1151 Banister Fletcher

Constituency : Chippenham  1885-6

Banister  became  the  first  Liberal  to  represent  Chippenham  since  1865.

Banister  was  educated  privately  and  won  first  prize  in  a  contest  run  by  the  Institute  of  Architects  while  still  a  student. He  became  an  architect  and  at  first  worked  mainly  in  the  North  East  designing  industrial  buildings. He  moved  to  London  in  1870  and  published  Model  Houses  for  the  Industrial  Classes  the  following  year. This  was  the  first  of  many  practical  handbooks  that  he  published. He  also  designed  Gothic  Revival  furniture.

Banister  made  his  maiden  speech  on  excise  duties  on  herb  beer.

Banister   made  a  short  speech  in  favour  of  the  Home  Rule  Bill. He  envisaged  a  more  federal  form  of  government  for  the  UK  with  Westminster  meeting  to  decide  on  "imperial"  matters. He  was  defeated  in  1886.

In  1890  Banister  became  Professor  of  Architecture  at  King's  College  London. In  1895  he  and  his  son  published  A  History  of  Architecture  on  the  Comparative  Method  which  remains  a  popular  textbook.

He  died  in  1899  aged  66. His  son  of  the  same  name  followed  in  his  footsteps  as  an  architect  and  academic.