Reginald Francis Wheatly was born in Hampstead, London, England on 2 March 1879. After studying at Oxford University he was articled to John McKean Brydon (1840-1901) in 1900 and then, after Brydon's death, to Leonard Aloysius Scott Stokes (1858-1925) from 1901 to 1904, following which he remained as his assistant until 1905. He then worked as an assistant to Sir John William Simpson (1858-1933) and Ormond Maxwell Ayrton (1874-1960). He qualified as an architect in 1906 and in March that year was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1937.
He commenced practice as an independent architect in 1908 and from 1908 to 1910 was in partnership with Edward Ford Duncanson (1880-1947). He was then in partnership with Edmund Harold Sedding (1863-1921) from 1910 to 1914. From 1914 to 1919 he he was employed as Government Architect to Northern Algeria. Following his return to England in 1919 he practised in Truro, Cornwall and soon after was in partnership with Herbert Lee Cowell (1873-1930) and Frederick George Drewitt (1877-1958) as Cowell, Drewitt & Wheatly which had offices in Truro and Penzance, Cornwall Following the death of Cowell in 1930, the original title of the firm was retained until it closed in the 1950s.
Wheatly's address was given as 11, Queen Anne Terrace, Plymouth in 1914; Chileceto, Lelant, Cornwall in 1923, 1926; Little Tregye Devoran, Truro, Cornwall in 1939; Trewith, Falmouth Road, Truro, Cornwall in 1941. He died in Falmouth, Cornwall on 22 November 1959. His address at the time of his death was Tremont, Falmouth Road, Truro, Cornwall
Works by Cowell, Drewitt & Wheatly included St Michael's Cottages, New Street, Penzance, Cornwall (1932); Regent Court, Lower Queen Street, Penzance, Cornwall (1934); Beach Bungalow, Beach Road, Corbis Bay, Cornwall (1936); Sunhome, Queen, Penzance, Cornwall (1937); Promenade House, 4, Captain's Row, South Terrace, Penzance, Cornwall (1930s); 72 & 73, Causewayhead, Penzance (1930s); and 17 Marine Terrace, Penzance, Cornwall (1930s)
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 Builder vol. 197, 4 December 1959, p. 805