Details
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TQ 2979 SE
1900/101/10252
TUFTON STREET
No.24
Mary Sumner House
GV
II
Headquarters of the Mother's Union. Dated and inscribed The Mary Sumner House, 1925, by Claude W.Ferrier, FRIBA. Corner site Tufton Street and Great Peter Street. Rusticated stone, red - brown brick, red brick and stone dressings, slate mansard roofs. Four storeys, attics and basements. Rusticated stone ground floor, with continuous fluted band running across all elevations, and deep modillion cornice above second floor. Corner offset, with entrance to shop in square opening; pair of part-glazed oak doors under overlight with terracotta panel of Annunciation, in manner of Della Robbia, moulded cornice and brackets. Above, large stone cartouche on two storeys, inscribed The Mary Sumner House 1925. Tall stack with red brick diaper work on moulded stone base, over raised brick panel at third floor.
Tufton Street in nine and a half bays, Great Peter Street in six bays, the inner three bays to each elevation and outer full bay to Tufton Street breaking forward slightly above ground floor.
Tufton Street : tripartite shop window with slender glazing bars, small paned metal overlights, stone keystone, band above inscribed The Mother's Union; pair of tripartite stone mullioned windows with stone keystones, above raised basement windows. Entrance to No.24 flanked by tall square headed windows, that to left with small panes, to right with coloured glass, in memory of members of the M.U who died as a result of enemy action 1939-45. Inscribed panel below each , to left in memory of Mary Elizabeth Sumner, founder of the M.U, 1876, stone laid by her daughter, Louisa Gore-Brown, 18 July 1923, Architect Claude W. Ferrier, FRIBA, builder Perry & Co (Bow) Ltd. To right: this building was erected by contributions of members and friends of the M.U opened 21 July by The Princess Mary Viscountess Lascelles. Entrance square headed under keystone, narrow overlight over cornice on moulded brackets above pair of oak doors with fielded panels, a central round panel each, with circular brass knocker and letter box. Fluted band above inscribed The Mary Sumner House. Upper floors small paned metal windows, casements and top hung, the outer bay blind recesses. Six flat- headed full dormers either single or two-light, arranged alternately. Tall end stack.
Great Peter Street: similarly treated. Wide shop window, The Mother's Union inscribed on band above; tripartite stone mullioned window over raised basement window, service entrance with pair of oak panelled doors. Upper floors as Tufton Street with four dormers, the third of two lights, pair of stacks one at gable one midway.
INTERIOR. Open well staircase from basement to roof, iron balusters marked with appropriate storey, moulded oak rail, ramped, with curtail in basement. Similarly detailed back stair in smaller well.
Chapel: recorded 1985 when screen resited, side wall squared off, glass panels installed, sanctuary reordered to accommodate new liturgy, bringing alter forward. Sanctuary vaulted ceiling, flanking circular windows with coloured glass, to left to Hilda of Whitby , to right to Mother Julian of Norwich. Nine bays oak screen with traceried panels now at roadside end of chapel. Window in memory of those who gave their lives in the service of their country, 1939-45, signed, monk in cowl, 1951. Organ 1935.
Assembly Room: entrance through two pairs oak, part-glazed doors. Three bays, pilastes with brackets supporting ceiling joists, raised panelled walls. Flanking stage, doorways in facetted moulded architraves each with panelled oak door, tall frieze with rectangular ventilation panel above. Above entrance wall set forward, with oval ventilation openings with Sumner Room: formerley Committee Room One. Four bays, part reordered, simple classical detail. Windows with leaded glazing with coloured margins, arms of Munster, Ulster, Leinster and Connaught, replaced after bomb damage. Former library, set at angle of street , part supported on two octagonal piers. Angle chimney piece, oak overmantle, remainder obscured, donated by Bunbury, W.Australia.
Princess Mary Room: angle chimney piece with simple painted moulded architrave, green and cream glazed tiles with chevron edging, small iron fireplace. Parquetry floor. Room contains much memorabilia, including picture of former chapel reredos.
Hostel, formerly president's residence: door of two raised and fielded panels with letter box, simple painted moulded mantlepiece. Remainder subdivided. Canted stairwell, at first floor landing with coloured leaded glass window with leaded margins, inscribed as replacing one which was destroyed by air raids and which came from St Jude's Church Whitechapel. Doors either oak, part glazed, or painted some of two raised and fielded panels, others part glazed.
Shop: pair of oak clad octagonal piers, flanking alcove behind, with depressed arched head. Flanking doorways, architrave mouldings matching windows. Panelled walls, that to right reclad.
