Basic Biographical Details Name: | Arthur Eustace Horsfield | Designation: | | Born: | 1878 | Died: | February 1931 | Bio Notes: | Arthur Eustace Horsfield was born in Newcastle in 1878, the eldest of the four sons of John Henry Hargitt Horsfield of the Blaydon Steel Company in County Durham. After he was born his father moved to Edinburgh as Secretary of the Scottish Wagon Company, his house being at 20 Lomond Road.
Horsfield was educated at Edinburgh Academy between 1888 and 1894, by which date his father had died. It is not yet known to which practice he was articled, but he studied at the School of Applied Art and Edinburgh College of Art, and was for a time in London to gain wider experience, residing in Highgate. In 1903-04 he was in Italy, making studies of buildings in Florence which are still in the possession of his family. He returned to Edinburgh to commence independent practice, his main interest outwith the office being the Royal Forth Yacht Club: a 1910 menu drawn by him survives.
In common with so many others, Horsfield's practice appears to have suffered from the effects of the Finance Act of 1909. He resettled in Montreal, Canada, where in September 1914 he married his fiancée Alice Smith, born 1890, from Edinburgh, their first daughter being born in the following year. Because of a chronic duodenal ulcer problem he was not enlisted for war service and practised in Montreal throughout the war.
Horsfield returned to Edinburgh to recommence practice in 1920. Despite having to carry a stomach tube and a pump to control acidity problems, his practice remained fairly prosperous, mainly on domestic work, until he died of a perforated ulcer and peritonitis in February 1931. Horsfield's practice then closed, work in hand and most of the office records being taken over by John Ross McKay of Richardson & McKay. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | Private | 1878 | Before 1888 | Place of birth | | 20, Lomond Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | After 1878 | After 1888 | With parents | | Highgate, London, England | Private | After 1898(?) | Before 1903 | Whilst seeking wider experience after apprenticeship | | 88a, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1907 | c. 1913 | | | Montreal, Canada | Business | c. 1912 | 1920 | | | 45, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1920 | 1931 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Harold John Muir | 1922 | 1927 | Apprentice | |
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | | Cramond Free Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations - date unknown | | | Houses, Corstorphine Bank Terrace | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Date unknown | | 1907 | Bonard | Dunbar | | East Lothian | Scotland | Additions | | 1907 | Perth Town Hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Competition design - unsuccessful | | 1908 | Stirling Municipal Buildings | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design | | 1908 | Villa, 3 Spylaw Park | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1909 | 18 Inverleith Avenue South | Inverleith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1912 | St James Episcopal School | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1922 | Chockholm Works | Stow | | Midlothian | Scotland | Garage and houses | | 1922 | House, Kinnear Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1923 | 14-17 Osborne Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction as symmetrical neo-Georgian composition | | 1923 | Corstorphine Bank Farm, feuing layout | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1923 | Miners' Welfare Institute Housing | Wallyford | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | c. 1923 | Feuing, North Berwick Mains | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1924 | Buildings | | | | | | | 1924 | House, Barnton Avenue | Davidson's Mains | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1924 | Lanrig | Balerno | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | c. 1924 | Houses, Warriston Gardens | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | c. 1924 | Preston Garden City (four houses) | Prestonpans | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1925 | Miners' Welfare Institute Housing | Deantown | | | Scotland | | | 1926 | Gateway in lane at 214 Leith Walk | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1928 | Houses | Jedburgh | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1929 | Church | Davidson's Mains | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Proposals and revised proposals | | 1929 | House and garage, Corbiehill Road | Davidson's Mains | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1930 | House and garage, Barnton Avenue | Davidson's Mains | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1930 | House and shop | Fairmilehead | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | c. 1930 | 14 Duke Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | The Edinburgh Academy Register | 1914 | | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe 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 | | Personal information from Miss M Horsfield, A E Horsfield's youngest daughter |
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