John Samuel Alder FRIBA (13 January 1847 – 28 October 1919) was a British architect known for his church buildings.

Life Alder was born in Birmingham to Peter Alder and Eliza Pitt.‘’England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes’’. ’Warwickshire, Birmingham’. Vol. 16 (1847: Jan–Feb–Mar) 404. (London: General Register Office). Accessed 30 May2020

On 15 April 1884 he was married to Dorset-born Kate Beatrice Bater (1859–1946).‘’England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes’’.’Sussex, Cuckfield’. Vol. 2b (1884) 275. (London: General Register Office). Accessed 30 May 2020 They had three children: John Gordon (1885–1913);‘Parish Register (Baptism), St Paul, Enfield’. ‘’Board of Guardian Records and Church of England Parish Registers’’. London Metropolitan Archives, London. Accessed 30 May 2020.‘Parish Register (Burials), All Saints, Carshalton’, 9 October 1913. (Anglican Parish Registers. London Borough of Sutton). Accessed 30 May 2020 Marguerite Beatrice (1887–1952);‘’England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes’’.’Middlesex, Edmonton’. Vol. 3a (1887) 337. (London: General Register Office). Accessed 30 May 2020 and Leonard Stanley Bates (1891–1963).‘’England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes’’. ’London, Holborn’. Vol. 1b (1891: Apr–May–Jun) 751. (London: General Register Office). Accessed 30 May2020‘’England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes’’. ’Hampshire, Portsmouth’. Vol. 6b (1963: Jan–Feb–Mar) 936. (London: General Register Office). Accessed 30 May2020 The family eventually settled in the Hornsey area of north London,’Electoral Register‘ (1897): Hornsey Parliamentary District’ (London Metropolitan Archives; Electoral Registers). Accessed 30 May 2020. [See also Census returns.] living for a time at a house called Hillside on Muswell Road, off Colney Hatch Lane, London N10, and also at 1 Milton Park, Highgate N6.’John Samuel Alder' by Ken Gay. Hornsey Historical Society Bulletin, (32, 1991) 30–33.‘John Samuel Alder. An Edwardian Architect in London’ by Anthony Hunt. Dissertation for an AA postgraduate course, 1993. Archives of Hornsey Historical Society, 25-26.

John Samuel Alder is buried in All Saints' Carshalton.‘Parish Register (Burials), All Saints, Carshalton’, 1 November 1919. (Anglican Parish Registers. London Borough of Sutton). Accessed 30 May 2020. Accessed 30 May 2020.

Career He began his professional life articled to the sibling architects George Cowley Haddon (1839–85) and Henry Rockliffe Haddon (1823–93) in Malvern and Hereford. At the end of his articles he became chief assistant to Frederick Preedy (1820–98) in London, where Alder later established his own practice. From 1914 until his death his business address was Effingham House, 1 Arundel Street, Strand.’Architects & Artists A’, ’’Sussex Parish Churches’’. Web resource, accessed 30 May 2020. In 1916 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. 'Notices'. Journal Of The Royal Institute Of British Architects Third Series Vol.27: Notices. Online resource, accessed 1 May 2020

From 1898 he worked in partnership with John Turrill who maintained the practice under Alder's name until at least 1924.

Apart from his work on churches, during and after his time in Preedy's office he designed and extended several country houses.

