Dollman, Francis Thomas (1812-99)

Francis Thomas Dollman was born in 1812 and articled to Augustus Charles Pugin from 1827 to 1832. He was renowned for his skill as a draughtsman and assisted Pugin with the plates for ”Examples of Gothic Architecture’. In 1833 he then moved to the office of George Basevi where he remained for twelve years until his death in 1845. He commenced independent practice in London in 1846, and was best known for his books, which followed the A C Pugin format, beginning with ‘Examples of Ancient Pulpits in England’, 1848. He was elected ARIBA on 4 January 1846 with the influential backing of G G Scott, Benjamin Ferrey, Sydney Smirke and C C Nelson, and was librarian of the RIBA from 1863 to 1886. He was briefly in partnership with William Taprell Allen, from February 1874 to December 1878. Dollman died on 26 December 1899.