1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Fowler, Charles

FOWLER, CHARLES (1792–1867), English architect, was born at Cullompton, Devon, on the 17th of May 1792. After serving an apprenticeship of five years at Exeter, he went to London in 1814, and entered the office of David Laing, where he remained till he commenced practice for himself. His first work of importance was the court of bankruptcy in Basinghall Street, finished in 1821. In the following year he gained the first premium for a design for the new London bridge, which, however, was ultimately built according to the design of another architect. Fowler’s other designs for bridges include one constructed across the Dart at Totnes. He was also the architect for the markets of Covent Garden and Hungerford, the new market at Gravesend, and Exeter lower market, and besides several churches he designed Devon lunatic asylum (1845), the London fever hospital (1849), and the hall of the Wax Chandlers’ Company, Gresham Street (1853). For some years he was honorary secretary of the institute of British architects, and he was afterwards created vice-president. He retired from his profession in 1853, and died at Great Marlow, Bucks, on the 26th of September 1867.