ELMES, Harvey Lonsdale (1814-1847), the architect of St George’s Hall, Liverpool, was the son of James Ebnes (see next article), and was born at Chichester in 1814. After serving some time in his father’s office, and under a surveyor at Bedford and an architect at Bath, he became partner with his father in 1835, and in the following year he was the successful competitor among 86 for a design for St George’s Hall, Liverpool. The foundation stone of this building was laid on the 28th June 1838, but Elmes being successful in a competition for the Assize Courts in the same city, it was finally decided to include the Hall and Courts in a single building. In accordance with this idea, Elmes prepared a fresh design, and the work of erection commenced in 1841. He superintended its progress till 1847, when from failing health he was compelled to delegate his duties to C. R. Cockerell, R.A., and leave for Jamaica, where he died of consumption on the 26th November 1847.

ELMES, James (1782-1862), father of the preceding, an architect, civil engineer, and writer on the arts, was born in London 15th October 1782. He was educated at Merchant Taylors’ School, and, after studying building under his father, and architecture under Mr George Gibson, became a student at the Royal Academy, where he gained the silver medal in 1804. He designed a large number of buildings in the metropolis, and was surveyor and civil engineer to the port of London, but is best known as a writer on the arts. In 1809 he became vice-president of the Royal Architectural Society, but this office, as well as that of surveyor of the port of London, he was compelled through partial loss of sight to resign in 1828. He died at Greenwich April 2, 1862....