Surprisingly little is known about Albert Winstanley the architect of the 1911 Lyceum Theatre in Crewe.
According to the Scottish Architects website he was born in Scotland in 1876 and died at the aged of 67 in 1943 with very little information about his life this however could be wrong.
We know that at the end of his life he lived in 53 Orchard Road, Lytham St Annes and on his death bequeathed three marble statues to the Lytham St Annes Art Collection. This has led to the discovery of an Albert Winstanley born between January and March 1876 in Southport, Lancashire or North Meols, Lancashire to Henry Winstanley (Written in the 1911 Census as Hearty Winstanley) born in 1840 at Bamber Bridge (or Bansher Bridge in Census), Lancashire and his wife Elizabeth born in 1838 at Crosby, Westmorland, Lancashire. The couple were Married for 28 years before her death (Date not known so far but before the 1911 Census).
The 1876 Lancashire Births Deaths and Marriages has Albert Winstanley registered at Ormskirk Ref 8b 806.
In 1881 the family lived at 7 Victoria Street, North Meoles, Lancashire where Henry (41) was listed as being born in Walton Le Dale, Lancashire and was an Iron Moulder.
1881 CENSUS at 7 Victoria Street.
Henry Winstanley 41(.b. c1840) Iron Moulder
Elizabeth Winstanley 43 (.b. c1838) Wife
Albert Winstanley 5 (.b. c1876) Son
Calvery Turner 34
Henry Lovatt 45
William Shaw 58
Hannah Shaw 42
Josephine Shaw 6
Ashworth Kitchen 27
Agnes Kitchen 20
1891 CENSUS at 7 Victoria Street.
Henry Winstanley 41(.b. c1840) Iron Moulder
Elizabeth Winstanley 43 (.b. c1838) Wife
Albert Winstanley 5 (.b. c1876) Son
Henry Lovatt 45
Lucy Lovatt (NEW)
Christian Warwick 66 (NEW)
Edith Warwick 20 (NEW)
In 1897 and 1908 Albert was responsible for designing the “Grand Picture House” in Lancaster.
In 1897 Albert Winstanley was given the task of installing a new stage and small fly tower in to the theatre.
In 1908 a Fire gutted the building losing the interior completely and Albert Winstanley was brought in as the architect to design a new theatre to fit inside the remaining walls.
In 1909 Albert Winstanley formed his first partnership with Arnold England of Rochdale, Lancashire. The following year they moved into premises in 49 Deansgate Manchester and in St Annes-on-sea. It was then that he was given the task of rebuilding the Lyceum theatre in Crewe (1911).
The 1911 Census shows Albert at 13 St Albans Road, St Annes on Sea as a single man living with his father Henry now aged 71 and widowed. Albert was listed as being an Architect / Surveyor.
In 1911 Albert was given the task of designing the “Original Art Cinema” in Haymarket St, Bury, Lancashire.
Two years after the original Art Cinema development in 1913 Albert was responsible for the “Picture House”, Wakefield.
In 1919 Albert Winstanley was joined by an assistant called Charles Hamilton MacKeith who stayed with him until 1928 when he branched out on his own.
Another assistant of Albert Winstanley’s was called Norman who died in a road traffic accident in 1940.
Albert died at the age of 67 on the 30 May 1943 after falling in-front of a train at Kirkham Railway Station. At this time he was living at 53 Orchard Road, St Anne’s-on-Sea. An inquest into the death recorded a verdict of “Misadventure” and was reported in the Lancashire Evening Post on Saturday the 26 June 1943.
After his death his will bequeathed 3 Marble Statues to the Lytham St Anne’s Art Collection.
As far as I know this is all the information we have about him. The only other things we have of Albert’s are the buildings he designed including the Lyceum Theatre, which has been restored to how it would have looked on the day it was opened in 1911 and we still have his original plans for the building which have been copied into the Lyceum History files.
