A Liverpool Exemplar - John Cunningham

 

 

John Cunningham was born in Leitholm in 1799, the son of a builder to whom he was initially apprenticed. His talent came to the attention of Sir William Purves-Hume-Campbell for whom he designed his first building aged 17, a lodge for his Marchmont Estate. He was then articled to Thomas Brown, Superintendent of Works in Edinburgh from 1819 where he studied and practised as an architectural draughtsman remaining there for 10 years. In 1829 he designed the County Hall, Hotel and manse at Greenlaw, Berwickshire before, in 1833, he married Agnes Usher and, following the death of his patron Sir William Purves-Hume-Campbell, they then emigrated to New York. However, the climate there had a detrimental effect on his health, and he returned to Edinburgh in 1834 where was commissioned to design the Castle Inn Hotel in Greenlaw. The following year he was invited 'to leave Edinburgh and come to Liverpoo'l by Samuel Holme, a prominent Liverpool builder and politician who was an enthusiast for Greek architecture. There he entered into partnership with Holme's younger brother, Arthur Hill Holme, a partnership which was dissolved in 1840 but not before the two men had collaborated with John Foster Jr. to design Liverpool Lime Street Station. A twin track tunnel was constructed between Edge Hill and the new station before the station was built and opened to the public in August 1836. In Liverpool John built up a susbstantial practice, part of which was work as a water engineer. This was associated with an interest in geology, having a lifelong interest in the geology and fossils, and he was elected a Fellow of the Geological Society of London on the 6th of February 1839 to which he contributed several papers.  When he first saw Chirotherium footprints at Storeton Quarry in June 1838, he had immediately recognised them from the description of the German finds that had appeared in Buckland's Bridgewater Treatise. He reported his discovery to the Liverpool Natural History Society and wrote a paper on the Society's behalf which was read to the Geological Society of London on 5 December 1838.

In 1842 he took a trip through Belgium and France with Samuel Holme. During the trip he contracted cholera but managed to recuperate. He was then involved with the Liverpool Sailors' Home project from the institution's inception, having been appointed architect of the building in 1844 even before land for the building had been secured. The Home was created in the neo-Elizabethan Tudor style and during its construction, it is clear from contemporary reports that he worked closely with Henry Pooley Jnr. on the designs of the iron-work.

From the Illustrated London News of September the 1st 1849.

 

In 1844 he was appointed to prepare plans for a hall for The Liverpool Philharmonic Society which had been founded in 1840. The initial requirement was for a 'concert room' holding an audience of 1,500 which would cost at least £4,000 (equivalent to £403,000 in 2019). Later that year the requirement was increased to a 'new concert hall' to accommodate an audience of 2,100 and an orchestra of 250, plus 'refreshment and retiring rooms'. When it was opened on the 27th of August 1849, The Times correspondent reported that it was "one of the finest and best adapted to music that I ever entered". In the mid 1850s the Portsmouth born, and highly respected and prolific playwright, Charles Dickens,  became the Manager of the Philharmonic Hall, and performed in some of the productions there, such as 'Used Up' and 'Mr. Nightingale's Diary'. According to his obituary, John Cunningham was exceedingly proud of this particular building, reportedly saying: "Well the fact is that for a concert-hall, it is joost perfect!" The Commercial Bank, the Union Bank, and the Orphan's Asylum were some of the other buildings which may be mentioned as being carefully studied specimens of the various styles in which they are designed by him, as well as being the architect of many churches, mansion-houses, and public buildings throughout Lancashire, including Ripley Hospital, near Lancaster, and Upton Church, near Birkenhead, and he was also the engineer for several water-works.

The grave of John Cunningham, Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh

Around 1860 he formed a brief partnership with the brothers W & G Audsley from A & W Reid's Elgin office but this was dissolved when they set up practice on their own account whilst still in Liverpool in 1863. In 1873 John left Liverpool and returned to Edinburgh and produced a scheme for the Glasgow Public Halls Company. He died at Laverockbank Terrace, Trinity on the 2nd of October of the same year aged 73 years. He is buried in Warriston Cemetery close to his final home. The grave lies on the main west path on its east side at the transition between the upper and lower sections. Either on or prior to his death the Glasgow Public Halls scheme was completely taken over by Campbell Douglas & Sellars, who had been appointed associate architects from the outset. It was exhibited posthumously at the Glasgow Institute in 1875.

see also:- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2021/08/a-liverpool-exemplar-muriel-levy.html