The Man Behind The Building

Who would think that the man who designed a Lancaster cathedral was also responsible for one of the city’s most thriving industrial sites?
But the architect who designed St Peter’s Cathedral in Lancaster also dreamt up the Standfast & Barracks site which is the focus of our Behind The Wall project
Edward Graham Paley designed the offices, workshops, central gateway and impressive clock tower of the Caton Road site.
Originally born near York, Paley became a pupil of renowned Lancaster architect, Edmund Sharpe in 1826.
A vicar’s son, he went on to design many churches in the area with his biggest achievement being St Peter’s Cathedral.
It was after Sharpe retired and when Paley was working with the help of assistants, that he was commissioned to design a building for Lancaster Carriage and Wagon Works where he just happened to be a Director.
He set to work on designing the huge industrial site – now Standfast & Barracks – in 1863 and the building was completed in 1865.
Also during that time Paley designed a wide range of buildings from churches and private houses to railway premises. He was joined in his endeavours by Hubert Austin in 1868.
But what sort of man was Edward Paley? Thanks to James Price’s book on Sharpe, Paley and Austin we know quite a lot about the man behind many a Lancaster landmark.
Like many professional men in Victorian times, Paley seemed to have his fingers in many pies!
He was a committee member of the Storey Institute and Royal Albert Asylum as well as being a Borough Councillor for a while. He succeeded Sharpe as Bridgemaster of the Hundred of South Lonsdale and designed the road bridge over the River Lune at Caton.
An enthusiastic rower, along with Sharpe he founded Lancaster Rowing Club and his interest in music was reflected in his membership of the local Choral Society.
Paley was a very sociable person who seemed to be well liked. He was described as ‘one of nature’s gentlemen who was always cheerful and friendly’.
He married Edmund Sharpe’s sister and together with his wife and four children lived at The Greaves in Lancaster. On his death in 1895, he had a very well attended public funeral.
Thanks to Edward Paley, the area can boast some of the country’s finest buildings most of which, like Standfast & Barracks, are still standing and fulfilling an important purpose.
Anyone with memories or photographs of the Standfast & Barracks building from any era, can contact louise@miradorarts.co.uk
*Photograph of Edward Paley courtesy of Lancaster City Museum.