Harry Beswick (architect) explained

Harry Beswick FRIBA (1856 – 8 July 1929) was County Architect for Chester from 1895^[1] until 1926.

Career

He was born in Chester and educated at King's School, Chester where he was awarded the Duke of Westminster Gold Medal in 1871. He was articled to Thomas Meakin Lockwood of Chester from 1871 and later returned as his Managing Clerk in 1881.

He began independent practice in 1889 and in 1895 he was appointed County Architect to Cheshire County in 1895 and architect to the Cheshire Education Committee from 1904.^[2]

In 1905 he was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

He retired in 1926.

Life

He was born in 1855, the son of William Beswick (1822–1887) and Mary Morley (1825–1915). His father was the schoolmaster at Upton-by-Chester.

On 12 August 1882 he married Edith, daughter of Charles Anderson at Aldford Parish Church. They had the following children:

• Agnes Marion Beswick (1884–1977)
• Jessie Beswick (b. 1886)
• William Beswick (1888–1981) also an architect
• Harry Beswick (b. 1890) also an architect
• Isabel Marjory Louisa Beswick (1894–1973)

He died on 8 July 1929.^[3]

Buildings

• National School, Guilden Sutton 1890–91^[4]
• Oakfield Manor 1892
• Church of the Good Shepherd, Charlotte Street, Chester, 1894-95^[5]
• Westminster Schools, Peploe Street, Hoole (new classrooms) 1894-95
• St Martin’s Welsh Church, Chester (new church room) 1895-96
• Agricultural School, Salterford Hall, Holmes Chapel 1896^[6]
• Church School, Mollington 1896–97
• Unionist Club, Newgate Street, Chester 1896–97
• 3 Northgate Street, Chester 1899
• 21–23 Northgate Street, Chester 1897 (for Charles Brown)
• Runcorn Police Station (extension) 1898-99^[7]
• Sealand Isolation Hospital, Chester 1899^[8]
• Terrace of 6 houses, 158–168 New Chester Road, Port Sunlight 1899
• Police Court, Liscard, Wallasey 1900^[9]
• Police Station, Audlem 1901
• Plinth for the statue of Queen Victoria, Chester Castle, 1903
• Ruskin School, Ruskin Road, Crewe 1909
• Macclesfield High School for Girls, 1908–09^[10]
• St Werburgh Middle School, Love Street, Chester 1909^[11]
• Teacher Training College, Crewe 1910–11
• Police Station, Station Road, Cheadle Hulme 1911^[12]
• Caretaker’s House, Ruskin Road School, Rook Street 1909
• Altrincham County School for Boys 1910
• Police Station, Victoria Square, Stockton Heath 1911^[13]
• Police Station, Telegraph Road, Heswall 1911
• Grammar School, Marlborough Road, Bowdon 1911^[14]
• Lymm Grammar School (additions) 1911–12^[15]
• Alderley Edge Council School (additions) 1912
• Aston Council School, Runcorn 1912
• Upton Asylum (new buildings) 1913^[16]
• Brown and Co, Eastgate Street, Chester (extension) 1914–15^[17]
• Grammar School, Nantwich 1915–21 (now Malbank School)
• County High School for Girls, West Kirby (additions) 1921^[18]
• Reaseheath School of Agrigulcture, (new buildings) 1924^[19]
• Altrincham Grammar School for Boys (additions) 1925^[20]
• Court House and Constabulary, 70-104 Chapel Street, Dukinfield
• Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (additions)
• Police Station, Green Lane, Wilmslow
• Knot Hotel, 51 Whitby Road, Ellesmere Port
• Police Station, High Street, Taporley
• Police Station and Court, Westminster Road, Ellesmere Port
• Police Station and Court, Barnhill Road, Broxton

Notes and References

1. News: . Cheshire County Council. Appointment of Architect and Surveyor . Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser . England . 4 July 1896 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
2. Book: Brodie, Antonia . 20 December 2001 . Directory of British Architects 1834–1914: Vol 1 (A–K) . Royal Institute of British Architects . 172 . 0826455131 .
3. News: . Death of Mr Harry Beswick . Staffordshire Sentinel . England . 10 July 1929 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
4. News: . Bishop Jayne on Village Nonconfirmity . Cheshire Observer . England . 11 April 1891 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
5. News: . Sealand Road Mission Church . Cheshire Observer . England . 27 April 1895 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
6. News: . Technical Education in Flintshire . Chester Courant . England . 14 October 1896 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
7. News: . Runcorn Police Station . St. Helens Examiner . England . 13 January 1899 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
8. News: . The Sealand Isolation Hospital . Chester Courant . England . 25 October 1899 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
9. News: . New Wallasey Police Court . Birkenhead News . England . 3 March 1900 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
10. News: . £14,000 High School for Girls . Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser . England . 19 February 1909 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
11. News: . City and County of the City of Chester . Cheshire Observer . England . 28 May 1910 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
12. News: . New Police Station for Cheadle Hulme . Stockport Advertiser and Guardian . England . 14 April 1911 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
13. News: . County Palatine of Chester. New Police Station at Stockton Heath . Runcorn Examiner . England . 15 April 1911 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
14. Book: Pevsner . Nikolaus . Hubbard . Edward . 1990 . The Buildings of England. Cheshire . Penguin Books . 111 . 0140710426.
15. News: . Contracts . Northwich Guardian . England . 18 November 1910 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
16. News: . County of Chester . Birkenhead News . England . 4 January 1913 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
17. News: . War Relief Funds . Liverpool Echo . England . 10 April 1915 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
18. News: . County High School for Girls, West Kirby Extensions . Liverpool Daily Post . England . 13 November 1920 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
19. News: . County of Chester. Reaseheath School of Architecture . Crewe Chronicle . England . 10 May 1924 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
20. News: . County of Chester. Altrincham County High School for Boys. Adderley & Wilmslow Advertiser. England . 7 November 1924 . 2 July 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .