Arthur Schofield

• Birth date            1849 at Chester
• Marriage              29 September 1881 to Margaret at Withington
• Death date          unknown

An obscure and ultimately unsuccessful architect with no known commissions to his credit, Arthur Scofield was the second surviving son of James Schofield of Chester and his wife Ann. He commenced independent practice in Manchester in 1877 with £150 of capital. From 1877 to 1879 he was in partnership with George Grimshaw and from the early 1880s with Henry Worthington. 

In the mid-1880s Arthur Schofield took John William Fair (qv) of Cheetham Hill, Manchester, as a pupil. Mr John W. Fair, Cheetham-hill, Manchester. In November 1890 John W Fair (of Cheetham-hill, Manchester), passed the preliminary examination and qualified as Probationer of the RIBA. Within weeks Arthur Schofield appeared at Manchester Bankruptcy Court, his unsecured liabilities amounting to £347 and his assets to £203. Nothing has been found regarding Arthur Schofild’s activities until 1896-1897 when he attempted to resurrect his career. By 1901 he had moved to Stockport where, according to the Census, he was employed as an architectural draughtsman.

Address
1883             Schofield and Worthington, Hanging Bridge chambers, Cathedral Passage Victoria Street
                    Henry Worthington (Schofield and Worthington) 173, York Street Cheetham
1885-1891    Arthur Schofield, Hanging Bridge chambers, Cathedral Passage Victoria Street architect and valuer
1895             no entry in Slaters Directory
1896             Arthur Schofield architect, Elizabeth Street, Cheetham (MG 18 July 1896 page 2)
1896-1897    Arthur Schofield architect, 76 Trevelyan Buildings {MG 31 December 1896)
1901             Stockport

Residence
1891             16 Fraser Road, Crumpsall, Manchester

Reference      Cheshire Observer 1 October 1881 page 2 - marriage
Reference      Edinburgh Gazette 27 January 1891 page 137
Reference      Manchester Guardian 10 February 1891 page 10