Born near Stockton in Co. Durham, he married Isabella Matilda Pickering on 7 January 1847. He worked in the private sector and was supervising the construction of the High-Level Bridge, Newcastle for Robert Stephenson when he succeeded Ignatius Bonomi as the Durham County Bridge Surveyor in 1850. He was chosen from 65 applicants and immediately prepared a rolling programme for repairs to the County’s bridges. In his first two years he was charged with negligence twice over bridge work. A further problem occurred in 1856 when an accident led to two men being killed.

Despite of these professional difficulties he was appointed County Surveyor for Northumberland in 1856. In both appointments he was able to take on private commissions and most of his known designs are for Churches.

He served on the council of the Northern Architectural Association 1862-3. He moved to Edinburgh on his retirement from public office where he continued to practice privately.