Charles Harrison Townsend 1851-1928

Charles Harrison Townsend was born in Birkenhead, Merseyside in 1851. Educated at Birkenhead School he became articled to Walter Scott of Liverpool and was draughtsman to Charles Barry from 1873 to 1875. From 1875 to 1877 Townsend was senior draughtsman in the London School Board office under Edward Robert Robson. He commenced independent practice in 1877 and was in partnership with Thomas Lewis bank from 1884 to 1886. From 1887 he practised alone. He was elected to FRIBA in 1888. Master Art Workers Guild and published “Beautiful Buildings in France and Belgium in 1916.
Extracted from Directory of British Architects 1834-1914, British Architectural Library.

Chas Bell, 1846-1899

Charles Bell was born in Grantham, Lincoilnshire and educated at Grantham Grammar School. Articled to John Giles he was elected to ARIBA in 1870 during which year he commenced independent practice.
Extracted from Directory of British Architects 1834-1914, British Architectural Library.

John Loughborough Pearson, 1817-1897.

John Loughborough Pearson was born in Brussels in 1817. In office of Ignatius Bonom in Durham with Anthony Sawin during 1842 and then with Philip Hardwich. Commenced practice in 1843. Architect to Lincoln Cathedral in 1876. Worked with his son Frank Loughborough Pearson until his death. Awarded Royal Gold Medal 1880, Gold Medal, Paris Exposition, 1878 and made Knight of Legion of Honour 1897.
Extracted from Directory of British Architects 1834-1914, British Architectural Library.

Silvanus Trevail

Silvanus Trevail was born in Luxulyan, Cornwall, in October 1851 and was educated first at the village school and then at Ledrah House School, St Austell before being sent to work in London in the offices of Henry Garling FRIBA. He returned to Cornwall in 1872 and was commissioned to design the Elementary Board School, Mount Charles, St Austell, the first of 35 new schools he designed in Cornwall as a result of the surge in school building following the passing of the Education Act.
In 1878 his designs were exhibited at the Exhibition of of British Architecture at the Paris Exposition and at exhibitions in Sydney, where he received a medal and diploma for his design of Fowey Grammar School, and Melbourne.
In 1893 he was commissioned to design the Hayle Institute, for Passmore Edwards, and over the next 7 years designed many, but not all, of the Passmore Edwards buildings in Cornwall as well as the East Ham Hospital and the Plashet Public Library, East Ham,London. Other buildings he designed included a number of chapels and churches in Cornwall, several of Cornwall’s most well known hotels and mansion houses at Blisland and St Ives, Cornwall, and in Dublin. The latter is now the Department of Pharmacy building for Dublin University.
In Cornwall he was well respected as a Borough Councillor, and later Mayor, in Truro and as a County Councilor, whilst his professional reputation was acknowledged by election as Fellow of the RIBA and firstly Vice President of the Society of Architects in 1896 and then President in 1901-1903.
The Silvanus Trevail Society was formed to encourage interest in the work of Silvanus Trevail, a gifted architect, an effective local politician and, above all, a great Cornishman.