James Fowler | |
|---|---|
 James Fowler memorial, Louth Church | |
| Born | 11 December 1828 |
| Died | 10 October 1892 |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Architect |
James Fowler JP FRIBA (11 December 1828 – 10 October 1892), known as 'Fowler of Louth',[1] is best known as a Victorian English church architect and associated with the restoration and renovation of churches. However, he was also the architect of a wide variety of other buildings. A listing of his work compiled in 1991 traced over 210 buildings that he designed or restored. He is known to be the architect for 24 new churches and his work also included 40 vicarages or rectories, 13 schools, four almshouses, a Savings Bank, a convalescent home and hospital as well as country houses and estate housing. Most of Fowler’s work was in Lincolnshire and particularly around Louth, but he also worked in the East Riding of Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, London, Sussex and Devon.[2]
Fowler was born in Lichfield. He was a pupil of Lichfield architect Joseph Potter junior.[3] He came to Louth in 1849, when he was employed in the construction of the Louth House of Correction (demolished 1885).[4] He was probably working for James Sandby Padley, who was the County Surveyor for the Lincolnshire parts of Lindsey. He undertook other work for Padley, including illustrations of the Lincoln Greyfriars in Padley's Selections from the Ancient Monastic Ecclesiastical and Domestic edifices of Lincolnshire which was published in 1851. At Louth he was initially in partnership with Joseph Maughan, a surveyor and lithographer in Grimsby. The partnership lasted from 1851 until June 1859.[5] On dissolution, it was agreed that the Surveying Department will hereafter be conducted by Mr. Maughan, and the Architectural Department by Mr. Fowler, at their usual places of business in both towns (Grimsby and Louth).[6] Fowler had probably continued the practice of Charles John Carter, a Louth architect and surveyor, who had died in 1851.
Fowler was elected FRIBA in 1864. Amongst his pupils was Ernest William Farebrother, an architect who worked in Grimsby.[7] He was a Surveyor for the Diocese of Lincoln between 1871 and 1886, and was for five terms the mayor of Louth.[8] The Grimsby architect John James Cresswell worked as an articled assistant and then principal assistant to Fowler between 1877 and 1884.[9]
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