Edward Welch (1806 – 3 August 1868) was a British architect born in Overton,

Flintshire , settlement_type = County , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , image_flag = , image_shield = Arms of Flint ...

, in

North Wales North Wales ( cy, Gogledd Cymru) is a region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia N ...

. Having been a pupil of John Oates at Halifax, West Yorkshire, he formed a partnership in 1828 with

Joseph Hansom Joseph Aloysius Hansom (26 October 1803 – 29 June 1882) was a British architect working principally in the Gothic Revival style. He invented the Hansom cab and founded the eminent architectural journal, '' The Builder'', in 1843. Career ...

, who later invented the

hansom cab The hansom cab is a kind of horse-drawn carriage designed and patented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, an architect from York. The vehicle was developed and tested by Hansom in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England. Originally called the Hansom safety ca ...

and founded ''The Builder''. Together they designed several churches in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

and

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

, and also worked on the

Isle of Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island, ...

. In 1831 they won the competition to design Birmingham Town Hall. However they were obliged to stand surety for the builders, which led to their bankruptcy and the dissolution of the partnership in 1834. In 1835 Welch prepared plans for

Benjamin Gummow Benjamin Gummow (1766 – 1840) was an architect who worked from Ruabon near Wrexham in Wales. He worked almost exclusively for Sir Watkin Williams Wynn of Wynnstay, Ruabon and the Grosvenor family of Eaton Hall near Chester. He was born in ...

for the partial rebuilding of St Mary's Church, Ruabon. Hansom & Welch designed a number of buildings on the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...

, most notably

King William's College King William's College (nicknamed KWC or King Bill's; gv, Colleish Ree Illiam) is an independent school for pupils aged 3 to 18, located near Castletown on the Isle of Man. It is a member of the International Baccalaureate and Headmasters' and ...

, where Welch's brother, John Welch also designed several churches independently. Edward Welch Also designed Christchurch, A large church in Harpurhey Manchester. This church was built on the Harpurhey side of the toll gate to allow congregations to go to church, without having to go into the city and pay the toll charge. Christchurch is still standing today and has a thriving congregation. Following his parting of ways with Hansom, Edward Welch returned to Liverpool, where he continued to practise as an architect until 1849. He died in London on 3 August 1868.

Footnotes

References

*A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840 3rd Ed, H. Colvin; Yale University Press 1995 1806 births 1868 deaths 19th-century Welsh architects {{Wales-artist-stub