Architects: E.J. Margry (1841-1891) and associates

Everhardus (Evert) Johannes Margry (often also spelled Margrij) was born on December the 28th 1841 in Harderwijk as the second son of an innkeeper and merchant. After having completed the gymnasium in Harderwijk, Evert followed the example of his older brother Jan who was in Amsterdam, studying to become an architect.

In Amsterdam Evert met P.J.H. Cuypers, and became one of his first apprentices. At the age of 22 he became the overseer at the construction of Cuypers' St. Dominicus church in Alkmaar. In 1866 his first assignment as an autonomous architect took him to Rotterdam, where he settled and set up an office of his own. A series of neo-Gothic churches followed, mostly in the province of Zuid-Holland, as well as of numerous other buildings. Other works included restorations of various Gothic buildings. In all Margry has built ca. 30-40 churches. Margry is one of the most productive of the architects of neo-Gothic. 13th-century French Gothic was an important influence, and his style is characterized by an often excessive amount of ornamentative detail, both in the interior and the exterior.

In 1880 Margry formed a partnership with his younger brother Albert A.J. Margry (born in Harderwijk on April the 30th 1857) and J.M. Snickers (1851-1918). The latter was a relative of the bishop of Haarlem, who favoured the office with many assignments, thus extending the activities to the province of Noord-Holland. Most designs continued to be made by E.J. Margry. When Evert unexpectedly died at the age of 49 on the 8th of August 1891, A.A.J. Margry and J.M. Snickers continued the office, first finishing E.J.'s designs, later with their own work in a similar style. Newspapers from this period often refer to the office as Margry brothers and Snickers.

In this period the office was granted the first of a series of assignments for a series of churches dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua, all paid for by J.P. Grewen, and after 1910 out of his inheritance, a wealthy merchant from Rotterdam and an uncle of the Margry brothers.  

The association with Snickers was dissolved on December the 28th of 1908, and Albert Margry continued on his own until he died on October the 27th 1911. That year his son Josephus (Jos.) Cornelius Franciscus (1888-1982) ceased his architect study to lead the office. It is unclear if father and son ever actually cooperated but Jos. did complete several of his father's works.

Jos. continued the firm with a series of new churches in an often neo-Romanesque style. In 1947 he was joined by his son Alphons and in 1958 he retired, 27 years after his final church had been completed. The former Margry firm today is named MAS architectuur. 

The following is an attempt to list the work of E.J. Margry as well as of that of his associates and successors. The number between brackets indicates the responsible architect(s). The list is incomplete and concentrates on churches mainly.

(1) by E.J. Margry

(2) by E.J. Margry, A.A.J. Margry & J.M. Snickers

(3) by A.A.J. Margry & J.M. Snickers

(4) by A.A.J. Margry

(5) by Jos. Margry


1866-1869 Rotterdam (ZH): church St. Antonius (1)

Margry's first church, a cruciform basilica in neo-Gothic style. Destroyed May 1940.

 

1868-1871 Nootdorp (ZH): church St. Bartholomeüs (1)

 

 

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform basilican church. Polygonal transept-arms. Tower with octagonal upper part with round corner-turrets.  


1871-1873 Schoonhoven (ZH): church St. Bartholomeus (1)

 

 

Three-aisled pseudo-basilica in neo-Romanesque style. Tower at the side.

 

1871-1872 Stompwijk (ZH): church St. Laurentius (1)

 

 

Big cruciform basilica in neo-Gothic style.

 

1873-1874 De Kwakel (ZH): church St. Johannes Geboorte (1)

Cruciform basilica in neo-Gothic style, demolished in 1968.

 

1873-1875 Hoogmade (ZH): church H. Maria Geboorte (1)

Church in neo-Gothic style, incorporating the tower of an older church (Th. Molkeboer, 1856-1857). After part of the nave collapsed in 1929 the church was replaced.

 

1874-1881 Delft (ZH): church St. Jozef (1)

 

 

 

Cruciform basilica with two different towers at the front. Later renamed Maria van Jesse.

 

1875-1876 Rotterdam-Kralingen (ZH): church  St. Lambertus (1)

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform basilica in neo-Gothic style.

 

1876 Heemstede (NH): church St. Bavo (1)

 

 

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform basilica in neo-Gothic style.

 

1877-1881 Schiedam (ZH): church O.L. Vrouw van de Rozenkrans (1)

 

 

 

Cruciform basilica. Later renamed H. Liduina.

