Francis James Watson-Hart [also known as F.J. Watson-Hart; F.J. Watson Hart; and as F.J.W. Hart] was born Francis James Hart in Nottingham, England on 13 April 1880 and studied at Nottingham School of Art in Nottingham, England; University College London; and the Royal Academy Schools in London.
He was articled to Lawrence Lee Bright (1872-1951) in Nottingham from 1895; and worked as an assistant to John Belcher (1841-1913), and to Francis Atkinson (1888-1952).
Waton-Hart commenced professional work as an architect in London in 1909, and was in partnership with Herbert Arthur Welch (1883-1953) in London from c.1910. Between 1914 and 1918 he was architect to the Ministry of Works. From 1929 he was in partnership with George Valentine Myer (1883-1959) in the architectural firm Myer & Watson-Hart [Val Myer & Francis James Watson-Hart]. Among their commissions was Broadcasting House at Portland Place, London in 1930-32, and the redesign and rebuilding of Aldford House on Park Lane, London for the Grosvenor Estate in 1930-32. Arthur William Willis later became a partner in the practice which was renamed Myer, Hart & Willis [Val Myer Hart & Willis]. Myer withdrew from the practice in 1950, and the partnership between Watson-Hart and Willis was dissolved in 1953.
Waton-Hart was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (L.R.I.B.A.) in 1931; and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (F.R.I.B.A.) in 1939. He was awarded the Professor Banister Fletcher Medal by the Architectural Association in 1904; and the Royal Academy Bronze Medal in 1906.
In addition to his work as an architect, Watson-Hart was also a graphic artist. A drawing of old Coventry by him is illustrated in Drawing and Design vol.8, no.43, March 1919 (p.64). Between 1897 and 1900 he exhibited at Nottingham Art Gallery.
He lived in Sherwood, Nottingham in 1900. His address was given as 39 Furnival Street, London (1909-14); 2 Hill Close, London (1922-29); and 12 Victoria Street, London (1929). He died in London on 20 July 1953
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
Harwood, Elain. Art Deco Britain: Buildings of the Interwar Years. London: Batsford, 2019