Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | Thomas Lennox Watson | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 21 August 1850 | Died: | 12 October 1920 | Bio Notes: | Thomas Lennox Watson was born in Glasgow on 21 August 1850, the son of Charles Watson and his wife Elizabeth (or Eliza, whose maiden name was also Watson) of 11 Loudon Terrace, Glasgow. His father was a member of the great shipping-owning firm of G & J Burns and the naval architect George Lennox Watson was his cousin. His elder sister Isabella was to become the principal of a primary school. Thomas was educated at Glasgow High School, articled to Boucher & Cousland in 1866, and studied at Glasgow School of Art under Charles Heath Wilson. At the end of his apprenticeship in 1871 he found a place as an assistant in the London office of Alfred Waterhouse, and returned to Glasgow to commence practice in 1874, initially at 137 West Regent Street, moving to number 108 of the same street soon thereafter. He came into prominence very early, securing the commissions for the free classical Adelaide Place Baptist Church, Glasgow (1875-6) and for the Gothic Kilmacolm Hydropathic (1878) and winning the competitions for the neo-Romanesque Victoria Baths Club, Glasgow and North UP Church in Perth (1876-8 and 1878) and the gigantic neo-Roman Wellington UP Church in Glasgow (1882). He was admitted FRIBA on 9 June 1884, his proposers being John Honeyman, Alfred Waterhouse and Arthur Cates.
Watson's experience with Waterhouse showed most obviously in his Romanesque competition design for Glasgow Municipal Buildings, one of the very few non-classical designs to be submitted. In his larger domestic commissions Watson drew more from Norman Shaw's Old English than from Waterhouse, a development that may in some degree have been associated with William James Anderson, who was his chief assistant from c.1883 until 1888. Anderson certainly drew out the high quality Renaissance detail of his Citizen Building in St Vincent Place.
In or about 1907 Watson took Henry Mitchell into partnership. Born at Renton in 1864 Mitchell was the son of Francis Mitchell, a gem and seal engraver, and his wife Mary Liddel. He had been articled to Campbell Douglas & Sellars from 1884 until 1889 and had worked for Honeyman & Keppie prior to forming a partnership with William Tait Conner in 1894. This had not prospered and neither had his second partnership with Charles Edward Whitelaw formed in 1902. Together Watson and Mitchell completed the very large block at 396-450 Sauchiehall Street, but the partnership was brief. It ran out of work and by 1914 Mitchell was practising alone from his house at 20 Sutherland Street, Helensburgh while Watson was maintaining a small studio separate from his house at 534 Sauchiehall Street.
Watson's date of retirement is variously given as 1911 (British Architectural Library/RIBA 'Directory of British Architects 1834-1914') and 1917 (RIBAJ Obituary), but he never retired completely, exhibiting at the Royal Glasgow Institute until 1918. His work was widely published, some of it in continental journals and he was prominent in professional life as a council member of the RIBA, President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects and of the Glasgow Architectural Association and as Governor of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College. For a time prior to 1893 he was an examiner for those sitting the RIBA's qualifying exam in Glasgow. In his later years he became a pioneer in prefabrication. Professor Alexander McGibbon related how he took out patents for hollow walls and monolithic construction in concrete. These were put to the test in a cottage at Kilbirnie with walls hardened on the flat which were raised vertical in one and a half hours. He also campaigned vigorously for a high-level bridge over the Clyde, exhibiting a design for it at the RGI in 1918.
In person Watson was described by 'Quiz' and others as 'somewhat reserved' but 'Quiz' (probably Macaulay Stevenson) found that 'from a more intimate acquaintance one is impressed by his great seriousness thoroughness and integrity'. Malcolm Stark described him as 'resourceful, precise, and business-like'. Like Honeyman he was a notable antiquary particularly in respect of Glasgow Cathedral. His theory that the central vault of the lower church was a departure from the original plan was at first accepted by MacGibbon and Ross but later repudiated after it was disputed by Peter Macgregor Chalmers. This resulted in Watson's major book, 'The Double Choir of Glasgow Cathedral,' in which he adhered to his original analysis with a detailed dissection of the building history of the lower church.
Watson died of cancer at 11 Loudoun Terrace on 12 October 1920. He left a legacy of £100 free of duty to the Glasgow Institute of Architects (a prize bearing his name is still awarded today). He had been married to Margaret Barr-Watson Pennell.
