Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | John Arthur | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 1866 | Died: | 10 July 1936 | Bio Notes: | John Arthur was born the son of John Arthur, farmer at Barr, Ayrshire in 1866 and his wife Margaret Donald. He studied at Glasgow School of Art 1896-97 and was articled to John Mercer of Ayr, 1882-89, and moving thereafter to Burnet Son & Campbell and opting to join Campbell on the breakup of that partnership in 1897. He established his own practice in 1900, first with an office in Glasgow (131 West Regent Street, later 164 Bath Street) and then a branch in Kilmarnock (31 Rennie Street), his practice being very much Ayrshire and Renfrewshire-based and concerned with domestic, ecclesiastical, school and estate work. Like the apparently unrelated Airdrie architect, John Maurice Arthur, John Arthur became a Licentiate of the RIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, his proposers being John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects as a body.
Arthur married Elizabeth Smith McMillan. He was remembered in the Burnet office as being very able. His known works are very few but relatively large. He won the competition for Newton Park School, Ayr, but the commission was given to the Ayr architect, H V Eaglesham. He did, however, secure the competition for Marr College at Troon in 1919. Work on the main building did not begin until the late 1920s and the Kilmarnock office does not seem to have been re-opened after the First World War. By the late 1920s he had merged his practice with that of Alan George MacNaughtan as Arthur & MacNaughtan. They won the competition for Glasgow University Students Union with a Burnetian Scots Renaissance design in 1929. Arthur died at 5 Springvale Park, Ayr on 10 July 1936 of a cerebral haemorrhage. At that date Marr College was still incomplete and it fell to MacNaughtan to finish it. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 131, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1900 | 1913 | |  | 31, Rennie Street, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | 1909 * | 1911 | |  | 137, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1914 | 1919 | |  | Northfield, Barassie, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | 1920 | 1931 | |  | 164, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1921 | 1936(?) | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this architect (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes |  | John Stirling Jarvie | 1902 or 1903 | 1903 | Assistant | |  | John Wilson Wood | 1906 | | Assistant | |
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes |  | John Bennie Wilson | 20 July 1911 | for Licentiateship - as President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects |
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 |  | | Country Life cottages competition | | | | | Won second prize. |  | | Feuing scheme survey, Gallanach | Oban | | Argyll | Scotland | As assistant to Burnet Son & Campbell (if pre-1897) or to Campbell alone (if post-1897) - date not known |  | | Glebe School | | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Date not known |  | | Hospital, Glengall | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Date uncertain |  | 1889 | Charing Cross Mansions and shops | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As assistant to Burnet Son & Campbell |  | After 1889 | Western Infirmary | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Nurses' pavilion, steam laundry, pathological institute and operating theatre - as assistant to Burnet Son & Campbell |  | After 1890(?) | Renfrew Municipal Buildings (Town Hall) | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1891 | Athenaeum | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension facing Buchanan Street - as assistant to Burnet Son & Campbell |  | 1892 | Cathedral Court, workmen's housing | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As assistant to Burnet Son & Campbell |  | 1894 | Princes Dock and hydraulic power station | Queen's Dock/Cessnock Dock | | Glasgow | Scotland | Hydraulic power station - as assistant to Burnet Son & Campbell |  | 1896 | Albany Chambers and shops | Charing Cross | | Glasgow | Scotland | As assistant - not known whether he continued to work on this project after Burnet Son & Campbell had split |  | 1896 | Black's warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As assistant to Burnet Son & Campbell. Reconstruction as R W Forsyth's Store |  | 1897 | Darlington Place UP Church | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1897 | Dawyck House | Broughton (near) | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | Large addition - as assistant to John Archibald Campbell |  | 1898 | Britannia Assurance Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As assistant to John Archibald Campbell |  | After 1900 | Montgreenan Mansion and estate | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Additions and alterations to mansion, and estate work |  | 1902 | Newton Park School | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Placed first in competition but John Eaglesham got the job as highest placed Ayr architect |  | 1903 | Renfrew Parish Church Halls | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Won competition and secured job |  | c. 1905 | City Improvement Trust tenements, Cumbernauld Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Placed 2nd in competition - in collaboration with Stewart & Paterson |  | 1908 | Renfrew High School | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1913 | Village Hall | Barr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1913 | Village Institute and Library | Barr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1919 | Local Government Board competition, design for a tenement | | | | Scotland | Design for tenement exhibited |  | 1919 | Local Government Board competition, rural cottage | | | | Scotland | Design placed first |  | 1919 | Marr College | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Won competition to secure job. Completed in partnership with Alan George McNaughtan |  | c. 1928 | Marr College | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Completed in partnership with Alan George MacNaughtan |  | 1929 | University of Glasgow Students Union | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Won competition and secured job - With Alan G McNaughton |  | 1932 | House for D F Nicol | Bearsden | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1932 | Inverness High School | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Placed second in competition |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Close, Robert | 1992 | Ayrshire and Arran, an Illustrated Architectural Guide | | Edinburgh: RIAS | Biography |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | RIBA Journal | 8 November 1937 | v45 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p48 - obituary |
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 | | L v16 no1100; also papers of Harry Hubbard (A v24 no2731 (microfilm reel 23) - declaration witnessed by Arthur |
Images © All rights reserved. Building Industries 16 August 1920 p73, 'Who's who' (courtesy of Iain Paterson) |