Thomas Ford

Thomas Francis Ford (9 May 1891 – 11 January 1971) was a prolific ecclesiastical architect, Diocesan Architect for Southwark, an Ashpitel Prize winner at the Royal Institute of British Architects, founder of Thomas Ford Architects, and with his brother Ralph, who owned the largest and most complete collection of English Bibles in England, a translator in 1948 of the New Testament. Early years Ford was born in Bedford on 9 May 1891 and educated at Bedford Modern School. In 1908 he moved to London to study architecture and was initially apprenticed to a firm of architects before commencing studies at the Royal Academy School of Architecture in 1912. Ford's studies were interrupted by the advent of World War I during which he was a conscientious objector on account of his religious faith. After the war, Ford resumed his studies and won the acclaimed Ashpitel Prize for top marks in his final Royal Institute of British Architects examinations in 1919. Architectural career Ford's architectural career began in the office of W A Forsyth where he was briefly a partner before starting his own architectural practice in 1926, initially concentrating on commercial work. By 1929 the practice was called Ford and Harkess and based at 12 City Road in the City of London. Ford lived at Eltham from 1930 and worked extensively in south east London where he started to specialise in churches and became Diocesan Architect for Southwark.