Joseph (Pearce) Pearce

• Birth date            1882 at Liverpool
• Marriage              10 October 1916 to Hester Parker at Liverpool [Liverpool Echo CHECK]
• Death date          22 October 1957 at Cheadle Royal Cheadle Cheshire

Joseph Pearce was born in 1882 at Liverpool, the son of John Pearce and his wife Clara (Kerridge). Little is yet known of his early life although he became a member of the Liverpool in 1900. By 1910 he was working jointly with the Manchester architect, Sydney Moss on the development of the grandly titled “Rhos Garden City” at the western end of Marine Drive on the North Wales coast. This brief association ended in 1911 after which he produced designs for a further three houses at Rhos. In Liverpool he went on to produced designs for the Queens Picture House, Waterloo, and the Garston Empire, (plans for the latter being superseded by a design for a smaller theatre) before 1914.

In 1911 he was listed as an Associate of the Liverpool Architectural Society which he had joined in 1900, but is missing from further records until 1922. He was elected a Fellow of the RIBA 3 December 1925. [Journal of RIBA 5 December 1925 page 91]. He was previously a Member of Society of Architects which amalgamated with the RIBA in that year, leading to a large number of new Fellows being created

After World War One he added the Christian name “Pearce” being known as Joseph Pearce Pearce or Joseph P Pearce thereafter.

Joseph Pearce, otherwise Joseph Pearce of Moorcroft 47 Caldy Road West Kirby Cheshire died on 22 October 1957 at Cheadle Royal Cheadle Cheshire

Address
1910              Joseph Pearce, Royal Insurance Buildings, 9 North John Street, Liverpool
1922              Joseph Pearce MSA, 9 North John Street, Liverpool. (RIBA Kalendar)
1924              Joseph Pearce, 9 North John Street, Liverpool. (RIBA Kalendar)
1926-1930     Joseph Pearce, FRIBA F.R.Hist.Soc, 9 North John Street, Liverpool. (RIBA Kalendar)
1933-1936     Joseph Pearce, FRIBA F.R.Hist.Soc, 21 Dale Street, Liverpool. (RIBA Kalendar)

Residence
1891             Arnold Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool
1901             Liverpool Road, Formby (census)
1911             Rhos Garden City, Rhos-on-Sea (census 1911 with parents)
1911             4 Lorne Road, Waterloo, Liverpool (RIBA Kalendar 1911-12, Liverpool Architectural Society)
1936             30 Aigburth Drive, Sefton Park, Liverpool ((RIBA Kalendar)
1957             “Moorcroft,” 47 Caldy Road, West Kirby, Cheshire (probate)

PUBLICATIONS
Between 1922 and 1955 Joseph P Pearce wrote and illustrated a number of books and pamphlets, generally concerning the history and architecture of Liverpool Many were republished, sometimes in enlarged format. Where known, date of first publication is given.

1922    Spires, Towers and Choirs of Southport
Published 1 January 1922 by R. Johnson. 124 pages

1927    Lancashire Legends
Published 1927 with 37 illustrations by the author.  Publisher Edward Howell. Re-printed 1947 by Charles Wilson, Liverpool. An account of the legends associated with various Lancashire towns and buildings.

1920s    Picture Stories of Ancient Liverpool: A Romance
Published  in the1920s Gledsdale & Jennings Liverpool

1933    The Romance of ancient Leverpoole [Liverpool] –
Published 1 January 1933 by Philip, Son & Nephew Ltd., Liverpool being an Enlarged Edition of "Picture Stories of Ancient Liverpool”

1931    Merseyside to Windermere. Record and Reveries.
Published by Ormskirk Advertiser, 1931

1931    Romantic Tales of Old Lancashire
Published by Ormskirk Advertiser, 1931

1933    Thora of Speke
Philip, Son & Nephew Ltd., Liverpool, 1933. 1st edition in paperback. Date of original publication given erroneously as 1900 by some soures

1934    Village history and romantic traditions: incorporating the popular story of the ancient church and parish of St. Chad, Farndon-near-Chester, together with gleanings from the records of the castle and church at Holt-over-Dee. Published by Manchester Service Guild, 1934

1946    A Popular Execution through Ancient Liverpool
3rd enlarged edition, undated (c.1946); small 8vo booklet of 34 pages; with 17 illustrations (many full-page), plus a fold-out map; softcover. 4th edition published by Philip Son and Nephew 1953

1946    Reveries and Sketches in a Village Church.
Written & Illustrated by Joseph Pearce Pearce. Printed by Daily Post Printers, Wood Street, Liverpool 1946. Reprinted Easter 1946. 36 pages.

1955    The Charm of Old Liverpool