George Edward Bolshaw was born in Crewe, Cheshire, England on 26 March 1863. By the 1890s he was working as an architect in Southport, Cheshire, however, it is not known where or with whom he received his training. By 1898 he was junior partner in the architectural firm Hurst & Bolshaw in Southport. In 1901 his address was given as 73 Hampton Road, Southport. Soon after he formed a partnership with Henry J. Stevens as G. E. Bolshaw and H. J. Stevens. They had office at 1 Princes Street, Harrogate, Yorkshire. The partnership was dissolved in December 1906. Bolshaw may have remained in Southport during his partnership with Stevens as his address was given as 371 Lord St., Southport in 1908. He continued to live in Southport for the rest of his career as an architect.
Bolshaw was a Fellow of the Manchester Society of Architects. He died on 30 July 1938. His address at the time of his death was given as Clairville Mansions, Gloucester Road, Birkdale, Southport
Bolshaw specialised in hospital and Methodist chapel and school architecture. His work included a Primitive Methodist school and chapel in Burnley, Lancashire (1893); the Isolation Hospital in Crewe, Cheshire (1895); a chapel on Old Hall Street, Burnley, Lancashire (1897); the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Skipton, Yorkshire (1897-99); a sanatorium in Gosport. Hampshire (1898); the Leyland Arcade in Lord Street, Southport, Lancashire (1898); a United Methodist Free Church in Bacup, Lancashire (1899); the Co-operative Hall in Market Street, Crewe, Cheshire (1900); the Diphtheria Wing and Administration Offices in the Isolation Hospital in Crewe, Cheshire (1902); the Isolation Hospital in Chesterfield, Derbyshire (1902); the Isolation Hospital in Runcorn, Cheshire (1902); schools in Earle Street, Crewe, Cheshire (1904); an extension to Victoria Hospital in Crewe, Cheshire (1904); a branch of the Co‑operative Store in Gainsborough Road, Crewe, Cheshire (1914); the Gutteridge Memorial Methodist Church in Preston (1927-29); and offices and shops in Lord Street and Coronation Street, Southport, Cheshire (1928).
For details of these and other architectural projects by G. E. Bolshaw see: Architects of Greater Manchester 1800-1940 [link below]
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