James Diggle Mould

• Born                      1856 at Glossop in 1856
• Marriage              Oct-Dec 1893 to Jane Taylor Rogers at Bury
• Died                       28 May 1935

The eldest son of the Rev. John Mould, Primitive Methodist minister, and Sarah Diggle (1830-1891) John Diggle Mould was born at Glossop, in 1856. He was educated at Bury Grammar School and the Old Peter Street School, Manchester before being articled to Maycock and Bell, architects and surveyors, of Manchester, for five years (1872-77).  He was Manchester Society of Architects' Students Prizeman, 1875 and 1876. Following his articles, he found employment as head assistant to Mr. Haselden, of Bolton, from 1878 to 1883.

By 1884 John Diggle Mould had commenced practice in Manchester, enjoying considerable success from the outset. In 1888, Manchester Today noted, “Mr Mould carries on a very varied business, has executed many important commissions, including chapels and schools at Dalton, Clitheroe, Swinton, Edenfield, Hampstead (London), Compstall, Little Hulton, Stafford, Whitefield, Bury, Spring Vale, etc, His offices are large and commodious, admirably furnished and well-staffed.” In addition, he had opened a branch office in Bury in 1886 where he had the largest share in designing the rebuilding of Silver Street, including the Conservative Club, the Union Bank of Manchester, Victoria Chambers and Palatine Chambers - an architectural scheme which was widely admired at the time. About 1898 he entered into partnership with his younger brother Samuel J Mould and in 1900 they were joined by Austin Porritt under the style Moulds and Porritt, with offices at Manchester Bury and London. The partnership terminated in 1907, Samuel remaining in London. During his professional career James Mould was responsible for the designs of many fine churches and public buildings in South-East Lancashire, particularly in the neighbourhood of Manchester and Bury. Altogether he designed upwards of one hundred churches and chapels, besides banks, clubs, schools, private residences and factories.

He was Secretary to the Manchester Architectural Association from 1885 until its amalgamation with the Manchester Society of Architects in 1891 and was a Fellow and member of the Council of the Manchester Society of Architects. Having passed the qualifying examination, he was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects, in 1888, proposed by L. Booth, E. Salomons, J. Holden and was elected a Fellow of the RIBA in 1897, proposed by J. Holden. J. H. Woodhouse & F W Mee.

Apart from his professional activities, John Diggle Mould was a man of wide culture. He was a fine linguist and had travelled extensively in Europe. He wrote in vigorous style and with ease and facility, and his articles and drawings had appeared in national papers and in leading technical periodicals. He was an excellent musician, a member of the choir of the Primitive Methodist Church in Walmersley Road (where for many years his father had been superintendent minister) and was for a time its choirmaster. He had also sung in choral societies, and as a soloist on the concert platform he was exceedingly popular. He was one of the senior members of the Palatine Club, and for many years had been an esteemed honorary life member.

Address   
1882        J D Mould. 13 Canning Street, Bury (British Architect Supplement October 1882)
1886        J D Mould architect 77 King Street Manchester and at 50, Bolton Street, Bury
1895-1903    J D Mould ARIBA FMSA 77 King Street, Manchester
1911-1926    James Diggle Moulds FRIBA FMSA Walmersley Road Bury
1933        48, Hampson Street, off Walmersley Road, Bury
1898        52, Queen Victoria Street London EC2

Obituary        RIBA Journal v 43 Page 498 7 March 1936
Obituary        Manchester Guardian 29 May 1935 page 3 - obituary

Reference    Pike Manchester page 216
Reference    Building News 31 May 1907 p 752
Reference    Historical Publishing Company: Manchester of Today 1888, page 160
Reference    Who's Who in Architecture    1914, 1923, 1926   
Reference    George Mould: Manchester Memories
George Mould, the son of J D Mould, was a Manchester journalist. Manchester Memories is his autobiography with various references to the work of his father