In 1856, he entered the St Peter’s Gate office of Frederick Jackson, an architect and surveyor in Nottingham. In mid 1860 he moved as assistant to Isaac Charles Gilbert who was based in Clinton Street, Nottingham. After spending around 18 months with Gilbert, he moved in early 1862 to join the office of Arthur William Blomfield in London. In 1864 he was working with John Middleton in Cheltenham, but in the same year, left to set up his own office at 6 Clinton Street, Nottingham. He remained at Clinton Street until it was demolished by the works in connection with the arrival of the Great Central Railway in 1894. He moved to a new temporary office at 18 George Street, and arranged to rebuild 15 George Street opposite which he completed the next year and moved in on 12 December 1895.