Milnes, Eli

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Milnes, Eli

Watercolour portrait of Eli Milnes, Architect

from John Sowden's notebooks:

"Was born in Bradford in 1830 and was articled to Mr Walker Rawstorne, architect of Bradford in 1844 and served with him for six years. He then went as a clerk to Mrs Dixon and Knowles in 1850 and when the partnership was dissolved he joined Mr Dixon in partnership under the style of Dixon and Milnes in Swaine Street. Mr Dixon died in 1854. In 1863 he took Mr France into partnership and the firm became Milnes and France, each took a son into partnership in 1888. Mr CE Milnes and Mr AA France.

Having been in business for nearly 50 years Mr Milnes took a large share in the remodelling of the town. His firm was amongst the earliest to undertake the erection of large warehouses in Bradford and several notable commercial buildings such as the warehouse of Messrs A and S Henry, the Bradford District Bank, Bradford Old (Becketts) Bank and the Swan Arcade. Mr Mills had acted as valuer and arbitrator for the Bradford Corporation that had been largely interested in various local railway schemes and (?) work in connection with Bradford gas and water schemes. He was a churchman and formerly(?) an overseer for the township of Bradford, a director of the third Equitable Building Society, a fellow of the Surveyors’ Institute and one of the original members of the Bradford Surveyors’ Society. He was twice married and was survived by a widow and eleven children. He died in 1899."

Year

1891

Creator

Sowden

Image filename

sowden-144