Background
Hubert Austin was a son of Rev T. Austin, the rector of Redmarshall, County Durham.
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Hubert Austin
Edit ProfileEducation
He attended Richmond Grammar School, and in 1860 was articled to his older brother, Thomas, an architect in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Career
With his partners he designed many churches and other buildings, mainly in the northwest of England. In 1914 Austin"s son Geoffrey joined the practice as a partner and, for a short time, it was entitled Austin, Paley and Austin. Hubert Austin was involved in the design of more than 100 new churches, mainly in Gothic Revival style, and in many church restorations.
His work has been highly praised.
Price comments that he "brought to the practice great talent and energy". Pevsner was of the opinion that it was he "it seems, who was responsible for the firm"s masterpieces".
When he came to the practice "the character of the architecture of the firm changed – a nobility and at the same time resourcefulness appeared which had not until then been seen in its products". Elsewhere Pevsner describes him as "brilliant" and of raising the work of the practice "to the level of the best in the country". with churches the equal of any in the country".
Achievements
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In the Buildings of England series, Austin is described as a "local man of genius" with whom the firm "achieved greatness, distinguished for their thoughtfully creative designs with masterful handling of space, line and plane", and who transformed the firm into a practice which decorated Lancashire.
