John Price - The Master Pavior
John Price DipArch RIBA LLDip – Our New Master
John Price was born in Twickenham in 1951 and went to the local school until after 11+ when he attended Spring Grove Central School in Hounslow. He represented the school at football, cricket, swimming and cross-country running. After ‘A’ levels, he decided on a career in architecture. However, his father who ran the family building business suggested that, to be of any use an architect, he should be trained by a builder! So, in September 1970, John found himself starting work as a professional trainee in the architects department of George Wimpey & Co Ltd.
The Master and Mistress Pavior with Maxine
A great advantage of working for Wimpey was that trainees had to work in all departments, including structural engineering, estimating and surveying. One summer was even spent acting as assistant site engineer on Brunel University Halls of Residence. The experience of levelling-in floor decks using a dumpy and sopwith staff with a brigade of carpenters, under the control of a fearsome ganger, will never be forgotten: hanging on John’s every finger-movement whilst they wound up acrows, they discovered, after considerable effort had been expended, that he was asking them to wind in the wrong direction! The memory still haunts him.
He qualified and became a chartered member of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1978. By this time, he was working for George Trew Dunn Beckles-Willson Bowes and Partners in Richmond on projects as varied as the first supermarket to be built in Amman, Jordan, and South Tees District Hospital. In 1980, he formed his own business with his friend from Wimpey days, Andrew Hunter. The practice, Hunter Price Ltd, is still going strong as it enters its fourth decade.
Between 1996 and 1998, John studied law and passed the Common Professional Examination of the Law Society/Bar Council, with commendation, and was awarded a place to read for the bar at Bristol University. Unfortunately, family circumstances prevented him taking up the place.
John now lives in Twickenham with his long-term partner Danielle. He has two step-daughters: Nathahlie, who lives in Sydney with her partner Paddy and six-year old son Oliver, and Maxine, who is a head chef and lives in London. For recreation, he loves mucking about in anything that floats, especially motor-boats, although he still enjoys sailing. He shoots, and watches cricket and football (the mighty Arsenal!).