James Diggle Mould was the architect son of a Primitive Methodist minister, John Mould (1822-1887; e.m. 1849) and Sarah Diggle (1830-1891). Born at Glossop, he was educated at Bury Grammar School and in Manchester, before being articled to Maycock and Bell of Manchester from 1872-77. Employment then followed in Bolton with Thomas Haselden (1847-88), where Mould was head architect, 1878-83. He commenced his own practice in Manchester in 1884 and opened a branch office in Bury in 1886. About 1898 his younger brother, Samuel Joseph Mould (1869-1923) joined the practice, now known as Moulds, and with an office in London. A further partner was Austin Townsend Porritt (1876-1939), whose family ran Stubbins Vale Mills, near Edenfield. The partnership of Moulds & Porritt was dissolved in 1907, when Porritt left, having to take over the running of the family mills on his father's death. The Mould brothers worked together until 1910; thereafter Samuel remained in London. During the First World War he served in the Royal Engineers rising to the rank of captain; he died on 21 September 1923 at Hackney.

James Mould was the Secretary of the Manchester Architectural Society, 1885-1891, until it amalgamated with the Manchester Society of Architects. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1888 and a Fellow in 1897.

Although the practices covered a range of building types, including housing, offices and banks, they were responsible for more than sixty religious buildings, mostly Nonconformist chapels, especially Primitive Methodist and Congregationalist. Many were in Lancashire but their distribution reflected to some extent their office locations. Their Congregational chapels included Bury Castlecroft (1885) and Park, Manchester Road (1898); Chingford, Buxton Road (1910); Hull, Newland (1904-6). Primitive Methodist buildings included Edensfield, Rochdale Road (1891); Irwell Vale (1893); Luton, Hightown (1897); Oswestry, Castle Street (1899); Worsley, Worsley Road (1883).

James Mould married Sarah Taylor Rogers in 1893. Their son George (1894-1976) was a journalist. A man of wide culture and an excellent musician, James was a choir member and for a time also choirmaster at Walmersley Road PM, Bury, where he was a member. He also served as a Liberal councillor in Bury between 1900 and 1903. He died at Bury on 28 May 1935.

Entry written by: DCD
Category: Person
Comment on this entry