Basic Biographical Details

Name: George Fowler Jones
Designation:  
Born: 1817 or 1818
Died: 1 March 1905
Bio Notes: George Fowler Jones was born in Aberdeen in 1819, the son of Major Lloyd Jones of the Madras Army and his Scottish wife Charlotte (surname not yet traced). Initially Jones studied drawing and lithography, the latter interest developing into photography under the guidance of __Talbot, presumably Fox Talbot. He then decided to become an architect and was articled to __Wilkins, presumably William Wilkins. On Wilkins’ death in 1839, or perhaps slightly earlier, he transferred to the office of Sydney Smirke for whom he made measured drawings of York Minster in 1840.
In 1843 Jones commenced practice on his own account with Peter Kerr as his assistant, probably in York where he was resident from 1845, lecturing to its Archaeological Institute meeting in July 1846. His earliest significant project was the ambitiously towered Gasgoigne Almshouses at Aberford in the West Riding in 1844 but some of his earliest known work was in north-east Scotland, a church at Nairn, lodges at Kilravock and Castle Grant 1844-45 and the alteration and enlargement of the Old Stables at Brodie Castle. The last of these, designed November 1846 suggests some connection with James Wylson, then also in practice in York as Wylson had designed significant alterations to Brodie Castle earlier in the same year before closing his York office to become a senior assistant to Sir Charles Barry. Jones’ Brodie commission went seriously wrong, resulting in the loss of his Scottish clientele but his Yorkshire practice continued to flourish, mainly for churches , church restorations , rectories and schools. He exhibited at the Royal Academy and was admitted FRIBA on 17 February 1868, his proposers being Smirke, Ewan Christian (with whom he had designed a church restoration) and Decimus Burton.

In August 1857 Jones married Catherine Pigeon of York for whom he had designed a large villa at 78 Bootham, York. This appears to have been a second marriage as he already had a son, Gascoigne Hastings Fowler Jones, born 1850, apparently named after his first client and articled to him as a pupil in 1867. His second marriage produced a further son who became an architect, Robert Colquhoun Fowler Jones, born 1865, and articled to his father in 1882.

Jones was an extremely accomplished draughtsman. He seems to have pursued his early career as an artist as a recreation, exhibiting a Cumberland landscape at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1872. He retired from active practice in 1893, moving from Bootham to Quarry Bank, Malton where he died on 1 March 1905. The practice was continued by his sons until about 1928.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 48, Lendal, York, Yorkshire, EnglandBusiness(?)1893 
Item 2 of 451, Monkgate, York, Yorkshire, EnglandBusiness(?)1845  
Item 3 of 484 (now 78), Bootham, York, Yorkshire, EnglandPrivate(?)1862 *1893 
Item 4 of 4Quarry Bank, Malton, Yorkshire, EnglandPrivate18931905 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

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 9Peter Kerr18431845Assistant(?) 
Item 2 of 9James Rawson CarrollBefore 1845Before 1850Apprentice 
Item 3 of 9John Russell MackenzieBefore 1850Before 1850AssistantPerhaps with George Fowler Jones
Item 4 of 9James Rawson CarrollBefore 1850Before 1856Assistant 
Item 5 of 9Horatio Kelson Bromheadc. 1858(?)1859Assistant 
Item 6 of 9Gascoigne Hastings Fowler Jones1867c. 1872Apprentice 
Item 7 of 9Gascoigne Hastings Fowler Jonesc. 18721876Assistant 
Item 8 of 9Robert Colquhon Fowler Jones18821887Apprentice 
Item 9 of 9Robert Colquhon Fowler Jones18871893Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Decimus Burton17 February 1888for Fellowship
Item 2 of 3Ewan Christian17 February 1888for Fellowship
Item 3 of 3Sydney Smirke17 February 1888for Fellowship

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 81844Kilravock Castle, east lodge  MorayshireScotland 
Item 2 of 81844St Ninian's Church of England ChurchNairn NairnshireScotland 
Item 3 of 81845Castle Grant, West lodgeGrantown-on-Spey MorayshireScotland 
Item 4 of 81846Brodie Castle  MorayshireScotlandProposal to add a doocot tower on top of coachhouse and cartshed. Not extecuted but buttresses and partial infilling of arches date from this period.
Item 5 of 81846The Old Stables, Brodie Castle  MorayshireScotlandAlterations and plans for tower (latter not executed)
Item 6 of 81859Inverness District AsylumInverness Inverness-shireScotlandUnsuccessful competition design. James Matthews appointed
Item 7 of 8c. 1862House, 78 Bootham  YorkEngland 
Item 8 of 81902Kettins Parish Kirkyard, lych gateKettins AngusScotlandHad retired by this date and therefore not likely to be involved.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Addyman & Kay1999The Old Stables, Brodie Castle, An Architectural Record & Analysis for the National Trust for Scotland   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 8Builder11 March 1905  Obituary
Item 2 of 8RIBA Journal11 March 190512London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp312 (Obituary)
Item 3 of 8York Gazette22 August 1857  Marriage
Item 4 of 8York Gazette4 January 1862   
Item 5 of 8York Gazette15 February 1862  House at Bootham
Item 6 of 8York Gazette30 January 1864   
Item 7 of 8York Gazette7 October 1865   
Item 8 of 8York Gazette4 March 1905  Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers F v4 p56 (and fiche 82/B3)
Item 2 of 2York City libraryJohn Ward Knowles Collection Cuttings and 4 pages of biographical notes on Jones. Also obituary of Gasgoigne Fowler Jones.