Maxwell and Tuke

James Maxwell (1838–93) James Maxwell was born on 14 June 1838 in Haslingden, Lancashire. His father, Thomas, was a builder, plumber and glazier. James was educated at the grammar school in Whalley, and was then articled to Thomas Holmes, an architect in Bury, which was then in Lancashire and later in Greater Manchester. Maxwell established his own architectural practice in Bury in December 1857. On 28 September 1893 he died at his home in Bury from cerebritis. William Charles Tuke (1843–93) William Charles Tuke, usually known as Charles Tuke, was born on 12 January 1843 in the village of Bolton in the parish of Calverley near Bradford, West Yorkshire. His father, William, was a land agent, architect, and surveyor. He first trained as an articled clerk in his father's practice, moved briefly to Chester, worked as an architect's assistant in Wolverhampton, and then undertook the same role in the practice of Mills and Murgatroyd in Manchester. Tuke joined Maxwell in 1865 and became his partner in 1867. Tuke later lived at The Hydro, St Annes on Sea, Lancashire, where he died on 28 March 1893 from nephritis. Francis William Maxwell (1863–1941) Francis William Maxwell, usually known as Frank, was the second son of James Maxwell, and was born in Bury on 7 December 1863. He was educated at the Friend's School in Kendal and then at Owen's College, Manchester. In the late 1880s he joined his father's practice, and was made a partner. He died on 13 August 1941 in the General Hospital, Altrincham, Cheshire. ==Practice and notable works==

(later Southport Arts Centre) (1873–74), the earliest major commission The earlier works of the practice were in and around Bury, and consisted of small shops and schools, and larger churches and chapels. Their first major contract resulted from winning the competition in 1871 for the design of Cambridge Hall (1873–74) in Southport, Lancashire. This commission led to the firm being appointed as architects to the Southport Pavilion and Winters Garden Company, for whom they designed the Southport Winter Gardens (1874), the first such building for the seaside leisure market. James Maxwell became director of the St Annes on Sea Land and Building Company and the partnership became its architects and agents. They worked with the Clifton family of Lytham Hall in designing the layout of the resort, and in designing houses, hotels, and the promenade in 1874–77. In 1884 the firm moved its main office from Bury to 29 Princess Street, Manchester, and in 1887 were invited to submit plans for temporary buildings to celebrate the Royal Jubilee Exhibition. This resulted in a series of large interconnected greenhouses with a central dome over high. Maxwell and Tuke prepared detailed plans, and the construction of Blackpool Tower began in the summer of 1891. The practice was then continued by Frank Maxwell as sole principal with the help of some of his assistants, and he continued to use the title of Maxwell and Tuke. Following the commercial success of Blackpool Tower, the seaside resort of New Brighton, then in Cheshire and later in Merseyside, decided to build its own tower and the New Brighton Tower and Recreation Company commissioned Maxwell and Tuke to design New Brighton Tower (1897–88). This was taller than Blackpool Tower and included an octagonal building at its base with the largest theatre in Britain outside London, and a large octagonal ballroom. Later notable commissions for the practice included Goodall's (1902), a half-timbered store in King Street, Manchester, a pavilion and entrance kiosks for the North Pier, Blackpool (1903), the dome of Rhyl Pavilion (1908, demolished), and the Whitehead Clock Tower (1914) in Bury. ==Recent history and present day==

To 2014, more than 30 of their buildings persist, ten of which are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated listed buildings. Some of their buildings have been demolished, and others have been converted for other uses than their original intention. The most notable demolition is that of New Brighton Tower. Its condition was allowed to deteriorate during the First World War, and the tower itself was demolished in 1919–21. The buildings at its base continued in use until 1969 when they were severely damaged in a fire, and subsequently demolished. ==See also==