Alfred Giles (architect)

Alfred Giles was a British architect who emigrated to Texas in 1875, at the age of 22. Many of the private homes and public buildings designed by Giles are on the National Register of Historic Places and have been designated Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks. A number of his designs can be found in San Antonio and in Kendall County, Texas. He is known for his numerous designs of county courthouses, and for the banks, commercial buildings, and fine homes he designed in Central Texas and Mexico. Giles is credited with a profound influence on architecture in San Antonio.

Alfred Giles was born May 23, 1853 on his familys estate near Hillingdon, Middlesex, England. His parents were Thomas and Sophie Giles. From 1864 to 1868, he attended the Proprietary School at Gravesend, Kent, with a goal of entering the ministry with the Church of England. Instead, he eventually chose a career in architecture and apprenticed for two years to Giles and Bivens in London, while taking architecture classes at Kings College London. The firm hired him after the completion of his apprenticeship. In 1873, Giles moved to New York City.

Source: Wikipedia