Works Churches Alder's many churches are to be found mostly in the then rapidly spreading north London suburbs. His church buildings are notable for being not only economical to build but also spacious, in an unfussy late-gothic style; conservative for the end of the C19. He also designed church fittings. 1889 – St Mary Magdalene, Worcester; tower and spire.'Church of St Mary Magdalene, sansome Walk'. Historic England. Web Resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1898 – St Simon, Paddington.'Paddington: Churches'. A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 9. (London: Victoria County History, 1976). Online resource, accessed 2 May 2020 1900 – St Peter, South Tottenham.'St Peter, South Tottenham'. Archiseek. Web resource, accessed 2 May 2020. 1900–02 & 1909–10 – St James, Muswell Hill.'St James, Muswell Hill'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1902 – St Peter, Lower Edmonton; chancel, narthex and porches.'Edmonton Churches'.A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5. (London: Victoria County History, 1976). Online resource, accessed 2 May 2020 1903 – St Andrew, Alexandra Park Road, Muswell Hill.'St Andrew, Alexandra Park Road, Muswell Hill'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1904 – St Saviour, Alexandra Park Road, Muswell Hill. 1904 – St John the Baptist, Sheepcote Road, Greenhill, Harrow.'St John the Baptist, Sheepcote Road, Greenhill, Harrow'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1906–07 – St Cuthbert, Wolves Lane, Wood Green.'St Cuthbert, Wolves Lane, Wood Green'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1906–07 – Holy Trinity, Winchmore Hill.'Holy Trinity, Winchmore Hill'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1906–7 & 1916 – St Stephen's Church, Bush Hill Park.St Stephen's Church'. The Enfield Society. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020 1907 – St George, Cranley Gardens, Hornsey.'Hornsey, including Highgate: Churches'.A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3. (London: Victoria County History, 1962). Online resource, accessed 2 May 2020. 1907 – St Mary's Church, Potton, Bedfordshire; reredos.‘Potton Church Alterations and Additions’, ‘’Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service’’. Web resource, accessed 30 May 2020. 1909 – St Michael, Mora Road, Cricklewood.'St Michael (former), Mora Road, Cricklewood'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1910 – St Michael, Wembley.‘St Michael's Church, St Michael's Road, Wembley NW2 – Brent’. ‘’Historic England’’. Web resource, accessed 2 May 2020. 1910–11 – St George, Headstone, Harrow.'Church of St George, Pinner View'. Historic England. Web Resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1911–12 – St Benet Fink Church, Tottenham, London.'Church of St Benet Fink'. Historic England, Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1912–14 – St Barnabas, Holden Road, Woodside Park.'St Barnabas (Former), Holden Road, Woodside Park'.London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1913 – St Saviour, Sunbury-on-Thames.'Sunbury Churches'. A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3. (London: Victoria County History, 1962). Online resource, accessed 2 May 2020. 1914 – All Saints, Campbell Road, Twickenham.'All Saints, Campbell Road, Twickenham'.London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1914 – St Mark, Kensal Rise.'St Mark, Bathurst Gardens/All Souls Avenue, Kensal Rise'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1914 – St Mary the Virgin and All Saints, Potters Bar.'St Mary the Virgin and All Saints, Potters Bar'. The Twentieth Century Society. Web resoyrce, accessed 1 May 2020. 1915 – St Barnabas, Cranbourne Gardens, Temple Fortune; now the Coptic Orthodox church of Saint Mary and Archangel Michael.'St Mary and Archangel Michael, Cranbourne Gardens, Temple Fortune (Coptic)'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1916 – St Catherine, Dudden Hill Lane, Neasden.'St Catherine, Dudden Hill Lane, Neasden'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. (n.d.) Other churches [...] were in Shepherd's Bush, [...] Ashford, [,,,] Harlesden, [...] and Broadstairs.

Church Halls 1905 – St Augustine, Highgate.St Augustine of Canterbury, Highgate: a short history of the church by Andrew Sanders (London: Church of St Augustine of Canterbury, 1975). PDF. Online resource, accessed 7 July 2020. 1907–08 – All Saints, Edmonton; Charles Lamb Institute.'Charles Lamb Institute, Church Street, Lower Edmonton'. geograph: photograph every grid square. Web resource, accessed 2 May 2020 1911 – St Michael and All Angels, Wood Green.'St Michael's Church hall, Wood Green (1911)'. geograph: photograph every grid square. Web resource, accessed 2 May 2020 1913 – Holy Trinity, Granville Road, Stroud Green.'Holy Trinity, Granville Road, Stroud Green'. London Churches in Photographs. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. (n.d.) All Hallows, Tottenham. (n.d.) St Mary, Bowes Park. (n.d.) and others at Mill Hill, Potters Bar, Walham Green, Islington, Holloway, Cricklewood, Palmers Green, Twickenham, Temple Fortine and Marylebone.

Houses Apart from his work on churches, during and after his time in Preedy's office he designed and extended several country houses, often undertaking dramatic reconstructions. 1888 – Temple Grafton Court, Warwickshire.'Temple Grafton Court, Warwickshire'. Archiseek. Web resource, accessed 2 May 2020. 1898 – Vicarage to the church of St Simon, Paddington. 1890 – Madresfield Court, Malvern, Worcestershire; subsidiary work. 1901 – Vicarage to the church of St Augustine, Highgate. 1903 – Vicarage to the church of St Mark Noel Park, London.'Church of St Mark, Noel Park'. Historic England. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1904 – Manor House, Ponsbourne Park.Manor House, Ponsbourne Park. 'The Building News' (n.d.). Alamy Stock Photographs. Online resource, accessed 1 May 2020. 1907–08 – Warleigh Manor, Somerset; alterations, 1912 – Vicarage to the church of St Benet Fink Church, Tottenham, London.'Vicarage to the church of St Benet Fink Church, Tottenham'. Historic England. Web resource, accessed 1 May 2020. (n.d.) – Vicarage to the church of St Andrew, Alexandra Park Road. (n.d.) – "Six houses in at Muswell Hill".

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