Arthur Wakerley
Encyclopedia
Arthur Wakerley was a British
architect
. Born in Melton Mowbray
, he was articled to James Bird. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects
and sometime President of the Leicester Society of Architects. He was President of the Leicester Liberal Association
and in 1886 was elected as a councillor for Middle St Margaret's Ward and was mayor in 1897, the youngest mayor since the reforms of 1835. He used the role of mayor to support a wide range of charitable and religious works and attempted to position the role of Mayor as a non-party political one. His year of office was marred by two local disasters - the railway accident at Wellingborough
and the Whitwick Colliery explosion that claimed 35 lives. He twice (unsuccessfully) contested the Melton Division
for a seat in Parliament.
Outside work and politics Arthur Wakerley was an enthusiastic Wesleyan lay preacher and ardent temperance worker as well as being interested in archaeology and poetry.
He planned the development of the North Evington area. Other examples of his architectural work in Leicester include the Turkey Cafe, Granby Street (1901), the Synagogue on Highfield Street, the Coronation Buildings, High Street (1901-03) and the Wycliffe Society Cottage Homes for the Blind.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
. Born in Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
, he was articled to James Bird. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
and sometime President of the Leicester Society of Architects. He was President of the Leicester Liberal Association
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and in 1886 was elected as a councillor for Middle St Margaret's Ward and was mayor in 1897, the youngest mayor since the reforms of 1835. He used the role of mayor to support a wide range of charitable and religious works and attempted to position the role of Mayor as a non-party political one. His year of office was marred by two local disasters - the railway accident at Wellingborough
Wellingborough rail accident
On 2 September 1898 at Wellingborough railway station a postman brought a mailcart to the station with mail which he was to see onto a train due at 20:22. The mail should then have been brought to the down platform through a passageway between the station yard and the platform...
and the Whitwick Colliery explosion that claimed 35 lives. He twice (unsuccessfully) contested the Melton Division
Melton (UK Parliament constituency)
Melton was a county constituency centred on the town of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
for a seat in Parliament.
Outside work and politics Arthur Wakerley was an enthusiastic Wesleyan lay preacher and ardent temperance worker as well as being interested in archaeology and poetry.
He planned the development of the North Evington area. Other examples of his architectural work in Leicester include the Turkey Cafe, Granby Street (1901), the Synagogue on Highfield Street, the Coronation Buildings, High Street (1901-03) and the Wycliffe Society Cottage Homes for the Blind.