Daniel Lewis

• Born      1843-4 at Manchester.
• Died       4 February 1876 at Tyddyn ucha near Holywell

 The only son of Thomas Lewis, commission merchant and nephew of Edward Lewis, solicitor.

Daniel Lewis’s career spanned less than three years. He is not included in the RIBA Dictionary of Architects, nor does he appear in Slater’s Manchester and Salford Directories of 1871 and 1874. He was born in Manchester (probably near Ardwick Green) in 1843/4 the son of Thomas Lewis, yarn agent, originally from Chester and his first wife who died before 1861. Daniel’s uncle, Edward Lewis, was a partner in a firm of successful Manchester solicitors, the practice numbering among their clients the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company and the Chester to Holyhead Railway. Seemingly through choice rather than economic necessity Thomas and his family lived with Edward Lewis until the latter’s eventual death.

By the age of seven Daniel Lewis was attending boarding school in Litherland and in 1861 was employed as an (un-named) architect’s articled pupil. He commenced independent practice early in 1871 with offices at 28 Cross Street, Manchester, one of the best locations close to the Exchange, and was still at this address in June 1872. However, for reasons which are unclear, he seems to ended his architectural career in Manchester before the end of 1873. Equally confusing are details of his personal life at this time. The 1871 Census records him as a visitor at Tyddyn ucha, a farm of 55 acres at Bagillt, Holywell, Clwyd. The household also included Mrs Ann Jones (head), aged 75, two sons and two daughters, all unmarried. Further research is still needed to determine the precise nature of this relationship, but it was here that Daniel Lewis would die in February 1876. Probate records show that: “Administration of the effects of Daniel Lewis, late of Tyddyn ucha, near Holywell, in the county of Flint, Architect, a bachelor, who died 4 February 1876 at Tyddyn ucha was granted to Thomas Lewis, of The Woodlands, Altrincham, in the county of Chester, merchant, the father and next of kin.”

Residence
1861        3 Woodland Terrace, Upper Camp Street, Salford
1876        Tyddyn ucha Bagillt, near Holywell (probate)

Address
1871-1872    28 Cross Street Manchester (Manchester Guardian)
Note        Daniel Lewis does not appear in Slater’s Directories of 1871 and 1874