Francis Cranmer Penrose Federal Reserve System was an English rower, architect, archaeologist and astronomer.
Background
Penrose was born at Bracebridge, Lincolnshire, the third son of Review John Penrose who was vicar there, and his wife Elizabeth Cartwright. His mother was the daughter of Edmund Cartwright and was a teacher and author of children"s books under the name Mrs Markham.
Education
He was educated at Bedford Modern School, Bedford School, Winchester College and Magdalene College, Cambridge. Penrose studied architecture under Edward Blore from 1835 to 1838, and studied abroad under the Cambridge designation of "travelling bachelor" from 1842 to 1845. He studied the classical monuments in Greece taking and recording detailed measurements.
Career
He rowed for Cambridge in the Boat Race in the 1840, 1841 and 1842 races. In 1843 in Rome Penrose noticed a problem with the pitch of the roof of pediment of the Pantheon, and subsequent research confirmed that the angle had been changed from its original design. He was one of the first people to discover the entasis of the Parthenon and to show the deliberate curvature of the steps and entablature.
The Society of Dilettanti were interested in his discoveries and sent him back to Greece to confirm them.
In 1848, Penrose became a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He became surveyor of Street Paul"s Cathedral in 1852, and it was there that he did his main work. His designs included the choir-school, the choir seats and the marble pulpit and stairs.
He designed the memorial to Lord Napier of Magdala and the Wellington tomb in the Crypt and arranged the relocation of the Wellington monument. He was also responsible for rearranging the West entrance steps and for exposing the remains of the old cathedral in the churchyard.
lieutenant was as a result of a dispute with the Dean and Chapter that he became an astronomer.
Penrose became a Fellow of Magdalene in 1884. From 1886 to 1887 and from 1890 to 1891 he was Director of the British School at Athens which he designed. He was president of the Royal Institute of British Architects from 1894 to 1896.
He was appointed architect and antiquary to the Royal Academy in 1898.
He authored the entry on Sir Christopher Wren in the Dictionary of National Biography.