Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Steel Maitland | Designation: | | Born: | 27 August 1887 | Died: | 27 February 1982 | Bio Notes: | James Steel Maitland was born at Strone, Argyllshire, on 27 August 1887, of a well-connected family, his mother Kate Coats Steel being an adopted sister of the thread magnate George H Coats. His father James Maitland was a master grocer with a substantial business.
Maitland was educated at Kilblain Academy in Greenock and at Glasgow High School. He had hoped to become an artist but parental disapproval resulted in his being articled to William Leiper, then practising in partnership with William Hunter McNab, in 1903: apart from ____ Whimster of the shipping family, whose father removed him because of the rapidly declining prospects for architecture, he was Leiper's last apprentice. McNab was then gradually taking over the practice c.1905-06 as Leiper went into semi-retirement, but Maitland continued to enjoy Leiper's friendship and was frequently invited to stay at Terpersie. During his time at Leiper's, Maitland attended Glasgow School of Art, from 1904 under Eugène Bourdon. At the School, then in Rose Street, his particular friends were Andrew Noble Prentice and the sculptor Albert Hodge, but the latter moved to London c.1903.
At the end of his apprenticeship in 1909 Maitland went to London to see John James Burnet in the hope of employment on the British Museum but Burnet already had a full staff and could only agree to take him on as an unpaid assistant for two years. In the event Thomas Graham Abercrombie told Leiper of a vacancy in Brown & Vallance's office in Montreal, Brown being a cousin of the Browns of Brown & Polson in Paisley. Leiper wrote to Brown on Maitland's behalf and before the end of the year Maitland emigrated to join Brown & Vallance. Brown proved a generous employer: Maitland was allowed to largely design the Bleury or Southam and the Herald Buildings in Montreal and was sent to see other architects' offices in Washington and Philadelphia. On behalf of the firm he also reported on the work of the decorative artists Henry Eggess, Jules Guerin and Maxfield Parrish. In 1913, whilst still in the employment of Brown & Vallance, he travelled in France and in 1914 he married the embroider Ellison J F Young. .
After the outbreak of the First World War, Maitland went to Ithaca, New York to learn to fly and returned to Britain to join the British Royal Naval Air Service. He specialised in seaplanes and flying boats, mainly on reconnaissance and submarine patrol work over the English Channel. By the end of the war he was an instructor with the rank of Flight commander and was awarded the Air Force cross for his services.
Early in 1920, after what he described as 'a brief interlude outside architecture', Maitland joined the office of Thomas Graham Abercrombie in Paisley as principal assistant, becoming partner in 1923 and continuing as sole partner after Abercrombie's death on 16 February 1926. Another James Maitland (born 1906), presumably a relative, joined the practice as an apprentice in September 1921, remaining as assistant until April 1927 when he moved to the firm of Cullen, Lochhead & Brown for a brief period before settling in the office of James Taylor. The younger Maitland had no further connections with the Abercrombie & Maitland practice thereafter, and remained with Taylor until the Second World War, following which he commenced practice on his own account in London.
James Steel Maitland was admitted LRIBA in late 1931 and FRIBA in early 1932, his proposers on both occasions being McNab, George Arthur Boswell and John Keppie. He became the burgh architect of Renfrew in the early 1930s.
Maitland was a painter, wood-carver, theatrical scene painter and costume designer as well as architect and among his many interests he was President of the Paisley Burns, Rotary and Bohemian Clubs, and in his later years became committed to the conservation of Paisley, leading the unsuccessful campaign to save New Street.
