Richmond, Ernest Tatham 1874 - 1955

Ernest Tatham Richmond was born in Hammersmith, London, England on 15 August 1875 and was the son of the painter William Blake Richmond (1842-1921). He was articled to Gerald Callcott Horsley (1862-1917) from 1892 to 1895.  He also attended the Architectural Association Schools and the Royal Academy Schools in London.

He spent the winter of 1895-94 in Upper Egypt assisting Bedford Tylor (1871-1915) and Somers Clarke (1841-1926) of Tylor & Somers Clarke in measuring and drawing the tomb and temple at El Kab. In 1896 he established an architectural practise in Cairo and that year was appointed to the post of Assistant Architect to the "Comité pour la Conservation des Monuments de l'Art Arabe". In this capacity took part In numerous works connected with the preservation of the monuments of Muslim art in Cairo, such as the mosaics of El Mardanl. Salih Talay, Sultan Hassan Kijmas el Ishakl, Kait Bal, and many other buildings. In 1900 he was appointed by the British War Office to the post of Surveyor to the Headquarters of the Army of Occupation in Cairo. He designed and erected a large block of quarters for married soldiers In Cairo, as well as other quarters and houses for other military personnel.  He was subsequently appointed to the Public Works Department of the Egyptian Government, where, in the capacity of architect, and later as Director-General of the Department of Towns and State Buildings, was responsible for the design and supervision of Government buildings, such as public offices, secondary schools, military barracks, dwelling houses, cottages, and police outposts. After eight and a half years in this service, resigned, in October 1911, and returned to England and began practising in London. In 1912 and 1913, among other work, he carried out extensive alterations and additions at Greenhill, Warminster, Wilts, and at Crakenthorpe Hall, Westmorland.  

During World War One Richmond served in the War Office until 1916 when he joined the Ambulance Corps. In 1917-18 he was architect to the War Graves Service in France.

From 1918 to 1920 he worked as Consulting Architect to the Haram ash-Sharif in Jerusalem, following which he was employed as Assistant Civil Secretary (Political), Government of Palestine from until 1924.  From 1927 to 1937 he served as Director of Antiquities for the Government of Palestine. In 1937 he returned to England and settled in Gloucestershire

Richmond's address was given as 42 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London in 1913. He died in Gloucester, Gloucestershire on 5 March 1955. His papers are held at Durham University