Basic Biographical Details

Name: Richard Lane
Designation:  
Born: 3 April 1795
Died: 25 May 1880
Bio Notes: Richard Lane was born in London on 3 April 1795 and received his training in London and Paris. He had moved to Manchester by 1821, when he was appointed Land Surveyor to the Manchester Police Commission. He became the leading Manchester architect of the early nineteenth century, designing numerous public and ecclesiastical buildings, some jointly with Francis Goodwin. He was first President of the Manchester Architectural Society, founded in 1837.

In the mid 1840s Lane took as pupils Alfred Waterhouse (qv), the son of a Liverpool Quaker; Richard Popplewell Pullan (qv); and John Lowe (who would subsequently take over the practice). This may in part explain Lane’s apparent success in embracing the new Gothic style at least in the churches he was commissioned to design during this period. These included St. Simon’s, Salford; St. John’s, Isle of Man; and St Thomas's Church, Henbury, Cheshire (1844–5), described as “the model of ecclesiological rectitude, so different from the early churches that it could have been designed by another man” [Dictionary of National Biography].

Peter B Alley was also employed by Richard Lane c1842-1850, although there is no contemporary evidence that a partnership existed between the two men. Claims for such a partnership seem first to have appeared in Alfred Darbyshire’s “An Architect’s Experiences” of 1897. Although such claims were withdrawn in the Manchester press a few days after publication, and were not included in Alley’s subsequent obituary, they still persist in the numerous biographical descriptions of Alfred Waterhouse which continue to state that he was a pupil of Lane and Alley. It should further be noted that Darbyshire was never employed by Richard Lane in his Chapel Walks offices. Peter Alley had commenced independent practice in Manchester about 1850 with offices in Cross Street and later Princes’s Court, off Market Street, and it was to him alone that Darbyshire was articled in 1855.

Richard Lane died at Ascot, Berkshire on 25 May 1880.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2Chapel Walks, Manchester, EnglandBusiness   
Item 2 of 2St Ann's Street, Manchester, 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 2Richard Popplewell Pullanc. 1845Before 1853Pupil 
Item 2 of 2Alfred Waterhouse18481853Pupil 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 4Colvin, H M1995A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-18403rd editionNew Haven and London: Yale University PressMost known works listed
Item 3 of 4DNB Dictionary of National Biography   
Item 4 of 4Hartwell, Clare and Wyke, Terry (eds)2007Making Manchester: Aspects in the History of Architecture in the City and Region since 1800 Manchester. pp133-156 

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1 Manchester Architects 1800-1940