Harvey Lonsdale Elmes 1814 – 1847 has been described as “a martyr to architecture”. His uncle was a builder and his father a surveyor, and not wishing to go in for commerce or music, he initially trained with his father and in 1834 worked with Henry Goodrich, a classical architect, at Bath.
In 1839 he entered and won a competition to design a new concert hall for Liverpool and in 1840 he submitted the winning design for the new Assizes Court. Because of costs the two designs were incorporated into one hall – St George’s Hall. Built of Derbyshire sandstone the classical design had the assizes and civil court at each end of the great hall. Innovations were coke burning boilers and the first air conditioning system designed by Dr Reid.
He won the competition to design the Liverpool Collegiate, a Tudor/Gothic building, but did not oversee the construction due to a dispute about his commission and expenses. He was also responsible for the design of private houses in Woolton, Wallasey and Allerton, St Paul’s Church and also Rainhill Asylum. During this time he lived and worked in London.
In 1846 Prince Albert visited Liverpool and awarded Elmes a gold medal.
However, his health deteriorated with overwork and worry and he was diagnosed with consumption and advised to winter in the West Indies where he died in November 1847. Sir Charles Cockerell supervised the completion of St George’s Hall and the court was opened in 1851.
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