In 1896 aged 26 he won a competition to design a new Stock Exchange (that was never built), which brought him to Salisbury (now Harare). He subsequently assisted Cecil Rhodes in the lay out of Umtali (now Mutare) before returning to Salisbury to form a partnership with George Turner. As the depression took its toll, he moved to Johannesburg (South Africa) from 1903-08 returning during a building boom in 1910/11.

In partnership with Thomas Sladdin, (1910-1914) they transformed the Manica Road streetscape with classical buildings including Arnold Building, Stores Building, and Standard Bank. Union Buildings and Lonrho Building were also constructed during this bountiful period.

With the advent of World War I, he served in the St Johns/Red Cross and returned to form a partnership with S. Austen Cowper in 1925. Of their work during this period, Architect Peter Jackson wrote that its "classicism developed a rather cold 'municipal' quality, exemplified by the 1926 Telephone Exchange… Subsequently, it developed into the art deco style… well illustrated by Edward Building. It was classicism trying to be modern, and was probably the closest to 'Modern Architecture' that the classical master could approach or even comprehend."

He served as President of the Institute of Southern Rhodesian Architects (now Institute of Architects Zimbabwe) from 1928-29, having been a founder member in 1924. He twice served as a City Councillor, was a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and was awarded the OBE in 1948. For the last 25 years of his life, the keen water colourist resided in the Meikles Hotel. He lived until the age of 83, and died leaving behind a legacy of having 'shaped the image' of his adopted city more than any other architect.