Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | John Baird 'Primus' (John Baird I) | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 1798 | Died: | 18 December 1859 | Bio Notes: | John Baird (called by Gildard 'Primus' to distinguish him from the second John Baird, 1816-93) was born in 1798 at Dalmuir, the son of Thomas Baird, wright, and his wife Agnes. He was articled to a relative, Shepherd, who died in 1818 and Baird, only twenty and just out of his apprenticeship, took over the business and quickly built up a reputation second only to David Hamilton's.
Baird's style is marked by an extreme classical reserve and severity. From the very first his architecture was remarkably mature as could be seen at Greyfriars Church, a design not without originality. His style changed little, the posthumously completed Gartsherrie Office being far more like 1820 than 1860. Only at the McDonald Muslin Warehouses was his commercial architecture notably Italian Renaissance rather than classical. The possibilities of iron made a strong appeal to his essentially practical mind and in 1855-56 he erected the Iron Building on Jamaica Street Glasgow in conjunction with the iron-founder Robert McConnell who held the patents for the malleable iron beams used in its construction. Even in his later Gothic work he clung tenaciously to the style of the 1820s, his mansion at Urie, Kincardineshire (1855) being in the late Tudor idiom evolved by Wilkins and Burn forty years before. He refused to take part in competitions, and earned a reputation for attention to detail, probity and honesty, which brought him many commissions as valuer and arbiter.
John Baird died at Westfield, Partick on 18 December 1859 and was buried in Glasgow Necropolis (Section Sigma lair 84). He had suffered from chronic brain disease from 1855 until his death which was almost certainly aggravated by the non-payment by the Glasgow Airdrie & Monklands Railway Company of his fees for the Woodlands Hill project and most of the work from that period must be James Thomson's: he must however have had periods of lucidity as he took Thomson into partnership shortly before he died as noted by Gildard. Thomson probably designed the Macdonald warehouse and the details of the Iron Building and continued the practice of Baird and Thomson, but he was not included as such in the directory issued in 1859. Alexander Thomson worked with Baird until 1849, when he joined in partnership with the second John Baird, who was Thomson's brother-in-law, but according to Gildard, no relation of the first John Baird.
Baird was survived by his wife Janet Bryson or McKean, whom he had married in 1837 and who died on 24 April 1887, and his two daughters, Flora born c1838 and Agnes born c.1841. He had a younger brother Anthony who practised independently until 1834/5 when he took up accountancy. His only known work, mentioned by Gildard, was a tenement in the west side of Warwick Street beyond Norfolk Street, a plain design with cast iron balconies. In his private life Baird was a mason, Lodge Glasgow St John. A portrait of him by Sir Daniel Macnee (now in Glasgow Art Gallery) bears out Gildard's characterisation of him as 'a large well-built man' who 'had a presence of one that ought to be in authority'. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 21, Glassford Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | | 1818 | Address of John Shepherd & Co. |  | Westfield, Partick, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | | Before 1859 | |  | 636, Argyle Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1818 | 1821 | |  | 22, Argyle Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1825 * | | |  | 5, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | c. 1834 | 1839 | |  | 51, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1844 * | | |  | 73, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1845 * | | |  | 7, Abercromby Place, 183 West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1847 | 1859 | |
* 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 |  | John A Shepherd | c. 1814(?) | 1818 | Apprentice | |  | Baird & Thomson | c. 1858(?) | December 1859 | Partner | |
Employees 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 |  | Alexander Thomson | | 1849 | Chief Draughtsman | |  | Alexander Thomson | | Before 1849 | Assistant | |  | George Thomson | Early 1840s | Mid 1840s | Apprentice | |  | George Thomson | Mid 1840s(?) | 1857(?) | Assistant | Uncertain: may have remained as assistant after completing his apprenticeship |  | James Thomson | 1854 | c. 1858 | Assistant | Became partner in 1858 |
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 |  | | Terraced houses, Carlton Place | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Perhaps initially with Shepherd (see biographical notes) |  | 1820 | Greyfriars UP Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1823 | St Thomas Wesleyan Methodist Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Original church--attribution |  | 1825 | UP Church, Wellington Street | Blythswood | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1826 | Oakshaw Street UP Church | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Original building - HS attribution |  | 1828 | Argyle Arcade | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1830 | Layout of the lands of South Woodside and Clairmont | Woodlands Hill | | Glasgow | Scotland | In collaboration with George Smith |  | c. 1830 | Wellington Arcade | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1831 | Glasgow Necropolis | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | In conjunction with David Hamilton appointed to combine five competition designs into one |  | 1831 | Woodside Crescent | Woodlands Hill | | Glasgow | Scotland | In collaboration with George Smith |  | 1833 | Cambridge Street UP Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1833 | Clober House | New Kilpatrick | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Enlargement |  | 1833 | Highland Parish Church | Campbeltown | | Argyll | Scotland | Tower rebuilt |  | 1833 | Terraced houses, Athol Place, Bath Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1833 | West of Scotland Agricultural College | | | Glasgow | Scotland | 'Probably' (HS) |  | 1834 | Union Church | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | | |  | 1835 | Bonhill Parish Church | Bonhill | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1835 | Woodside Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | In collaboration with George Smith |  | 1837 | Caledonia Place | | | Glasgow | Scotland | In collaboration with George Smith |  | 1838 | Woodside Place | | | Glasgow | Scotland | In collaboration with George Smith |  | c. 1838 | Anderston UP Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1839 | George Square Congregational Church | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1839 | Park of Drumquhassle | Drymen | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1840 | 169 Elderslie Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1840 | 2-4 Clifton Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1840 | National Bank of Scotland, Airdrie Branch | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Designed building |  | 1840 | Somerset Place | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1840 | Erskine UP Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1840 | Viewpark House | Uddingston | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1841 | Cairnhill House | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1841 | Congregational Church, Dunfermline | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1841 | National Bank of Scotland, First (?) Glasgow Branch | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unclear whether this is a new building or alterations |  | 1842 | Claremont House | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1842 | Claremont Terrace and Beresford House | Woodlands | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1844 | Stonebyres House | Lesmahagow | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1845 | Lynedoch Place and Lynedoch Crescent | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1847 | University of Glasgow, proposed new college at Woodlands | Woodlands | | Glasgow | Scotland | Plans commissioned - three sets produced |  | 1847 | Wellington Street UP Church, mural monument to John Mitchell | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1849 | 1-17 Woodlands Terrace | Woodlands | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1850 | UP Church, Shamrock Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Original building |  | 1851 | 64 Buchanan Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1851 | Macdonald's Muslin Warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1851 | Premises of Messrs Wilson, Kay & Co | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1852 | House in St Vincent Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1853 | Monument to James Ewing | | | Glasgow | Scotland | In collaboration with Mossman, sculptor |  | c. 1853 | Church School | Campbeltown | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | 1854 | Houses in Hope Street and West George Street for McGrigors & Stevenson | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1854 | Prince of Wales's Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1854 | Sir James Campbell's Warehouse, Ingram Street and Brunswick Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Baird responsible for plan |  | 1854 | Tobacco Warehouse, James Watt Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1855 | Carbeth Guthrie House | | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1855 | Gardner's Warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | With Robert McConnell, ironfounder |  | 1855 | Urie House | Fetteresso | | Kincardineshire | Scotland | Rebuilding, including lodges |  | 1856 | Smith and Sons' Warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1858 | Birkwood House | Lesmahagow | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Major additions |  | 1858 | Crown Circus | | | Glasgow | Scotland | In partnership |  | 1859 | Commercial building, 138-140 West George Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Completed shortly after Baird's death. |  | 1859 | Gartsherrie Offices | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Completed shortly after Baird's death |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Gildard, Thomas | 1895 | An Old Glasgow Architect on some Older Ones | XXVI | Proceedings of the Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow | |  | Gomme, Andor and Walker, David | 1987 | Architecture of Glasgow | Second revised edn | London: Lund Humphries | |  | Johnston, W T | 2003 | Artists of Scotland | | Officina Publications CDROM | |  | MacLehose, James | 1886 | Memoirs and portraits of one hundred Glasgow Men who have died during the last thirty years … | | Glasgow: James MacLehose & Sons | Volume 1, pp 21-4 - biography, list of works, portrait |  | Scotlands People Website | | Wills & Testaments | | | Glasgow Sheriff Court Inventories SC36/48/46 |  | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p23, p128, p130 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Glasgow University Archives | Archval material relating to the building of the University | | 720, non payment of fees to J Baird by the Glasgow Airdrie & Monklands Railway Company |  | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Information from gravestone in Glasgow Necropolis. Biography includes research by Iain Paterson. |
Images © All rights reserved. MacLehose, James (1886). Memoirs and portraits of one hundred Glasgow Men who have died during the last thirty years p21-24 (Courtesy of Iain Paterson) © All rights reserved. Letter presented to Dictionary January 2015. |