BELCHER, JOHN (1841-1913), English architect, son of an architect of the same name, was born in London on July 10, 1841. His first important commission—the Royal Insurance offices in Lombard street—was a French Renaissance building (since pulled down), in which he introduced much sculptured work from the hand of Thomas Thornycroft. He designed the block at the corner of Poultry and Queen Victoria street, a build ing showing how strongly he was influenced at that period by the Gothic movement of which Street and Burges were the prominent exponents. After his father's retirement in 1875, Belcher was in partnership at various times with J. W. James, Beresford Pite and J. J. Joass. His admiration for Norman Shaw was a great factor in his artistic evolution, but even a more powerful one was due to the preparation and study involved in his production, with Mervyn Macartney of the Later Renaissance in England. His Electra house, Finsbury, and Whiteley's vast store, Bayswater, are admirable examples of business premises practically conceived, and possessing a fine and dignified architectural treatment. Bel cher's ecclesiastical work included Holy Trinity church, Kings way (1909) , an interesting essay in the classic manner, and the Catholic Apostolic church in Maida Vale. He was elected royal academician in 1909, and was president of the Royal Institute of .British Architects in 1908. He died in London on Nov. 8, 1913.