impressed by his warmth, charm, and erudition. He sat in his study surrounded by his extensive library and as we talked, he would freely quote from many of his books. Listening to him was a kind of masterclass in the theory of architecture and its recent history.
Anthony was a partner with Basil Spence, and deeply involved in the realisation of the new Coventry Cathedral in the '50s and '60s. The building was not only a major work of architecture but also a setting for numerous important artworks. It represented a fusion of the arts: music, painting, tapestry, sculpture, glasswork, and architecture, and as such was of enormous post-war symbolic importance. We were both brought up not far away in different parts of the Midlands and can remember its opening in 1962. Even as school kids we recognised its significance; it became an inspiration to us and encouraged us to become involved in the world of art and architecture.
We remain grateful to Anthony, not only for the cathedral and the many other projects that he realised, but also for his support, friendship, and encouragement over many years. We will miss him."
Alan Stanton & Paul Williams
Stanton Williams