Arthur Cates (29 April 1829 – 15 May 1901) was an English architect.

Life

The son of James Cates by his wife Susan, daughter of John Rose, he was born at 38 Alfred Street,

Bedford Square Bedford Square is a garden square in the Bloomsbury district of the London Borough of Camden, Borough of Camden in London, England. History Built between 1775 and 1783 as an upper middle class residential area, the square has had many disti ...

, London. After education at

King's College School King's College School, also known as Wimbledon, KCS, King's and KCS Wimbledon, is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Wimbledon, London, Wimbledon, southwest London, England. The s ...

he entered as pupil the office of

Sydney Smirke Sydney Smirke (20 December 1797 – 8 December 1877) was a British architect. Smirke who was born in London, England as the fifth son of painter Robert Smirke and his wife, Elizabeth Russell. He was the younger brother of Sir Robert Smirke ...

, in 1846. Cates's executed works were not numerous; but in 1870 he succeeded Sir James Pennethorne as architect to the land revenues of the crown under the

Commissioners of Woods and Forests The Commissioners of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues were established in the United Kingdom in 1810 by merging the former offices of Surveyor General of Woods, Forests, Parks, and Chases and Surveyor General of the Land Revenues of the Crown in ...

. He then controlled the architecture of the

Crown Estate The Crown Estate is a collection of lands and holdings in the United Kingdom belonging to the British monarch as a corporation sole, making it "the sovereign's public estate", which is neither government property nor part of the monarch's priva ...

in London. Cates, who joined the

Architectural Association The Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, commonly referred to as the AA, is the oldest private school of architecture in the UK. The AA hosts exhibitions, lectures, symposia and publications. History The Architectura ...

in 1847, became an associate of the

Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

(RIBA) in 1856, a fellow in 1874, and a member of the council in 1879; he served as vice-president from 1888 to 1892. Architectural education was one of his concerns, and he long controlled the RIBA examination system. From 1882 to 1896 he was chairman of its board of examiners, and preliminary, intermediate, and final examinations were brought in. He was also a fellow of the Surveyors' Institution. From 1859 to 1892 Cates acted as hon. secretary of the Architectural Publication Society. When in 1894 the tribunal of appeal under the

London Building Act 1894 London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on the River Thame ...

( 57 & 58 Vict. c. ccxiii) was appointed, he was elected the first chairman, and was re-elected in 1900 for a further term of five years. Cates died at his residence, 12 York Terrace,

Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, Borough of Camden (and historical ...

, on 15 May 1901, and was buried at

Woking Woking ( ) is a town and borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in north-west Surrey, England, around from central London. It appears in Domesday Book as ''Wochinges'', and its name probably derives from that of a Anglo-Saxon settleme ...

Legacy

As surveyor to the Honourable Society of the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

, Cates designed in 1887 the archway and gatehouse leading from Tudor Street to King's Bench Walk. He formed a good architectural library, and many of his books were given or bequeathed to the library of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He bequeathed an annual prize bearing his name, which after his death was awarded in connection with the RIBA examinations.

Works

Cates assisted in the compilation of the ''Architectural Dictionary'', which his friend Wyatt Papworth edited. He wrote for the ''

Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'' memoirs of Wyatt Papworth, his father and brother.

Family

Cates married in 1881 Rosa, daughter of William Rose, who survived him. There was no issue of the marriage.

Notes

Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Cates, Arthur 1829 births 1901 deaths 19th-century English architects Architects from London Associates of the Royal Institute of British Architects