John Starforth (1822-1898) was an English-born architect and architectural author associated solely with work in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, mainly working in Lothian, Dumfries & Galloway, and the

Scottish Borders The Scottish Borders ( sco, the Mairches, 'the Marches'; gd, Crìochan na h-Alba) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lothi ...

Life

Old Parish Church, Nairn (geograph 1799092)

He was born in the town of Aukland near Durham in northern England, in July 1822 the son of John Henry Starforth or Starford, and his wife Elizabeth Moor. He was apprenticed as an architect under Thomas Hamilton in the 1830s (based in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

(probably aged 14). Around 1840 he moved to the firm of Burn & Bryce, staying with David Bryce when William Burn left to set up in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

in 1844. He set up an independent practice around 1850, specialising in churches and country villas and farmsteads. In 1864 he entered the competition for the Scottish National Albert Memorial (now in

Charlotte Square 300px, Robert Adam's palace-fronted north side Charlotte Square is a garden square in Edinburgh, Scotland, part of the New Town, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The square is located at the west end of George Street and was intended ...

). Although unsuccessful his drawings were displayed in the 1886 Edinburgh Exhibition on The Meadows. He died of a heart attack whilst walking on

Princes Street Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three ...

, to his home at 37 York Place in

Edinburgh's New Town The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It was built in stages between 1767 and around 1850, and retains much of its original neo-classical and Georgian period architecture. Its best known street is Princes Street ...

, on 18 May 1898.

Family

He was married to Helen Henderson (d.1916). They had two daughters and three sons, including Robert H. Starforth, who continued his father's architectural practice but was of lesser note. Helen moved to

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire council area and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With a population ...

following her husband's death.

Works of Note

See *Patriothall, Stockbridge, Edinburgh (1859) *Greyfriars Church, Dumfries (1865) *Coltbridge School, Edinburgh (1868) *

Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary is the main hospital in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The hospital is managed by NHS Dumfries and Galloway. History The hospital has its origins in a small facility at Mill Hole in Burns Street in cen ...

(1869) *Trinity UP Church,

Greenock Greenock (; sco, Greenock; gd, Grianaig, ) is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area in Scotland, United Kingdom and a former burgh of barony, burgh within the Counties of Scotland, historic ...

(1869) * Peebles Free Church (1871) *Design for Villa Residences (1866) *London Road Church, Edinburgh (1874)Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh, by Gifford McWilliam and Walker *Remodelling of Cummertrees Parish Church (1875) *

Poorhouse and Asylum (1875) *

Tranent Tranent is a town in East Lothian (formerly Haddingtonshire), in the south-east of Scotland. The town lies 6 miles from the boundary of Edinburgh, and 9.1 miles from the city centre. It lies beside the A1 road, the A1 runs through the parish ...

school (1876) * Knox Academy (1877) *

Peebles Hydro Peebles Hydro is an early 20th century hotel and spa resort in Peebles, in the historic county of Peebles-shire in the Scottish Borders. It is one of two hydropathic hotels left in Scotland, the other being Crieff Hydro in Perthshire. The hot ...

(1878) *UP Church, Summerside Street, Edinburgh (1878) (demolished 1977) *UP Church, Eye Place, Edinburgh (1879) (demolished) *Alterations at

Crossmichael Parish Church Crossmichael Parish Church is an ecclesiastical building in Crossmichael, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies on a knoll, which was probably an ancient site of worship, at the north end of the village. Its tower may date from 1611, but the ...

(1880–1881) * Moffat Church, plus hall and manse (1882-5) *UP Church and Hall,

Kelso, Scottish Borders Kelso ( sco, Kelsae gd, Cealsaidh) is a market town in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Roxburghshire, it lies where the rivers Tweed and Teviot have their confluence. The town has a pop ...

(1885) *Chapel at

Craigdarroch :''"Craigdarroch, An Accessory to Murder" is an expansion set for the board game Kill Doctor Lucky'' Craigdarroch is a house near Moniaive, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It was the seat of the Chief of the Dumfriesshire Fergussons for 600 y ...

House (1889) *Old Parish Church,

Nairn Nairn (; gd, Inbhir Narann) is a town and royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness, at the point where the River Nairn enters the Moray Firth. It is the tradit ...

(1893) final completion (1897) overseen by

Honeyman and Keppie Honeyman and Keppie was a major architectural firm based in Glasgow, created by John Honeyman and John Keppie in 1888 following the death of James Sellars in whose architectural practice Keppie had worked. Their most notable employee was Charles ...

Publications

*''The Architecture of the Farm'' (1853) *''Villa Residences and Farm Architecture'' (1865) *''Designs for Villa Residences'' (1866) *''The Architecture of the Park'' (1890)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Starforth, John 1822 births 1898 deaths Architects from County Durham British non-fiction writers Architects from Edinburgh