Ernest Bates

• Birth date            1827-1828 at Oldham
• Baptism               17 February 1828 at St Peter’s Church, Oldham
• Married (I)            11 February 1857 to Ellen Eccles Sharrock, at St Anne’s Church Sale Moor
• Married (II)           1864-5 to Hannah (no details)
• Death date           30 August 1877 Kent’s Bank, Lancashire (London Gazette)

 Ernest Bates was born about 1828 in Oldham, Lancashire, the fifth son of William Bates a cotton manufacturer and his wife Sally.  He trained as a civil engineer this being given as his occupation in 1851 when he was living with his brother, Henry, in Oxford Street London. By 1853 he had returned to Manchester, to set up practice as an architect, surveyor, and civil engineer with an office in Princess Street.

In 1857 he married Ellen Eccles Shorrock, the eldest daughter of Christopher Shorrock of Ashton-on-Mersey at St Anne’s Church Sale Moor. The ceremony was conducted by his brother, the Rev J Chadwick Bates, and was the first marriage ceremony recorded in the church. The marriage produced three children - Ellen Eccles Shorrock born 1857; Ada Ernestina born 1860 died 1864; and Christopher Shorrock born 1862.  In the census of 1861, his occupation was given as civil engineer, architect, and farmer of 120 acres, employing five labourers.  Sadly, Ellen Eccles Bates died in 1863 at the age of 31. Although details of his second marriage to Hannah have yet to be found, their only son Ernest Augustus was born on 21 November 1865.

Ernest Bates’ early works included the Church of St Martin Castleton Moor, Rochdale (1858- ). Isaac Holden and Son had prepared initial plans which were deemed too costly. They were replaced by Ernest Bates, (the brother of the incumbent, the Rev J C Bates) who was responsible for the revised scheme. Also India Mill at Darwen, one of the largest Lancashire cotton mills with its spectacular chimney for Eccles Shorrock and Company. 

During the 1860s Bates designed residences Windermere Grange-over-Sands, Croydon Marple, Middlewich, Over Darwen, Higher Broughton, Hilton Park, Prestwich, and Urmston. Larger commissions included the Prestwich Union offices Cheetham Hill Road, the Warehousemen and Clerks’ School, Cheadle, and Wolverhampton Town Hall, the last won in competition. About 1868 Ernest Bates established a London office in Bedford Row, probably in connection with a commission received from his brother for a warehouse in Southwark Street.

Ernest Bates died on 20 August 1877 aged 49 at Kents Bank, Grange-over-Sands

Address
1853    Ernest Bates, architect and surveyor 39 Princess Street
1858    Ernest Bates 48 Stock Exchange. Ducie Place, Manchester (M/c Courier 24 April 1858 p2)
1859    Ernest Bates, architect, Albert Chambers, Corporation Street Manchester
1861    Ernest Bates, architect Albert Chambers, Fennel street Manchester
1861    Ernest Bates, architect Albert Chambers Corporation Street Manchester (MG Contracts)
1863    Ernest Bates 47 Hanging Ditch Manchester
1863    Ernest Bates, architect. 26 Cooper Street Manchester (Slater)
1869    Ernest Bates. 26 Cooper Street, Manchester and 60 Bedford Row, London (MG Contracts)
1871    Ernest Bates, architect, 28 Cooper Street, Manchester
1875    Ernest Bates 9 Mount Street Manchester (Manchester Guardian 6 March 1875 Page 9 -Contracts)
1876    Ernest Bates, architect. 9 Mount Street, Manchester (Slater)
1877-8    Ernest Bates Queen's Chambers, John Dalton Street (Slater & London Gazette)

Residence
1828    Manchester Street Oldham
1851    Oxford Street, London
1857    Old Trafford
1861    12 Winfield Terrace, Old Trafford (Directory)
1863    12 Richmond Hill, Old Trafford
1871    11, Seymour Grove, Old Trafford (Directory)
1876    15 Seymour Grove, Old Trafford
1877    Kent’s Bank Lancashire (London Gazette, Manchester Guardian)