Basic Biographical Details

Name: John Bain
Designation:  
Born: 1868
Died: 17 June 1935
Bio Notes: John Bain was born in 1868. He was articled to William Lawrie of Matthews & Lawrie in Inverness from 1883, remaining there after the firm was taken over by John Hinton Gall in 1887. During that time he studied at the Government School of Design in Inverness. On completing his apprenticeship in 1888 he moved to Edinburgh for experience with Blanc & Gordon, returning to Inverness as head draughtsman to Ross & Macbeth in 1889. The following year he spent a month sketching in Belgium, and in 1891 he moved to the office of Sextus Dyball in London where he passed the qualifying exam in March 1892. He was admitted ARIBA on 13 June that year, his proposers being Charles Henry Driver, William Wimble and Robert Pledge Notley, all of London. He had recently spent a week studying late Gothic architecture in Oxford.

In 1893 he won the competition for the Durham Road Schools, Newport, Monmouthshire with Alfred Swash, with whom he entered into partnership, practising as Messrs Swash & Bain at Midland Bank Chambers, Newport, Monmouthshire. He was elected FRIBA on 11 June 1900, proposed by Arthur Beresford Pite and the RIBA Council. His partnership with Swash was dissolved in 1905, and thereafter he practised alone. In 1908 he was appointed architect to the Monmouthshire Education Committee, a position which he held until his death.

Bain was the architect of various buildings in Newport, Monmouthshire including the Liberal Club, the South Wales Argus Offices, the Methodist Free Church in Hill Street, extensions to the Masonic Buildings, extensions to the Museum, and the Higher Elementary School. He was also the architect for Usk Agricultural Institute and for extensive additions to Abergavenny Mental Hospital, the designer of various schools in the country, including Aberbargoed and Bassaleg Secondary Schools, the latter being in hand at the time of his death on 17 June 1935.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 214, Richmond Crescent, Barnsbury, London, EnglandPrivate1892 *  
Item 2 of 2Midland Bank Chambers, Newport, Monmouthshire, WalesBusiness1900 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 6Matthews & LawrieApril 18831887ApprenticeIn Inverness office, under William Lawrie
Item 2 of 6John Hinton Gall18871888Apprentice 
Item 3 of 6Blanc & Gordon18881889Improver 
Item 4 of 6Ross & Macbeth18891891Chief Draughtsman 
Item 5 of 6Sextus Dyball18911892Assistant 
Item 6 of 6Swash & Bainc. 18931905Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 5Charles Henry Driver13 June 1892for Associateship
Item 2 of 5Robert Pledge Notley13 June 1892for Associateship
Item 3 of 5Arthur Beresford Pite11 June 1900for Fellowship
Item 4 of 5RIBA Council11 June 1900for Fellowship
Item 5 of 5William Wimble13 June 1892for Associateship

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 11 Aberbargoed Secondary SchoolAberbargoed CaerphillyWalesDate unknown
Item 2 of 11 Abergavenny Mental HospitalAbergavenny Monmouthshire?WalesExtensive additions - date unknown
Item 3 of 11 Higher Elementary SchoolNewport MonmouthshireWalesDate unknown
Item 4 of 11 Liberal ClubNewport MonmouthshireWalesDate unknown
Item 5 of 11 Masonic Buildings, NewportNewport MonmouthshireWalesExtensions - date unknown
Item 6 of 11 Methodist Free ChurchNewport MonmouthshireWalesDate unknown
Item 7 of 11 Newport MuseumNewport MonmouthshireWalesExtensions - date unknown
Item 8 of 11 South Wales Argus OfficesNewport MonmouthshireWalesDate unknown
Item 9 of 11 Usk Agricultural InstituteUsk/Brynbuga MonmouthshireWalesDate unknown
Item 10 of 111893Durham Road SchoolsNewport MonmouthshireWalesWon competition
Item 11 of 111935Bassaleg Secondary SchoolBassaleg, Newport MonmouthshireWales 

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Journal12 October 1935v42London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp1161 - obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v12 p8 (microfiche 52/C1); F v13 p86 no815 (microfiche 119/B6)