Alfred Richard Twentyman was born at Bilbrook Manor House, his family home in Tettenhall, Staffordshire, England on 13 September 1903. After training as an engineer at the University of Cambridge he studied at the Architectural Association Schools in London. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1931 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1939.
He was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1931 and in 1932 or 1933 he formed the architectural partnership Lavender & Twentyman with Ernest Clifford Lavender (1890-1942). The practice had an office at Waterloo Chambers, Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.
Following Lavender's death in 1942, Twentyman continued to run the practice, retaining the original name of the firm. By the early 1950s a third partner, Charles Geoffrey Percy (1914-1963) had joined the firm which was renamed Lavender, Twentyman & Percy. It later became Twentyman, Percy & Partners.
In addition to his work as an architect, Twentyman was also a painter, although he is not known to have exhibited. A painting by him entitled Pigeon Loft, Sedgely is in the permanent collection of Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
His address was given as Wateroo Chambers Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton in 1932 and 1950; and Bilbrook Manor House, Codsall, Staffordshire in 1939. He died in Bridgnorth, Shropshire on 13 December 1979.
A biographical file on Alfred Richard Twentyman is available on request at the Enquiry Desk, Royal Institute of British Architects Library, London He died in Bridgnorth, Shropshire on 13 December 1979.
Lavender & Twentyman designed numerous buildings in the Wolverhampton area including several private houses; the Accident and Emergency Department of the Eye Infirmary in Wolverhampton; gas showrooms on the corner of Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton; the GKN research laboratories in Wolverhampton, for which they were awarded the RIBA Bronze Medal in 1953; public houses; crematoriums in Redditch and Wolverhampton; and a series of churches. Houses in Tettenhall, near Wolverhampton designed by Lavender & Twentyman are discussed in Small Houses £500-£2500, edited by H. Myles Wright (1937 pp. 37, 78-79).
Hares, John. ‘Richard Twentyman (1903-1979)’. RIBA Journal vol. 87, no. 4, April 1980 p. 29.
Twentyman, A. R. ‘The design & layout of Crematoria’. Royal Sanitary Institute. JournalJuly 1955 pp. 500-506
‘All Saints Church, Darlston, Staffordshire’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy] Architect & Building News 12 February 1953 pp. 193-198
‘All Saints Church, Darlston, Staffordshire’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy]. RIBA Journal January 1953 pp. 100-102
‘All Saints Church, Darlston, Staffordshire’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy]. The Builder 30 January 1953 pp. 192-197
‘Church at Radford, Coventry (St. Nicholas)’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy] Wood July 1958 pp. 284-287
‘Crematorium for Wolverhampton’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy]. Architect & Building News 26 August 1954 pp. 235-240
‘Crematorium for Wolverhampton’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy]. The Surveyor 24 July 1954 pp. 631-632
‘Crematorium for Wolverhampton’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy]. The Builder 13 May 1955 pp. 793-797
‘Crematorium for Wolverhampton’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy]. Architect & Building News 13 March 1952 pp. 311-313
‘Extensions to the Eye Infirmary, Wolverhampton’ [Architect: Lavender & Twentyman]. Architects' Journal 22 September 1938 p. 504
‘Grandstand for athletic stadium, Cosford’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy.] Architect & Building News 9 August 1961 pp. 209-210
‘Mixed grammar school, Wolverhampton’ [Architects: Twentyman, Percy & Partners] Architect & Building News 6 January 1965 pp. 15-20
‘Obituary’ RIBA Journal vol. 87, April 1980 p. 29
‘Pontesbury Secondary Modern School, ten miles from Shrewsbury’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy, with the Shropshire County Architects Department]. Architect & Building News 24 September 1958 pp. 426-430
‘Shops & housing at Sedgley, Staffs: shops & maisonettes at Lower Gornal; flats at Gibbons Hill; flats at Ettymore Road; [Architects: Lavender Twentyman & Percy]. Architect & Building News 17 December 1953 pp. 747-749
‘St. Andrew's Church, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire; Architects: Twentyman, Percy & Partners’ Architectural Review May 1968 p. 364
‘St. Chads church at Rubery, Birmingham’ [Architects: Lavender, Twentyman & Percy]. Architect & Building News 9 November 1960 pp. 590-593
‘St. Nicholas' Church, Coventry, to seat 436’ [Architects: Lavender Twentyman & Percy] Architect & Building News 22 December 1956 pp. 809-814