THOMAS, an eminent architect, was the son of a surgeon and apothecary, and was born at Maidenhead in 1776. The early part of his life was spent in trying a variety of employments. He was first a druggist's assistant in London. He was then one of the men in an extensive grocery establishment at Saffron-Walden. Not long afterwards, in 1801, he went to Lewes to undertake a part of his father's business. There too his disposition remained unsettled. In the course of two years he was in the service Rickman was a corn-factor in the metropolis. At length, in 1808, he brought his wandering career to a close by settling down in Liverpool as clerk to one of the principal insurance-brokers in that city. It was about this time Rickman began to devote himself to the study of Gothic architecture. Every leisure hour was sedulously employed in his favourite pursuit. He examined ancient buildings. He classified the different modes of the pointed style. His hand also practised itself in designing monuments and other small erections for his friends. So far, indeed, did he carry his studies that he obtained the first prize for a design for one of the government churches, and was thus induced to become at once a professional architect. Rickman removing soon afterwards to the more central town of Birmingham, took a high place in his new calling. There was scarcely a county in which his services were not employed. Among other edifices erected by him, there were St John's College, Cambridge; the church of Oulton, near Leeds; and the church of Hampton Lucy, near Stratford-on-Avon. At his death, in March 1841, he had perhaps designed more churches than any other architect. Rickman is the author of a popular treatise entitled The Different Styles of Architecture in England.