Publications: The architectural history of Glasgow Cathedral, or the autobiography of a cathedral. Glasgow, 1901 The double choir of Glasgow Cathedral: a study of rib vaulting. Glasgow: 1901 With H Ries: Elements of engineering geology, 1947 (posthumous?) Communications, or, an urgent measure of economy, 1918 (Plan) showing advantages of a fixed bridge across the Clyde in the line of Elderslie Street, Govan, Glasgow | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 25, Lynedoch Crescent, Glasgow, Scotland | Private(?) | 1871 * | | |  | 137, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1874 * | | |  | 108, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1879 | 1895 or 1896 | |  | 8, Woodside Crescent, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1888 * | 1901 | |  | 166, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1895 or 1896 | After 1911 | |  | 534, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1916 * | | |  | 11, Loudon Terrace, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1918 | 12 October 1920 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes |  | Boucher & Cousland | 1866 | 1871 | Apprentice | |  | Alfred Waterhouse | 1871 | 1874 | Assistant | |  | Watson & Mitchell | 1907 or 1909 | Before 1917 | Partner | |
Employees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes |  | Arthur Cates | 9 June 1884 | for Fellowship |  | John Honeyman | 9 June 1884 | for Fellowship |  | Alfred Waterhouse | 9 June 1884 | for Fellowship |
RIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes |  | | Flat in Loudon Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Date not known |  | | Mohican Yacht Interior | | | | | Date not known |  | | Oatlands Established Curch | Oatlands | | Glasgow | Scotland | Date not known |  | 1871 | Design for a country residence | | | | | |  | 1875 | Baptist Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1875 | John Knox Street Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1876 | Kilmacolm Hydropathic | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1876 | Victoria Baths Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Won competition and secured job |  | 1877 | Evening Citizen offices and printing works | Central | | Glasgow | Scotland | Date of original office building as given in Watson's FRIBA nomination papers |  | 1878 | Belmont | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Proposed new building (not built) |  | 1878 | North UP Church | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Won competition |  | 1879 | Philosophical Society Rooms | | | Glasgow | Scotland | With W J Millar, integrated in design with Adelaide Place Church |  | 1880 | Glasgow Municipal Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design entered under the pseudonym Lapidas Loquinuntur |  | 1881 | Board School | Maryhill? | | Glasgow? | Scotland | |  | 1881 | Greenfield UP Church | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1881 | Redcote | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1881 | Rockbank House and Lodge | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Stables, coachman's house, and addition of attic storey to lodge |  | 1881 | St George's Road School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1882 | St John's Wesleyan Methodist Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1883 | Baptist Church | Hillhead | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1883 | Crieff UP Church | Strathearn, Crieff | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1883 | Wellington UP Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1885 | Coats Memorial Baptist Church | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Competition design - sent uninvited but placed before several of the invited designs |  | 1885 | Evening Citizen offices and printing works | Central | | Glasgow | Scotland | Date of original building as given in Williamson, Riches & Higgs |  | 1886 | Baptist Church | | | Bristol | England | |  | 1888 | Royal Clyde Yacht Club and Hotel | Dunoon | | Argyll | Scotland | Architect of present building, appointed after competition |  | c. 1888 | Woodcroft | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1890 | Curlinghall | Largs | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Wings added |  | 1891 | Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum | Kelvingrove | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1891(?) | Paisley Board School | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Won competition |  | 1891 | Paisley South School | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Complete reconstruction of earlier school by William Stewart |  | 1891 | Redhall | Kelvinside | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1892 | Burgh Hall | Cove | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful |  | 1892 | Church of St Peter | Drogheda | | | Eire | |  | 1892 | New Premises for William Macalpine | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1893 | Steam Yacht Britannia, interiors | | | | | |  | Before 1893 | Steam Yacht Foros, interiors | | | | | |  | Before 1893 | Steam Yacht Irene, interiors | | | | | |  | 1894 | Adelphi Terrace School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1895 | Paisley Grammar School and William Barbour Academy | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Design - presumably unsuccessful competition entry |  | Before 1895 | Glenburn Hydropathic | Rothesay | Bute | Bute | Scotland | Competition design |  | 1896 | Acme Tea Chest Factory | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1896 | Board School | Maryhill? | | Glasgow? | Scotland | Proposed addition |  | 1896 | Glasgow School of Art | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1896 | Paisley South School | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1896 | Steam Yacht Margarita II, interior | | | | | |  | 1897 | Ardbeg | Kilmun | | Argyll | Scotland | Studio |  | 1897 | Building in Woodside Crescent | Woodside | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Glasgow Cathedral, Monument to Dr James Hedderwick | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1898 | Gairbraid Public School | Maryhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1899 | 59 Bath Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1900 | 396-450 Sauchiehall Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1900 | Glasgow Royal Infirmary | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Third premiated competition design - in collaboration with Henry Mitchell |  | 1900 | Steam Yacht Margarita III, interior | | | | | Interiors |  | c. 1900 | Birnam | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Won in competition |  | c. 1900 | Broadoak House | Accrington | | Lancashire | England | |  | c. 1900 | Rosemount Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Late 1900 or early 1901 | Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design submitted after invitation (in collaboration with Henry Mitchell) - unsuccessful |  | 1904 | Garnetbank School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | New build |  | 1906 | Tenements, Barochan Place, Argyll Street | Campbeltown | | Argyll | Scotland | Not completed until 1915 |  | 1909 | Ashfield House | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1909 | Fleming's Land | Campbeltown | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | 1909 | Tenements, Main Street and Longrow South | Campbeltown | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | c. 1909 | Meteor Yacht Interior | | | | | |  | 1911 | House | Whitecraigs | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1916 | Giffnock Estate Church | Giffnock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Sketch design exhibited |  | 1918 | Proposed new street from Argyle Street to Scotland Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1919 | Royal Technical College War Memorial (within Barclay building) | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Design |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | |  | Drummond, Maldwin | 1979 | Salt-water Palaces | | London: Debrett's Peerage Limited | |  | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p33, p135 |  | Who's Who in Glasgow | 1909 | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Builder | 22 October 1920 | | | |  | Builder | 29 October 1920 | | | |  | Quiz | 10 August 1893 | | | |  | RIBA Journal | 6 November 1920 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary, p20 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F v7 p83, microfiche 98/E7 |
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