Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Beattie & Sons | Designation: | | Born: | Before 1837 | Died: | | Bio Notes: | William Beattie & Sons were timber merchants, sawmillers, and building contractors who acted as architects for their own developments. This business was founded by William Beattie, born c.1783, who was based in Bread Street from the 1820s. He married Helen Hamilton and died on 11 August 1837, having taken his sons into partnership some years earlier. Of these William was the timber merchant and sawmiller, George (born 1810) the architect and Adam (born about 1821) the builder. In about 1843 a house was taken at 5 Lothian Road which became George's house and drawing office and by 1847, further premises had been acquired at 15 Fountainbridge which became the firm's main address from 1864. The partnership also took a lease of Binnie (Binny) Quarry, with an office at 3 Port Hopetoun at the terminus of the Union Canal. In 1850 William moved house to 122 Lauriston Place and from the mid 1850s the Beatties were collaborating with the Peddie family on the development of Chalmers Street, followed by the developments of their own in Lauriston Park and Glen Street.
In or about 1862 there was a schism in the partnership, George Beattie withdrawing to set up his own business in Grove Street, Adam thereafter taking over the architectural side of the business when building to their own designs. The lease of Binny Quarry and the office at Port Hopetoun were given up by 1868, but a city centre office at 4 Frederick Street had been opened by 1869. The firm was responsible for numerous major contracts including Fowke's Museum of Science and Art and Bryce's Fettes College, Royal Infirmary and Bank of Scotland reconstruction.
William Beattie married Christina Purves and died sometime late 1868, his will being recorded on 6 January 1869; Adam Beattie married Margaret Hay and died on 28 February 1880. William's son, also William married to Annie Dey, died on 16 April 1883 and William Halden Beattie who married Anne Hodghson. The business continued to flourish in the hands of their other sons but so far as is known they did not thereafter build to their own designs. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Scotland | Business | | | | | 23, Bread Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1820s | 1863 | | | 17, Bread Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1839 | | Home of William Beattie II (or junior) | | 11, Bread Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1842 | | Home of William Beattie II (or junior) | | 5, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1843 | 1861 | Home of George | | 15, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1847 | 1876 | | | 122, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1850 | 1863 | William Beattie's home | | 3, Port Hopetoun, West Lothian, Scotland | Business | c. 1850 | 1868 | | | Binnie (or Binnie Quarry), West Lothian, Scotland | Business | c. 1850 | 1868 | | | Lauriston Villa, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1862 | 1866 | Adam Beattie's home | | 1, Lauriston Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1864 | 1867 | William Beattie's home | | 3B, Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1867 | 1868 | Adam Beattie's home | | 3, Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1869 | | Adam Beattie's home | | 4, Ferederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1869 | After 1880 | | | 33, Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1872 | 1874 | Adam Beattie's home | | 13, Grosvenor Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1876 | | Adam Beattie's home | | 29, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1876 | After 1880 | | | 15, Grosvenoir Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1877 | 1880 | Adam Beattie's home |
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | William Beattie junior | Before 1837 | | | |
Employees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Adam Beattie | Before 1851 | | Partner | | | George Beattie | Before 1851 | Late 1850s | Partner | |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | |
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