Thomas Verity - biography

Thomas Verity was an English theatre architect during the theatre building boom of 1885–1915. Verity began his career articled in the architecture department of the War Office, assisting in the erection of the South Kensington Museum. He further assisted in the building of the Royal Albert Hall between 1867–70. In 1870, he won an open competition to build the Criterion Theatre and restaurant for caterers Spiers and Pond founding his own architectural practice. Other London theatres for which he was engaged included the Royalty Theatre, the Novelty Theatre, the Folly Theatre, the Scala Theatre, and the Harold Pinter Theatre. In 1878, he was appointed consulting architect to the Lord Chamberlain's office. Initially, this was in partnership with G. H. Hunt, but later with his son, Frank Verity, who received his training in his father's firm.