James Caldwell Prestwich

• Born  : 24 March 1852 at Atherton, Lancashire
• Married  : 1880 at Chippenham, Wiltshire, Georgina Matilda Slade (b. 1854 West Kington, Collerne, Wiltshire. Died 1934)
• Died  : 24 February 1940 at Leigh
• Buried : Leigh Cemetery.

Born at Atherton on 24 March 1852, James Caldwell Prestwich was the youngest son of J C Prestwich. After attending Leigh and Nantwich Grammar Schools, he was articled to Rowland Plumbe, FRIBA., Fitzroy Square, London, W. while also studying at the London Architectural Association classes, and under R. Phene Spiers, Master of the Royal Academy Architectural School. In 1874-1875 he was assistant in the office of Innocent and Brown of Sheffield and about this time travelled in France and Belgium.

James Caldwell Prestwich commenced practice in Leigh in 1875, continuing to practice there until his retirement in 1939. He was a Fellow of the Manchester Society of Architects and Fellow of the RIBA. His works in Leigh include the Central Buildings (Quality House) Bradshawgate, for the Leigh Friendly Co-operative Society; Leigh Technical School and Library, Leigh Town Hall, Leigh Infirmary, Leigh Public Baths, Leigh Union workhouse hospital, numerous shop and business premises on central streets and houses on St Helens Road and Hand Lane. Beyond Leigh he designed the Public Baths of Stockport and Ashton-in-Makerfield (as well as schemes for baths at Swinton and Gloucester), schools in Southport, Birkdale, Atherton and Hindley; Atherton Town Hall, hotels in Blackpool, Southport, Salford and Atherton and houses in Southport, Wigan and Surbiton. He became a Licentiate of the RIBA in 1911 proposed by Isaac Taylor and the Manchester Society of Architects. He was in partnership with his sons, Harold Oswald Prestwich (1881-1952) from 1907 and Ernest Prestwich (1889-1977) from about 1922. Percy Thomas was an assistant.