Basic Biographical Details

Name: Paley & Austin
Designation:  
Born: 1867
Died: 1886
Bio Notes: Edward Graham Paley was born in 1823 at Easington, Yorkshire, the fourth son of the vicar there, the Rev Edmund Paley. He was educated at Christ's Hospital, London, and articled to the architect-historian Edmund Sharpe in Lancaster in October 1838. He assisted with Sharpe's books as well as his practice and was taken into partnership in 1845, the practice title becoming Sharpe & Paley. In 1851 Sharpe withdrew to concentrate on his railway interests, but a family connection remained as Paley married Sharpe's much younger sister Frances.

Paley practised alone from Sharpe's office at Leonardgate until 1859 with John Douglas, later of Chester, as his chief assistant. He then moved office to Castle Hill and in 1867 took Hubert James Austin into partnership. Austin was born on 13 March 1841 at Redmarshill, County Durham, the son of the Rev Thomas Austin whose church there had been restored by Sharpe. Hubert was educated at Richmond Grammar School and articled in 1860 to his elder half-brother, Thomas (Tom) Austin of Norfolk, a pupil of Sharpe best known for his sensitive restoration of the priory church at Brinkburn. On completion of his articles Hubert joined the staff of Sir George Gilbert Scott in London where he remained until joining Paley's practice, winning the Pugin studentship in 1866. He married Edmund Sharpe's niece.

In 1871 Paley was admitted FRIBA, his proposers being Professor T Roger Smith and his partner Charles Foster Hayward of London and Thomas Worthington of Manchester. Austin did not seek membership. In 1877 Henry Anderson Paley, born 1859 and eldest son of the four children of Edward Graham Paley, was articled to the firm. He had been educated at Castle Howell School and at Uppingham. At the end of his articles in 1881 he was sent to Thomas Edward Collcutt's office in London to obtain wider experience, returning to the family firm after eighteen months in 1882 or early 1883. He passed the qualifying exam in 1884 and was admitted ARIBA on 8 June 1885, his proposers being his father, Collcutt and Cole Alfred Adams of Bournemouth with whom he had no known connection. He became a partner in 1886, the practice then adopting the style of Paley, Austin & Paley.

Edward Graham Paley died in January 1895, the practice name becoming Austin & Paley. Hubert James Austin died in 1915. His sons Geoffrey, Bernard and Henry became architects but only Geoffrey became a partner and then only briefly in 1915-16.

Throughout their partnership the elder Paley and Austin were extremely accomplished Gothic designers, markedly influenced by Scott from the time Austin joined the practice in 1867. In their later years they adopted a refined English Perpendicular akin to the work of Bodley & Garner, but in the secular work if the younger Paley the influence of Collcutt was marked from at least 1887 onwards.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1Lancaster, Lancashire, EnglandBusiness   

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 5Edward Graham Paley18671886Partner 
Item 2 of 5Hubert James Austin18671886Partner 
Item 3 of 5Cathcart William MethvenAfter 1871After 1875Assistant 
Item 4 of 5Henry Anderson Paley18771881Apprentice 
Item 5 of 5Henry Anderson Paley1882 or 18831886Assistant(?) 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 21875St John's Episcopal ChurchGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 2 of 21884Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, first competition  LiverpoolEnglandShortlisted competition design

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Brandwood, Geoffrey 2009Splendour in the North: the Churches of Paley & Austin Ferry, Kathryn (ed.): Powerhouses of provincial architecture 1837-1914, pp85-192 
Item 2 of 2Walker, Frank Arneil1986South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew  p130