Thomas Yates

• Born                      7 May 1877
• Died                       23 December 1935

Thomas Yates was born on 7 May 1877 at Leigh, the second son of Peter and Alice Yates. He was educated at Leigh Grammar School before being articled with J. C. Prestwich, of Leigh and studying at Manchester Municipal School of Art. After completing his articles, he worked as an assistant with Barker and Ellis of Manchester, and for the Co-operative Wholesale Society, Manchester, (F E L Harris, ARIBA chief architect).  In 1908 was taken into partnership by his uncle, Alderman T R Greenough in the firm of R Greenough and Son, Leigh. He specialised in school architecture and among his works were the new Nursery School, the extension of the Senior School and the re-modelling of the Junior School at Leigh, the work being carried out in association with Mr F Thorpe for the Leigh Church Trustees.  In later years he lectured on building construction at Leigh Technical College. Tom Yates was elected Licentiate of the RIBA in 1911 and was also a Fellow of the Manchester Society of Architects.

In June, 1905, Tom Yates married Minnie, daughter of James Hampson, and has issue one daughter: Kathleen Mary, born 22 February 1913. A freemason, he was also a member of Leigh Liberal Club, Leigh Literary Society and for a number of years he was choirmaster of Bedford Church.

Thomas Yates died on 23 December 1935, at the age of 58 and was interred at Leigh Cemetery.

Address
1913-1929: 3 Silk Street Leigh

Residence
1917: 47 Union Street Leigh
1935: 23 Henrietta Street Leigh

Death Notice: Manchester Guardian 24 December 1935 page 16 BMD
Obituary: Builder 3 January 1936 Page 8
Obituary: Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects 7 March 1936 page 498]

Reference: Lancashire Biographies and Rolls of Honour, Introduction by W. Ralph Hall Caine 1917