Ernest Prestwich was born in Leigh, Lancashire, England on 29 August 1889 and was the son of James Caldwell Prestwich (1852-1940). In 1906 he entered the University of Liverpool School of Architecture from where he graduated with a B.A. in 1910. That year he won a competition for planning the completion of the model village of Port Sunlight. In 1912 he was awarded an M.A. by the University of Liverpool.
In 1912 he joined his father and his brother, Harold Oswald Prestwich (1881-1953), in the family architectural firm in Leigh, which subsequently became Prestwich & Sons. He was also employed for a period in the Architects Department of Lever Brothers and worked on various projects for the company including Thornton Hough War Memorial and the Stornoway Planning Scheme.
Ernest Prestwich was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1918 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1928. He was awarded the RIBA Architecture Bronze Medal for Manchester in 1938.
His address was given as "Everdene", Hand Lane, Leigh, Lancashire in 1923 and 1926; Bradshawgate Chambers, Leigh, Lancashire in 1939; and 2 Bamber Gardens, Southport, Lancashire in 1977He died in Southport, Lancashire on 4 November 1977.
Architectural projects by Ernest Prestwich and Prestwich & Sons included Cinematograph Theatre, Railway Road, Leigh, Lancashire (1912-13); War Memorial Princess Parade Gardens, Promenade, Blackpool, Lancashire (1922-23); Doncaster War Memorial, Roman Road and South Parade, Doncaster (1923); War Memorial Harrogate, Prospect Square, Harrogate (1923); DIC Building, Cross Street, Manchester (1923-25); Extension to Leigh Infirmary and new Nurses’ Home, Leigh, Lancashire (1925); Northampton Civic Centre, Northampton, Northamptonshire (1931); Public Baths, Campbell Square, Northampton, Northamptonshire (1933); Central Swimming Baths, Eastgate and New York Road, Leeds, Yorkshire (1936); Swinton Town Hall, Salford, Lancashire, with Sir Percy Thomas (1938); Pendlebury Town Hall, Salford, Lancashire, with Sir Percy Thomas (1938); Public Baths, Upper Mounts Place, Northampton, Northamptonshire (1938-41); Fire Station, Upper Mounts Place, Northampton, Northamptonshire (1938-41); Police Station, Upper Mounts Place, Northampton, Northamptonshire (1938-41); Secondary School, Hope Hall, Eccles Old Road, Salford, Lancashire (1939); Police Headquarters, Halton, Preston, Lancashire (1939); and The Manse, Methodist Church, Bonner Road, Bethnal Green, London (1959).
Sharples, Joseph, Powers, Alan and Shippobottom, Michael. Charles Reilly & the Liverpool School of Architecture 1904-1933. Catalogue of an exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 25 October 1996 - 2 February 1997. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 1996 p. 176 [Contains other references to Prestwich, unfortunately, this very informative catalogue is not indexed]