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John Lessels (9 January 1809 – 12 November 1883) was a Scottish architect and artist, active inEdinburgh and theScottish Borders (particularly in the former county ofBerwickshire).[1]
He was born and educated inKirkcaldy,Fife, and initially worked for his father as a carpenter on the Raith estate. He joined the office ofWilliam Burn (1789–1870), acting as one of hisinspector of works until he established his own practice in a flat at 7 St Vincent Street in Edinburgh's Northern or SecondNew Town in 1846. Important commissions included the Walker Estate, the area of the Western New Town developed from the 1850s and the Edinburgh publishing firm of Thomas Nelson by 1860. He was appointed as joint architect to the City Improvement Trust, withDavid Cousin, in 1866, and oversaw the redevelopment of parts of theOld Town and completion of multiple incomplete schemes in the New Town.[1] In 1858 he moved to 21Heriot Row, a Georgian townhouse facing onto Queen Street Gardens,[2][1] which was his home and office.
Among his pupils wereDavid MacGibbon (1831–1902) andRobert Rowand Anderson (1834–1921). Lessels was a keen photographer, and was president of theEdinburgh Photographic Society for several years. He also regularly exhibited oil and watercolour paintings at theRoyal Scottish Academy.[1]
He was a prominentfreemason and member of the Old Kilwinning Lodge on St John St off theCanongate.[1]
He is buried inDean Cemetery. The grave lies in the first northern extension in a north-west section, set back but visible from the main east-west path. His monument is in the form of an unusual sundial and states, wrongly, his date of birth as 1808. It formerly bore his portrait on a photographic glazed tile.[1]
John's first wife, Mary Henderson (26 June 1808 – 2 January 1858) bore him four daughters and four sons.His second wife was Gertrude A. H. Neffkins (d. 13 May 1884).
His first son, also John (1833–1914),[3] partnered his father with a branch office inPerth. His second son, James (c.1834–c1905?),[4] partnered and succeeded his father, finishing some schemes (such as Royal Crescent) following his father's death.[5]
Lessels was a prolific tenement designer over and above his individual "landmark" buildings. His works include:[1]
