Background
He was born in Atherton and educated at Leigh and Nantwich Grammar Schools.
He was born in Atherton and educated at Leigh and Nantwich Grammar Schools.
He produced many buildings in Leigh and Nicholas Pevsner remarked that, "Any building of any merit (in Leigh) which is not a church or a mill is almost certainly by the local firm of J.C. Prestwich & Sons, capable – sometimes very capable – in a number of styles."
Several of Prestwich"s buildings survive including the Central Buildings on Bradshawgate which were built for the Leigh Friendly Company-operative Society, Leigh Technical School and Library on Railway Road, Leigh Town Hall, Leigh Infirmary and numerous shop, public house and business premises and houses in Pennington. Other buildings have been demolished including Leigh Public Baths and Leigh Union workhouse hospital. Prestwich designed other public buildings including Tyldesley Library and Atherton Town Hall.
Further afield he designed public baths in Stockport and Ashton-in-Makerfield and schools in Atherton, Southport, Birkdale and Hindley.
Prestwich was a fellow of the Manchester Society of Architects and practised until 1930.