John Edward Sears

Who was John Edward Sears?

John Edward Sears was a British architect and politician.

He was the son of the Reverend James Sears, a Baptist minister in Camberwell in south London, and quickly became involved in the activities of the church as a teacher and librarian. He was also the leader of the local Band of Hope temperance organisation and was associated with Baptist churches in the Peckham area. Sears was educated privately before being articled to C G Searle and S C Searle, architects in 1872. At the same time he studied architecture at University College London and the Royal Academy Schools. He became a qualified architect in 1880 and was made a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1889. For several years he acted as editor of the annual Architect’s Compendium and Catalogue. He subsequently moved to Hendon in Middlesex, a northern suburb of London. He was a member of the Hendon School Board and a deacon of Hendon Baptist Church. In 1901 Sears was elected to the London County Council as a member of the majority Progressive Party representing Hackney North. The Progressives were allied to the parliamentary Liberal Party. He became the chairman of the council's Bridges and Housing Committees. He was re-elected in 1904.