Basic Biographical Details

Name: Henry Higgins
Designation:  
Born: 1848
Died: 9 June 1922
Bio Notes: Henry Higgins was born in 1848, the son of Henry Higgins, warehouseman, and his wife Jane Murdoch Cameron and served a five-year apprenticeship to an unspecified firm, subsequently acting as principal assistant for five years, of which at least the last two were spent in the Glasgow office of James Boucher. In 1875 Boucher took him into partnership, the style of the firm now becoming Boucher & Higgins. On 14 February 1878 he married Jane Allan Campbell at Partick. Higgins's son G H Higgins thereafter joined the practice, but seems to have died sometime after 1892 when he designed Temple Church at Anniesland.

Higgins continued to practise alone after Boucher's death in 1906 until he died of cancer on 9 June 1922. He was buried at Glasgow Necropolis, Prunus, Lair 141. He left moveable estate of £796 12s 6d.

Higgins's practice consisted mailny of churches, houses and public schools in Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Dunbartonshire, Argyllshire and Ayrshire. It was continued at a much reduced level by another son, Henry Edward Higgins (born 1878), who was apprenticed, probably to his father, from 1901 to 1906, studying at Glasgow School of Art and remaining with his father as assistant after completing his apprenticeship.

Despite his large practice Boucher never sought election to the Royal Institute of British Architects, but Higgins and his surviving son were elected LRIBA in 1911, the former mustering Thomas Lennox Watson, William Forsyth McGibbon and Professor Alexander McGibbon as proposers, and the latter securing the support of John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects. Both Higgins lived in Bearsden, the father at Rosengarten and the son at Coila. The practice was based at 248 West George Street, Glasgow.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 68, Franklin Terrace, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1872 *1878 
Item 2 of 6243, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness18791880 
Item 3 of 6252, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness18881890 
Item 4 of 6Rosengarten, Bearsden, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate18881922 
Item 5 of 6247, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1894 *1895 
Item 6 of 6248, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1899 *1920 

* 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 2James Boucherc. 18731875Assistant 
Item 2 of 2Boucher & Higgins18751892(?)PartnerContinued alone thereafter

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 4Henry Edward Higgins19061907Draughtsman 
Item 2 of 4Henry Edward Higgins19071911Chief Assistant 
Item 3 of 4Henry Edward Higgins1911 Partner 
Item 4 of 4John Donaldson19141916Apprentice 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Alexander McGibbonEarly 1911for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3William Forsyth McGibbonEarly 1911for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3Thomas Lennox WatsonEarly 1911for Licentiateship

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 42 YellowleesCarron Stirlingshire/Argyll?ScotlandDate unknown
Item 2 of 421872Unspecified country residence   Scotland 
Item 3 of 421875George A Clark Town HallPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandCompetition design - placed third
Item 4 of 42After 1875City Improvement SchemeGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 5 of 42After 1875Clevelands Mansion HouseGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 6 of 42After 1875Greenock Parochial OfficesGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 7 of 42After 1875Mansion HouseBearsden GlasgowScotland 
Item 8 of 42After 1875Parish ChurchDuntocher DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 9 of 42After 1875Public HallGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 10 of 42After 1875Queen's CrescentLangside GlasgowScotland 
Item 11 of 42After 1875St George's Parish Church  EdinburghScotlandRefurnishing (since removed) - may have been by Boucher alone
Item 12 of 42After 1875Swimming and Turkish BathsGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 13 of 42After 1875Villas, Royal TerraceRothesayButeButeScotland 
Item 14 of 42After 1875Wardwood Mansion HouseGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 15 of 421876Stable offices  GlasgowScotland 
Item 16 of 42After 1879New Club  GlasgowScotlandDecoration
Item 17 of 421881(?)Balfron UF ChurchBalfron StirlingshireScotland 
Item 18 of 421881Glasgow Municipal Buildings  GlasgowScotlandSecond competition design - not successful - entered under the pseudonym 'Cité'.
Item 19 of 42c. 1882Woodside Parish ChurchWoodside GlasgowScotland 
Item 20 of 42188497 Buchanan Street  GlasgowScotlandReconstruction of building of 1828 with new attic
Item 21 of 421884Carron Building  GlasgowScotland 
Item 22 of 421884West UP ChurchFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandNew front
Item 23 of 421885Coats Memorial Baptist ChurchPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandCompetition design - sent uninvited and not considered in detail
Item 24 of 421885Hartwood AsylumShotts LanarkshireScotlandCompetition design, selected but not successful
Item 25 of 421889Bearsden Free ChurchBearsden GlasgowScotland 
Item 26 of 421889Contractor's Depot  GlasgowScotland 
Item 27 of 421891Paisley Board SchoolPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandSecond premiated competition design (£25 premium)
Item 28 of 421891Queen Mary Street Public School  GlasgowScotlandAlso signed drawings for laundry and washing house
Item 29 of 421892Temple ChurchAnniesland GlasgowScotland 
Item 30 of 421897Elgin Street SchoolYoker GlasgowScotland 
Item 31 of 421897Saracen FactoryPossilpark GlasgowScotlandAddition
Item 32 of 421898(?)Temple Public School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 33 of 42c. 18981 Lancaster CrescentKelvinside GlasgowScotlandHiggins responsible
Item 34 of 421899Kylle-RuadhColintraive ArgyllScotland 
Item 35 of 421901(?)Drumchapel Old Parish ChurchDrumchapel GlasgowScotlandOriginal building
Item 36 of 42After 1901ChurchElvanfoot LanarkshireScotland 
Item 37 of 42After 1901Milngavie SchoolMilngavie DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 38 of 42After 1901Newmilns SchoolNewmilns AyrshireScotland 
Item 39 of 42After 1901Royal HotelInnellan/Inellan ArgyllScotland 
Item 40 of 42After 1901VillasBearsden GlasgowScotland 
Item 41 of 421908New Kilpatrick Parish ChurchBearsden DunbartonshireScotlandEnlargement and reconstruction, including chancel
Item 42 of 421913Glasgow Necropolis, Higgins Monument   Scotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Johnston, W T2003Artists of Scotland Officina Publications CDROM 

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 L v11 no632 (microfilm reel 33)