Maitland gradually wound down the practice in the early 1960s and closed it in 1963. It was then still based in Abercrombie's office at County Place. He died at the house he had designed for himself, Littlecroft, 21 Stonefield Avenue Paisley on 27 February 1982. His wife having predeceased him in 1949, he was cared for in his last years by his daughter Helen. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Rochbank, Strone, Argyll, Scotland | Private | 1903 * | | | | 14, Hill Street, Garnethill, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1904 * | | | | 43, Dudley Drive, Partick, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1905 * | | | | 36, Cromartie Avenue, Newlands, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1906 * | | | | 1, County Place, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Business | 1920 | 1963 | | | Littlecroft/21, Stonefield Avenue, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Private | 1931 * | | | | 26, King Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Private | 1934 * | | | | 99, Arklestone Road, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Private | 1939 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Alexander G Macgregor | 1953 | 1954 | Apprentice | |
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | 1908 | Herald Building | | | Montreal | Canada | | | c. 1910 | Bleury Building | | | Montreal | Canada | | | 1921 | Shop premises | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | c. 1922 | Royal Alexandra Infirmary | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Additions and nurses home | | 1923 | Anchor Recreation Club, Blackhall | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | taken over from Abercrombie and Hamilton and redesigned | | After 1923 | Sports pavilion for Messrs Clark & Co | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1924 | House at Potterhill | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1924 | Littlecroft | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1924 | Offices, St James Street | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1924 | Shops and warehouse for Arnotts | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1925 | Russell Institute | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1926 | St John's Church Hall | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1927 | Robert Cochrane's Warehouse | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Façade and extensive alterations | | 1928 | Duncan Macpherson Hospital | Gourock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Extension | | 1928 | Glasgow Maternity Hospital | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Original (Baldie) building converted into nurses' home | | 1929 | Greenock Royal Infirmary Convalescent Home | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1929 | Littlecroft | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1930 | Four Square Tobacco Factory | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Extension and reconstruction | | 1930 | Housing | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1931 | Ferguson Street Housing | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1931 | Lochwinnoch Sanatorium | Lochwinnoch | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1931 | Newark House | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Extension | | 1932 | Fulbar Lane Housing Scheme | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1932 | Porterfield Road Housing Schemes 1, 2, 3 and 4 | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1932 | Royal Alexandra Infirmary | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Casualty Department | | 1933 | Office and shops | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1933 | Warehouse for Bryce & Co | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1934 | Branch Library | Johnstone | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1934 | Ferguslie Park | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Reconstruction as auxiliary hospital | | 1934 | Tenements and offices and shops below | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1936 | House, Potterhill | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1936 | Littlecroft | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1936 | West School | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Dyeworks for A Bell & Sons, Hawkhead | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Kelvin House | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Offices for J Kirkpatrick & Son | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Porterfield Road Housing Scheme 5 | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Woodside Crematorium | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1938 | Paisley Grammar School and William Barbour Academy | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Janitor's Lodge | | 1939 | Glenview, Potterview Avenue | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1939 | Pavilion and Caretaker's house | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1939 | Porterfield Road Housing Schemes 6 and 7 | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1940 | Cocklesloan Housing Scheme | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1940 | Craigisla | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1940 | Silverstream | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1940 | St Christopher Hall Church | Nether Pollok | | Glasgow | Scotland | Original hall church; now attached to 1960s church | | 1944 | Public Housing, West Avenue area | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1947 | Four Square Tobacco Factory | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Further work? Or completition delayed because of the war? | | 1949 | Penilee St Andrew's Church Halls | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Halls including original church | | 1949 | St Andrews Church hall | Penilee | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1949 | St Christopher Hall Church | Nether Pollok | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extensions | | c. 1949 | Craigton Crematorium | Craigton | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | c. 1949 | Kirklandneuk School | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | c. 1950 | Kirklandneuk Housing Scheme | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1951 | Priesthill Parish Hall-Church | Pollok | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1952 | Robertson Park, Old Men's Cabin | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1953 | Paisley Abbey | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Restoration | | 1953 | Place of Paisley | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Some restoration work | | 1953 | Small residence | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1953 | Weaver's Cottage | Kilbarchan | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Restoration | | 1954 | Villa, 12 Thornly Park Drive | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1956 | St Peters Primary School | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1960 | Place of Paisley | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Restoration as residence for Minister | | 1960 | Royal Alexandra Infirmary Casualty and Outpatients Department | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | c. 1960 | Memorial to William Motherwell, Paisley Sheriff Court | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Maitland also did the carving |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Hamilton, Laura | 1983 | A Paisley Architect: James Steel Maitland (1887-1982) | no 10, 1983 | Scottish Georgian Society Bulletin (Based on interview with Maitland, 13 and 31 July 1981) | | | Maitland, James Steel | 1952 | Scottish Housing Past and Present | | RIBA Journal, July 1952 | | | RCAHMS | 1999 | Homebuilders: Mactaggart & Mickel and the Scottish housebuilding industry | | RCAHMS | p 120 | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p8, p17, p20, p30, p34, p36, p98, p99 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Personal information from interview with Dr Ian Campbell, 1981 and undated cutting based on interview while still in practice; address research by Iain Paterson | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L no3990 (box 19); F no3023 (box 15) |
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