Matthew Ellison Hadfield (8 September 1812 – 9 March 1885) was an English architect of the Victorian

Gothic revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

. He is chiefly known for his work on Roman Catholic churches, including the

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

churches of

Salford Salford ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Greater Manchester, England, on the western bank of the River Irwell which forms its boundary with Manchester city centre. Landmarks include the former Salford Town Hall, town hall, ...

and

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...

Training

Hadfield was born at Lees Hall in

Glossop Glossop is a market town in the borough of High Peak (borough), High Peak, Derbyshire, England, east of Manchester, north-west of Sheffield and north of Matlock, Derbyshire, Matlock. Near Derbyshire's borders with Cheshire, Greater Mancheste ...

, Derbyshire, the son of Joseph Hadfield and Mary Hadfield (née Ellison). He attended Woolton Grove Academy in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

, and subsequently, between 1827 and 1831, he worked for his uncle Michael Ellison (his mother's brother), agent of the estates of the Dukes of Norfolk in Sheffield. From 1831 he was articled to the architectural firm of Woodhead and Hurst of Doncaster, and then to P. F. Robinson of

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. He married Sarah Frith of

at around this time.

Career

Practising as an architect in Sheffield from 1834, Hadfield's first commission was the design of the Cholera Monument in Sheffield, a memorial to the 402 victims of the cholera epidemic of 1832 in the city. In 1838 Hadfield entered a partnership in Sheffield with John Grey Weightman, which lasted until 1858. In 1850 they were joined by their former pupil George Goldie, and the partnership between Hadfield and Goldie lasted until 1860. During that time, they worked on several commissions in and around Manchester such as St Paul's Church in Hyde (1853-4) and St Mary's Church in Dukinfield (1856). From 1864 or 1865 Hadfield was in partnership with his son Charles Hadfield (1840–1916). After Hadfield's death in 1885, his son continued the practice, and was later joined in partnership by Hadfield's grandson Charles Matthew Ellison Hadfield (1867–1949). As an architect, Hadfield was an early follower of the Gothic revival movement led by A.W.N. Pugin. Hadfield designed numerous Catholic churches, including All Saints, Glossop, St. Bede's, Rotherham, St Hilda's,

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is on the Yorkshire Coast at the mouth of the River Esk, North Yorkshire, River Esk and has a maritime, mineral and tourist economy. From the Middle Ages, Whitby ...

, St Catherine's Church, Littlehampton and St Chad’s. His largest and most significant work was St John's Church in

(1844–1848) which in 1850 was elevated to cathedral status upon the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales. St John's was in the decorated style, as was St Marie's Church in

(1847–1850; elevated to cathedral status in 1980). A further cathedral commission, in the form of the Cathedral of the Annunciation and St. Nathy, Ballaghaderreen, in the diocese of Achonry, Ireland, came in 1855 (completed 1860). Hadfield also designed railway stations, including that at

, and those of the

East Lincolnshire Railway The East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Lincolnshire, Boston, Alford, Lincolnshire, Alford, Louth, Lincolnshire, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848. The ELR ''Company'' had l ...

together with Sheffield's Wicker Arches viaduct, in the neo-classical style, in 1848.

Other buildings by Hadfield & Son

* St Mary's Church, Worksop (Weightman and Hadfield) in 1838. * Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Bamford * Sacred Heart Church, Hillsborough (C.M.Hadfield) * Glossop Town Hall * St Mary's Church, Grimsby * St Mary's Church, Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy (restoration 1847, Weightman and Hadfield) * Kenmure Castle, New Galloway, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. 1879, additions and remodellin

* Monastery of The Holy Spirit, Sheffield *Chapel at St Michael's Cemetery, Sheffield * St Vincent's Church, Sheffield (Chapel-school) * Sheffield United Gas Light Company Offices * Thornbury, Sheffield * St Joseph's Church, Stockport

References

Sources

*Roderick O'Donnell, 'Matthew Ellison Hadfield', ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Hadfield, Matthew Ellison 19th-century English architects Gothic Revival architects English Roman Catholics English ecclesiastical architects 1812 births 1885 deaths People from Glossop Architects of cathedrals Architects from Derbyshire Architects of Roman Catholic churches