Louis Ambler was born near Bradford, Yorkshire, England on 2 June 1862 and was articled to Henry Francis Lockwood and William Mawson (1828-1889) in Bradford. He then worked as an assistant to Robert William Edis (1839-1927) for nearly two years. He spent a further three months sketching in Europe and spent a period assisting the London architects George Frederick Bodley (1827-1907) and Thomas Garner (1839-1906).
In 1888 Ambler was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) and the following year set up an independent practice at 82 Abingdon Road, London. By 1892 he had relocated to The Clock House, Arundel Street, Strand, London, and from 1905 to 1934 his office was located at Temble Chambers, Temple Avenue, London.
A sketch and plan of 'Langwith Lodge', Nottinghamshire, designed by Ambler are illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1907 (p.11), and two photographs of the hall and drawing room at Langwith Lodge, Nottinghamshire designed by Ambler are illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1910 (p.18).
At the end of World War One he employed as a War Department Valuer (1918-19).
Ambler was the author of 'The Old Halls and Manor Houses of Yorkshire. With Some Examples of Other Houses Built Before the Year 1700' (London: B.T. Batsford, 1913).
He exhibited at the Royal Academy, London from 1890 to 1929. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1900. Ambler died in Islington, London on 1 April 1946.
Architectural projects by Ambler included St Mary and St Laurence's Church, Bolsover, Derbyshire (1897); St Mary Magdalene's Church, Creswell, Derbyshire (1899); St Thomas' Church, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (1901-03); Langwith Lodge, Nether Langwith, Nottinghamshire 1904); The Wriothesley Tomb, St Peter's Church, Titchfield, Hampshire (1905); St John the Evanglist's Church, Kirkby Woodhouse (1905-06); Godber Memorial Church Hall, Ogle Street, Hucknall Torkard (1906-07);] St Wilfrid's Church, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (1907-08); additions to St Michael and All Angels’ Church, Outram Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (1909); Conservative Club, Drighlington (1910); St Alban's Church, Forest Town (1910-11); St Winifred's Church, Holbeck, Nottinghamshire (1913-16); and War memorial for St Michael and All Angel church in Sutton-in-Ashfield (1921).
____
New Churches at Cresswell, Derbyshire, and East Kirkby, Annesley Woodhouse, Sutton-ln-Ashfield, and Forest Town, Notts; Churches rebuilt and enlarged at Bolsover, Derbyshire, and Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts; Churches restored at Cuckney, Notts, Langwith, Derbyshire, and Pamber, Hants; re-seatlng and re-flooring of St. Andrew's Church, Wells Street, London; entire fittings of King's College Hospital Chapel, London; Church Institutes at Hucknall Torkard and Annesley Woodhouse, Notts; Vicarages and Parsonages at Cresswell, Derbyshire, East Kirkby, Annesley Woodhouse, Forest Town, and Rainworth, Notts, and Guist, Norfolk; Langwlth Lodge, Notts, and many other houses in Yorks, Notts, Beds, Sussex, Kent, the Home Counties, and Scotland; also houses, workmen's dwellings, business premises, suburban hotels, and numerous other buildings in various parts of London. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1914]
____
New churches at Cresswell, "Derbyshire, and East Kirkby, Annesley Woodhouse, Sutton-in-Ashfleld and Forest Town, Notts; rebuilding (after destruction by Are) and enlarging churches at Bolsover, Derbyshire, and Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts; restoring churches at Cuckney, Notts, and Pamber, Hants; now fittings at St. Andrew's Church, Wells street, London, and King's College Hospital Chapel, London, and Clayton Church, Yorkshire, and Sutton, Notts; Church institutes at Hucknall Torkard and Annesley Woodhouse, Notts; Constitutional Club, Drighlington, Yorkshire; vicarages and parsonages at Cresswell, Derbyshire, and East Kirkby and Annesley Woodhouse, Forest Town, Rainworth and Clipstone, Notts, and Guist, Norfolk; "Langwith Lodge" and "Culloden," Edwinstowe, Notts; " Biddenham Close," Beds, and house at Luton Hoo, Beds, and many other country houses; houses, workmen's dwellings, suburban inns and business premises in and near London; Westminster Bank, Piccadilly; cottage and Interior work at Antwerp; War Memorials at Hunsworth, Yorkshire, and Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts; other memorials in Yorkshire, Surrey and London. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1926]
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 17, 5 April 1946 p. 326
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 17, 12 April 1946 p. 366
Who’s Who in Architecture 1914. London: The Architectural Press, 1914
Who’s Who in Architecture 1926. Edited by Frederick Chatterton. London: The Architectural Press, 1926