John Belcher was born the son of the architect John Belcher (1816?-1890) in Southwark, Surrey [now London], England on 10 July 1841. He trained with his father between 1857-1865, and for a period in the office of Richard Bell (1809?-1874). Belcher was in partnership with his father from 1865 to 1875, with James Walter James (1846-1935); with Arthur Beresford Pite (1861-1934) from 1882 to 1897; and with John James Joass (1868-1952) from 1905 [Joass had previously worked as Belcher's assistant 1897-1905]. Projects by Belcher included the Institute of Chartered Accountants building in Moorgate, London (with A.B. Pite, 1890); Colchester Town Hall, in Colchester, England (with A.B. Pite, 1902); the Birmingham Daily Post building in Fleet Street, London (with J.
Belcher was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1879, and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1882. He was also President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (PRIBA) from 1904 to 1906) He was a founder member of the Art Workers Guild (AWG) in 1884 and was elected a Royal Academician (RA) in 1909. In 1907 he was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal.
Belcher lived for many years in London and died in Camberwell, London, on 8 November 1913. His son, Arthur Herbert Belcher (1858-1924) was also an architect.
Text source: Art History Research net (AHR net)