 

1878 Lisse (ZH): church St. Agatha (1)

No further details. Demolished ca. 1902.

 

1878 Rotterdam (ZH): church H. Hart (1)

No further details. Destroyed May 1940.

 

1878-1879 Leidschendam (ZH): H.H. Petrus en Paulus (1)

 

 

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform basilican church. Facade flanked by tower on one side and a stair-turret on the other. Use of round arches, unusual for a neo-Gothic church.

 

 

1879 Oudorp (NH): church St. Laurentius (1)

 

 

Three-aisled pseudo-basilica.

 

1879-1880 Waddinxveen (ZH): church St. Victor (1)

 

 

 

Three-aisled pseudo-basilica.

 

1880 Den Haag-Loosduinen (ZH): church  O.L.  Vrouw Hemelvaart (1)

 

 

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform neo-Gothic church. Square tower with octagonal upper segment.

 

1880-1882 Oudewater (U): church St. Franciscus van Assisi (1)

 

 

 

Three-aisled neo-Gothic cruciform basilica.

 

 

1882 Voorhout (ZH): church St. Bartholomeus (1)

 

 

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform pseudo-basilica in neo-Gothic style. Short choir due to limited space.   

 

1882 Uitgeest (NH): H. Maria Geboorte (1)

No further details.

 

1883-1885 Haarlem (NH): church O.L. Vrouw van de Rozenkrans en H. Dominicus (Spaarnekerk) (1)

Three-aisled neo-Gothic cruciform basilica. Tower standing next to the facade. Demolished 1983 except for the tower.

1883-1885 Breukelen (U): church St. Johannes de Doper (1)

 

 

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform pseudo-basilica. The central trave of the side-aisles is higher than the others.

 

1884 Megen (NB): latin school and seminary (1)

 

 

Building in neo-Gothic style, with chapel.

 

1884 Ijmuiden (NH): church St. Gregorius (1)

No further details. Demolished.

 

1884-1886 Alphen a/d Rijn (ZH): church St. Bonifacius (1)

 

 

 

Pseudo-basilican cruciform church. The western traves of the side-aisles are higher than the others.

 

1884-1886 Amsterdam (NH): church St. Bonifatius (1)

Three-aisled neo-Gothic cruciform basilica with chapels in the corners between nave and transept. 1886 is year of consecration. The original design included a tower of ca. 85 meters tall which was not built. An alternative tower added in 1925-1926 by architect P. Pieters. Church demolished in 1984.

 

1885-1886 Utrecht (U): church St. Monica (1)

Three-aisled cruciform basilica in neo-Romanesque style. Demolished 1977.

 

1886-1888 Den Haag (ZH): church St. Jozef (1)

Big three-aisled neo-Gothic cruciform basilica, inapired by French 13th-century Gothic. Considered to be Margry's best work. Closed in 1971 and demolished in 1975.

 

1885 Maasland (ZH): church H. Maria Magdalena (1)

 

 

 

 

Triple-aisled pseudo-basilica in Neo-Gothic style, with richly ornamented tower.

 

1886 Zaandam-Het Kalf (NH): church H. Maria Magdalena (1)




Cruciform pseudo-basilica with low nave with heightened traves on both sides.

 

1887 Oudewater (U): St. Franciscusgesticht (1)

No further details.

 

1887 Nieuwveen (ZH): tower church St. Nicolaas (1)

No further details.

 

1889 Reeuwijk (ZH): church H.H. Petrus en Paulus (1)

 

 

 

Big cruciform basilica. 

 

1890-1893 Voorburg (ZH): church St. Martinus (1)

 

 

 

Cruciform basilica. Narrower choir with ambulatory. Tower with two richly decorated niches in every side of the upper storey, inspired by A. Tepe's tower in Abcoude from 1887. Completed by A.A.J. Margry and J.M. Snickers

 

1890-1892 Rotterdam (ZH): church St. Hildegardis (2)

 

 

 

Designed by E.J. Margry, completed by A.A.J. Margry and J.M. Snickers. Three-aisled cruciform basilica with five-aisled choir. Westwork-like front with octagonal tower. Nave completed in 1905.

 

1890-1891 Hellevoetsluis (ZH): church St. Antonius van Padua (2)

 

 

 

Small aisleless church in a combination of neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque styles. Steeple-tower at the front instead of the tower which was in the original plan.

 
1894-1895 Voorschoten (ZH): chapel convent Huize Bijdorp (3)









Cruciform aisleless chapel in neo-Gothic style.
 

