Basic Biographical Details
| Name: | John Manuel |
| Designation: | |
| Born: | 1837 or 1838 |
| Died: | 7 August 1900 |
| Bio Notes: | John Manuel was born in 1837 or 1838, the son of Peter Manuel, clerk of works in Edinburgh, and his wife Agnes Wilson. He trained in the Burgh Surveyor's office in Edinburgh and was appointed Burgh Surveyor and Master of Works for Hawick in 1874. Whilst holding these posts he designed several mills in the same town, as well as his own house, Elm Bank (or Elmbank). Manuel married Catherine (or Katherine) Hunter, a music teacher and the daughter of Francis Hunter, Master Butcher and his wife Margaret Stevenson, on 11 July 1876 at North Berwick in a United Presbyterian service presided over by the Rev William Calvert. They had five children: Margaret Agnes (born 21 May 1877); John (born 18 June 1879); Catherine Hunter (born 12 January 1881); Francis Eric (born 9 January 1886); and Florence Wilson (born 29 March 1888). The last two were born in Elm Bank, the house Manuel designed for himself and his family in 1884. Manuel's standing in the town is demonstrated by the fact that townspeople named the steep road leading up to this house 'Manuel's Brae'. In addition to his post as Burgh Surveyor, Manuel was also Road Surveyor for the Hawick & Liddesdale District Committees, and architect for the Hawick Working Men's Building & Investment Company which was building terraced housing on the southern side of the valley. He was remembered as a painstaking and obliging official who worked well with the councillors. His interests were extremely varied: in politics he was a Unionist. He was a manager of East Bank UP Church, and was a talented musician and an excellent bass singer. He was a freemason, a member of St John's Lodge no 111. His sporting interests centred on bowling, curling and fishing and he was a founder member of Hawick Golf Club in 1877. Manuel's wife died of acute peritonitis on Christmas Day 1896. She was buried in the new cemetery at Wilton, in the design of which her husband would have been closely involved; the plot chosen for her grave was visible from Elm Bank at the time, in front of the far wall of the cemetery at the head of an avenue of trees. Manuel himself took ill in early 1900. He was given leave of absence and his son John, who had not been articled to his father but had trained in Hawick and Edinburgh and worked as assistant to Robert Weir Schultz in London, then returned to the family home and served as interim Burgh Surveyor. John Manuel senior spent a month convalescing at Joppa on the outskirts of Edinburgh, and another month by the sea at Dunbar, before returning to the Borders for some fishing at the nearby village of Lilliesleaf. He was thought to be recovering well but suddenly and unexpectedly died of a heart attack 7 August the same year, aged sixty-two years. His son remained in Hawick for a time but had moved to North Wales by 1904 to work in the office of Porter & Elcock of Colwyn Bay. |
Private and Business Addresses
| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | |||||
| Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | |
 | 25, North Bridge Street, Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland | Private | 1881 * | ||
| Elm Bank (or Elmbank), Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland | Private | c. 1884 | 1900 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and Training
Employers
| The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | |||||
| Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | |
| Hawick Working Men's Building & Investment Company | Architect | |||
| Edinburgh Burgh Surveyor's Office | After 1854 | Before 1874 | ||
| Hawick Burgh Surveyor's Office | 1874 | Burgh Surveyor | ||
Buildings and Designs
| This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | |||||||
| Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | |
| Terraced housing for Hawick Working Men's Building & Investment Company | Hawick | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Dates unknown | ||
| c. 1880 | Howlands Mill | Hawick | Roxburghshire | Scotland | or John Guthrie? | |
| c. 1880 | Mr Fingland's Mill | Hawick | Roxburghshire | Scotland | ||
| 1884 | Elm Bank | Hawick | Roxburghshire | Scotland | ||
References
Archive References
| The following archives hold material relating to this : | ||||
| Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | |
| Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | Information from research by Ron H Smith, owner of former Elm Bank, Hawick | |