Bell and Roper

Bell and Roper 1876-1879

A partnership formed between Asahel Pilkington Bell and George Freeth Roper in 1876. By 1879 A P Bell was in increasing financial difficulties with bankruptcy looming.The partnership was therefore dissolved.

Notice is hereby given that the partnership heretofore subsisting between the undersigned Asahel Pilkington Bell and George Freeth Roper carrying on at 22 Chapel-street, Southport, Lancashire, at the Royal Exchange, Manchester and at No. 4 Garden-court, Temple, London the profession or business of Architects and Surveyors, under the style or firm of Bell and Roper, has been this day dissolved by mutual consent.  All debts due to and from the late firm will be received and paid by the said Asahel Pilkington Bell.. - Dated this 4th day of April 1879. Asahel Pilkington Bell, George Freeth Roper  [London Gazette 8 April 1879 Page 37]

Reference           London Gazette 8 April 1879 Page 37

 Bell and Roper II 1887- 1891

By 1886 Asahel Pilkington Bell was increasingly involved in the construction of a new railway linking the Welsh colony in the Lower Chubut valley to Puerto Madryn (originally Porth Madryn) on the Golfo Nuevo on the southern side of Península Valdés in Patagonia. In addition to his role as the chief engineer and a director of the company, he also found time to embark on explorations further west with a view to opening up large areas of Patagonia to settlement and exploitation.

To maintain his business interests in his architectural practice in England he appears to have resurrected some form of partnership with George Freeth Roper in Manchester which continued until his death in 1891. Confusingly Roper’s own obituary in the British Architect of 1892 makes no mention of their earlier partnership but lists only works carried out after 1887:  “Mr Roper in partnership with Mr Asahel P Bell in Manchester, carried out a number of buildings in the provinces, such as Mr Harrison’s house in Bromborough, Cheshire (including the whole of the furniture), at a cost of nearly £30,000; the restoration of St Peter’s Church, Ruddington; alterations and additions to the Cheadle Royal Asylum, and numerous out-patients cottages at Colwyn Bay, for Dr Mould, chief physician; a number of stations on the Wirral, Deeside and Hoylake Railway; branch offices for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank; and numerous other cottages, vicarages etc etc, whilst his name has appeared in connection with various competitions” [British Architect 24 June 1892 Page 459].