Name

James Lomax Simpson

Designation
Architect
Born
1882
Place of Birth
Bolton
Location
London
Died
1977

  • Born : 1882
  • Married : 1924 Isabel Mary Messenger or “Molly.”
  • Died : 16 June 1977
  • Funeral : Friday 24 June 1977 at  Putney Vale Cemetery

James Lomax‑Simpson was born in 1882, the only son of Jonathan Simpson, architect of Bolton, his godfather being William Hesketh Lever, later Lord Leverhulme. Educated at Uppingham School, he trained at Liverpool University and under Grayson & Ould, while also assisting in his father's practice. In 1905, after refusing the offer of a junior partnership with Grayson and Ould, he set up his own office in Liverpool, (though maintaining a close business relationship with his father) employing B T Austin, (1873 – 1955), from Greyson and Ould’s office as chief assistant. Work at this stage included model workers' housing at Ellesmere Port for Edward Peter Jones of the Wolverhampton Corrugated Iron Company who, like Lever, had relocated his factory to the Mersey. Other commissions included a bandstand and cottages at Port Sunlight and St George's church at Thomton Hough, Cheshire.

In 1910 he was appointed to take charge of the Architectural Department of Lever Brothers and was made a director in 1917. As Company Architect he undertook work in over twenty‑five different countries and was responsible for most of the development of Port Sunlight from 1910 onwards. He also carried out much work for Lever himself, including alterations and additions to Thomton Manor, The Hill at Hampstead and Lewis Castle, Stornoway. Possibly his most important work was Unilever House, London, with executive architects, Bumet, Tait and Partners, opened by the Lord Mayor of London in July 1932.  James Lomax‑Simpson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in June 1943. He was made a Trustee of the Leverhulme Trust and served as a Trustee of the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight. He was also on the Board of the Royal Free Hospital.

In 1924 he married Isabel Mary Messenger or “Molly.” Born in Orange, New South Wales, Australia, Mrs Lomax‑Simpson came to England as a young woman and died 1967.

James Lomax-Simpson died at home on 16 June 1977 in his 96th year after a short illness. He was survived by his two daughters, Josephine and Rosemary.

Death Notice : Times Monday 20 June 1977 p28 Col B births marriages and deaths
Obituary : Times Wednesday 22 June 1977 p19 Col G

 

 

 

Buildings and Designs

Building Name District Town/City County Country
St George’s Congregational Church Thornton Hough Thornton Hough  Wirral  Merseyside  England
Model Workers Housing Ellesmere Port Ellesmere Port  Wirral  Cheshire  England
House at Great Sutton, for P. Owen, Esq   Great Sutton  Cheshire  England
Proposed vicarage at Harwood Harwood  Bolton  GMCA  England
Cottages: Brook Street and Central Road Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wi rral  Merseyside  England
Cottages and Band Stand Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Merseyside  England
Unilever House 100 Victoria Embankment London Blackfriars  London  Greater London  England
The Springs, North Stoke, Oxfordshire, for J. Wormald, esq   North Stoke  Oxfordshire  England
Alterations (II) Hillside Chorley Old Road Heaton Bolton Heaton  Bolton  GMCA  England
House at Thornton Hough, Cheshire, for Mrs Ogden Thornton Hough  Wirral  Merseyside  England
Thornton House, Cheshire, for J. D. Lever, Esq. Thornton Hough  Wirral  Cheshire  England
Neston Institute, Cheshire: proposed new classrooms,   Neston  Cheshire West  England
St George's Church, Bolton: alterations   Bolton  GMCA  England
New Stable Thornton Hough, Cheshire, for J. D. Lever, Esq. Thornton Hough  Wirral  Merseyside  England
Two Cottages Thornton Hough, Cheshire, for J. D. Lever, Esq Thornton Hough  Wirral  Merseyside  England
Thornton Manor, Cheshire: garden buildings, etc Thornton Hough  Wirral  Merseyside  England
Smithy, Neston Road and Smithy Hill Road, Thornton Hough Thornton Hough  Wirral  Cheshire  England
1-4 D'Arcy Cottages Thornton Hough Thornton Hough  Wirral  Cheshire  England
51–59 Lower Road, and 66–72 Central Road, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
Girls’ Club (now Visitor Centre), 21 and 22 King George's Drive Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
29–33 Lower Road, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
5–20 King George's Drive, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
23–30 Queen Mary's Drive, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
31–46 Queen Mary's Drive, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
47–50 Queen Mary's Drive, 13–17 The Causeway, 1–9 Causeway Close. Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
8–11 The Causeway, and 1–4 King George's Drive, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
19–22 Windy Bank, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
1–5 The Ginnel, 4 Water Street, 60 and 62 Bolton Road, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
7–23 The Ginnel, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
25–35 The Ginnel, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
47–53 Primrose Hill, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
10–14 Queen Mary's Drive, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
3–6 Greendale Road, 55-57 Primrose Hill, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
6A–6H Greendale Road, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
15–22 Queen Mary's Drive, and 5 Windy Bank, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
1 and 3 Windy Bank, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
2 and 4 Windy Bank, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
Leverhulme Memorial, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
Duke of York's Cottages and Laundry, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
1–7 Jubilee Crescent, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
8–14 Jubilee Crescent, Port Sunlight Port Sunlight  Wirral  Cheshire  England
Thornton Manor, Cheshire: South West Front Thornton Hough  Wirral  Cheshire  England
Thornton Manor, Cheshire: Gatehouse Thornton Hough  Wirral  Cheshire  England
Thornton Manor: Entrance Front Thornton Hough  Wirral  Cheshire  England
Staff Cottages, Nos 1-2 Rosaries, Church Road, Thornton Hough Thornton Hough    Cheshire  England

Partnerships

Name Designation Formed Dissolved Location
Lever Brothers Architects Department Architects department Port Sunlight