His work dates from 1864 (when he set himself up in practice) to around 1912. His earliest surviving known building dates from 1866.
Early lifeedit
Born Fothergill Watson in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in 1841, he was the son of wealthy NottinghamLacemerchant Robert Watson and Mary Ann Fothergill. He changed his name to Watson Fothergill in 1892 to continue his maternal family name.
His father-in-law was Samuel Hage,[2] one of the founding partners of Mansfield Brewery.
His half-brother was Robert Mackie Watson, chairman of the Mansfield Improvement Commission and the Brunts' Charity.[citation needed]
Careeredit
In 1856, he entered the St Peter's Gate office of Frederick Jackson, an architect and surveyor in Nottingham. In mid-1860 he moved as assistant to Isaac Charles Gilbert who was based in Clinton Street, Nottingham. After spending around 18 months with Gilbert, he moved in early 1862 to join the office of Arthur William Blomfield in London. In 1864 he was working with John Middleton in Cheltenham, but in the same year, left to set up his own office at 6 Clinton Street, Nottingham.[4] He remained at Clinton Street until it was demolished by the works in connection with the arrival of the Great Central Railway in 1894. He moved to a new temporary office at 18 George Street and arranged to rebuild 15 George Street opposite which he completed the next year and moved in on 12 December 1895.
He was in partnership with Lawrence George Summers from 1880 and he retired in 1912.
He is credited as having had a great impact on the architecture of the major British industrial city of Nottingham, and designed over a hundred buildings in the city, from offices, banks and warehouses, to churches and private dwelling houses. His easily recognisable style includes the use of contrasting horizontal bands of red and blue brick, dark timber eaves and balconies, and elaborate turrets and stone carving.
On his death in 1928, he left an estate valued at £73,908 5s 11d[5] (equivalent to £4,740,000 in 2021).[6]
Brand, Ken (2009) "Watson Fothergill: a provincial goth", in: Ferry, Kathryn, ed. Powerhouses of Provincial Architecture, 1837–1914. London: Victorian Society; pp. 28–43
Turner, Darren (2012) "A Catalogue of the Works of Watson Fothergill, Architect."
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Watson Fothergill.
^Brodie, Antonia (20 December 2001). Directory of British Architects 1834-1914: Vol 1 (A-K). Royal Institute of British Architects. p. 675. ISBN 0826455131.
^ ab"Marriages". London Evening Standard. England. 12 September 1867. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Marriages". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 13 September 1867. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ abTurner, Darren (2012). A Catalogue of the Works of Watson Fothergill, Architect. Nottingham: DT:P / Blurb.
^"Notts Architect". Sheffield Independent. England. 22 June 1928. Retrieved 6 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
^"Local and District News". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 12 January 1866. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"New Congregational Chapel at Mansfield". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 1 June 1877. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"The Notitngham and Notts Bank". Nottingham Evening Post. England. 21 March 1881. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Hucknall Torkard". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 8 August 1884. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Ongar. The Budworth Memorial Hall". Chelmsford Chronicle. England. 11 February 1887. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Emmanuel Church, Nottingham. Consecration of New Chancel". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 18 March 1893. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Sherwood Rise, Nottingham". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 12 November 1898. Retrieved 4 March 2016 – via British Newspaper Archive.
External linksedit
The Watson Fothergill Home Page
A catalogue of Watson Fothergill's work
Norris Ladies Almshouses, Berridge Road, Nottingham on Google Street View.
Clawson Lodge, Watcombe Road, Nottingham on Google Street View
21 and 23 Newcastle Drive, The Park, Nottingham on Google Street View
39 Newcastle Drive, The Park, Nottingham on Google Street View
Edale House, Clumber Road East, The Park, Nottingham on Google Street View
No 3, South Road, The Park, Nottingham on Google Street View
No. 5 and No. 7 Lenton Road, The Park, Nottingham on Google Street View
No. 3 and No. 4 Huntingdon Drive, The Park, Nottingham on Google Street View
93–95 Derby Road, Nottingham on Google Street View
The 'Buildings' section of Nottingham21 Web Site has photographs of most of the surviving Fothergill buildings in the city.
A collection of photographs of Fothergill buildings on Geograph UK