John Thomas Lee [also known as John Thomas Lee, Jr.] was born in Shipdham, Norfolk, England on 13 December 1844. He was articled to Arthur William Blomfield (1839-1899) in 1862 and remained with him as his assistant. He was also an assistant in the offices of John Raphael Brandon (1817-1877), William Eden Nesfield (1835-1888) and Alfred Waterhouse (1830-1905) from 1870 to 1873.
Lee commenced independent practice as an architect in London in 1873. His office designed several churches. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1892. He died in Tufnell Park, Middlesex on 14 January 1920
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
'Obituary'. The Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects vol. 27, 1920 p. 162