Frederick de Jersey Clere

The architectural career of Frederick de Jersey Clere began in England before he relocated to New Zealand in 1877 aboard the Hurunui. Over the subsequent decades, he became a prolific designer of ecclesiastical structures, overseeing the construction of more than one hundred churches across the country and influencing the regional adoption of reinforced concrete in early twentieth-century building projects.

Early Training and Migration

Born in Walsden, Lancashire, on 7 January 1856, Clere was the son of an Anglican clergyman. He attended St John's School in Clapton, London, for six years. At age sixteen, he began his apprenticeship under Edmund Scott in Brighton. By 1875, he served as an assistant to Robert Jewell Withers in London and joined the London Architectural Association. He arrived in Wellington, New Zealand, in December 1877.

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Professional Practice and Partnerships

After struggling to find consistent work in Wellington, Clere moved to Feilding in 1879. He later served as the architect for the Anglican Diocese of Wellington beginning in 1883 and held positions with the Wanganui Education Board. Throughout his career, he formed various professional partnerships, including Clere, Fitzgerald & Richmond and later associations with John Swan and Llewellyn Williams. In 1910, his son Herbert established the practice of Clere & Son in Palmerston North, and the two later collaborated as Clere & Clere in Wellington.

Architectural Contributions

Clere was a founding member of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, where he served as secretary for 50 years. He was known for his Gothic Revival church designs, including the Church of St John the Evangelist in Feilding, All Saints' Church in Palmerston North, and St Andrew's Church in New Plymouth. He became an early advocate for reinforced concrete, a material he utilized for most of his religious commissions after 1904. St Mary of the Angels in Wellington stands as his most significant work in this medium.

Public Service and Personal Interests

Beyond his architectural practice, Clere participated in local government, serving on the Wellington City Council and the Lower Hutt Borough Council. He was an active member of the Anglican Church and the Freemasons. Outside of his professional duties, he was an accomplished watercolour painter who exhibited at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. He maintained a lifelong commitment to the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals until his death in 1952.