1898-1900 Zaandam (NH): church St. Bonifatius (3)

 

 

 

Big three-aisled cruciform basilica. Westwork-like front tower similar to that of the St. Hildegardis in Rotterdam.

 

1899 Rotterdam (ZH): church O.L. Vrouw van de Rozenkrans (3)

Three-aisled basilica with tower standing next to the front. 1899 is year of consecration. Demolished ca. 1975.

 
1901 Wateringen (ZH): church St. Jan de Doper (3)

 

 

 

Pseudo-basilican cruciform church with three aisles sharing one roof. Tower with corner-turrets.

 

 

 

1902-1903 Den Haag (ZH): church St. Agnes (3)

 

 

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform basilica with octagonal tower standing next to the facade.

 
1905 Egmond aan Zee (NH): church O.L. Vrouwe Onbevlekt Ontvangen (3)










Small aisleless church with frontal turret. 
 

1905-1908 Goes (Z): church St. Maria Magdalena (3)


 

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform basilica in a style inspired by early Gothic. Octagonal crossing with wooden dome-tower. Tower with corner-turrets.

 

1909 Alkmaar (NH): church St. Jozef (3)

 


Three-aisled cruciform basilica. Front flanked by stair-turrets.



 

1908-1910 Eindhoven (NB): church H. Antonius van Padua (Fellenoordkerk) (3)

Big three-aisled cruciform basilica in neo-Romanesque style. Demolished 1973.

 

1909-1910 Nijmegen (G): church H. Antonius van Padua en St. Anna (4)

 

 

 

Big three-aisled cruciform basilica in neo-Gothic style. Two different towers at the front.

 

1910-1911  Vlissingen (Z): church O.L. Vrouwe Rozenkrans (4)

 

Big three-aisled cruciform basilica in neo-Romanesque style. A monumental front with two towers was planned but not built. In 1936 architect J. van Velsen enlarged the church in a matching style but with a new facade.

 

1911-1913 Tilburg (NB): church St. Antonius van Padua (4?, 5)

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform basilica in neo-Romanesque style. Similar to the St. Antonius van Padua in Eindhoven, only with a crossing tower. Possibly a design was made by A.A.J. Margry just before he died.

 

1912 Keldonk (NB): church St. Antonius van Padua (5)

Three-aisled church with wide central aisle. Style with neo-Romanesque elements.

 

1912 Loosbroek (NB): church St. Antonius van Padua (5)

One-aisled church in neo-Romanesque style with aside standing tower.

 

1913 Biest-Houtakker (NB): church St. Antonius van Padua (5)

 

 

Three-aisled neo-Gothic cruciform basilica

 
1913-1914 Rotterdam (ZH): church O.L.Vrouwe van Lourdes (5)

Three-aisled cruciform basilica in neo-Romanesque style, with crossing-tower with dome. Destroyed by bombs in May 1940.  
 

1914-1928 Helmond (NB): church O.L. Vrouw ter Hemelopneming(4?, 5)

 

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform church in so-called neo-Byzantine style, a variant of neo-Romanesque. Crossing-tower with dome. Possibly designed by A.A.J. Margry but not started until several years after his death. First part completed in 1915, nave lengthened and tower added 1925-1928. Completed by Jos. Margry.

 

1916-1917 Nijmegen (G): church St. Antonius van Padua (5)

Three-aisled cruciform basilica with double transept and hexagonal crossing-tower. The original design included a tower which was never built.

 

1916-1917 Ewijk (G): church St. Johannes de Doper (5)

 

 

Three-aisled cruciform pseudo-basilica in neo-Romanesque style. The original design included a tower which was never built.

 
Ca. 1919 Tilburg (NB): design church St. Antonius van Padua

Design only. Church with three naves arranged like an arrow at a domed choir.
 

1919-1920 De Zilk (ZH): church H. Hart (5)

 

 

 

Three-aisled pseudo-basilican church in neo-Gothic style.

 
1921-1922 Haarlem (NH): church St. Liduina (5)










Three-aisled cruciform church. Extended at the front with two towers in 1928. Church renamed H. Adelbertus in 1996.

1922-1923 Rotterdam (ZH): church H. Barbara (5)

Large, aisleless cruciform church with centralizing ground-plan. Tower not build. Demolished in 1977.

 
1928-1931 Naaldwijk (ZH): church St. Adrianus







Last Margry church. Three-aisled pseudo-basilica in Expressionist style.
 
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