Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Constable | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 16 August 1863 | Died: | | Bio Notes: | William Constable was born at Hill-of-Errol on 16 August 1863, son of Andrew Constable, farmer. He was educated privately and at Strathmore House School, Southport, Lancashire. He was articled to John Melvin & Son of Alloa from 1879 to 1883 and then worked as assistant to Alexander Johnston of Dundee for two years, spending some time on sketching tours of the Borders including Jedburgh Abbey. From 1886 to 1892 he was assistant to George Craig, architect to Leith School Board.
Constable commenced independent practice in Edinburgh in 1893 and by 1895 had formed a partnership with George Lyle, who had succeeded to Robert Raeburn's practice. Lyle did not appear with Constable in 'Who's Who in Architecture 1914' but the practice title of Lyle & Constable was retained until the 1930s.
Constable was architect for the Superior of Grange Estate, Edinburgh; for the Superior of Mortonhall, Blackford and Greenbank Estates; and for the Superiors of Ranfurly Estate, Bridge-of-Weir. He was elected LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by James Bow Dunn and the Edinburgh Architectural Association. He was treasurer of the Musselburgh Fair Day Association, Ltd.; treasurer of Musselburgh Burns' Club, and of St John's Lodge, Fisherrow, No112; a member of the Union Club, Edinburgh, Royal Musselburgh and New Luffness Golf Clubs; and provost of Musselburgh. He campaigned unsuccessfully to have Musselburgh brought within the City of edinburgh boundary.
His practice seems to have been taken over by his son, Graham, who joined his father at some point in the 1930s. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | Scotland | Business | | | |  | Scotland | Business | | | |  | 30, Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1891 | 1893 | |  | 20, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1894 | 1898 | |  | 3, Hill Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1899 | After 1939 | Does the date of the formation of the practice of Lyle & Constable is unclear as the date at which Constable moved to 3 Hill Street. Does this move to Hill Street pre-date the practice? |  | 1, Inveresk Terrace, Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland | Business | 1903 * | | |  | 84, Inveresk Road, Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland | Private | 1907 | After 1914 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes |  | James Bow Dunn | 20 July 1911 | for Licentiateship - as President of the Edinburgh Architectural Association |
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 |  | 1855 | Market Inn | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1863 | Slaughter Houses, Market Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1886 | Crookston School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1890 | Auchterderran Parish Church | Auchterderran | | Fife | Scotland | Addition of south 'nave', replaced windows etc |  | 1893 | Greenside Parish Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Church officer's house added |  | 1893 | Houses for Inveresk Paper Company | Inveresk | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1893 | Millhill Church | Musselburgh? | | Midlothian? | Scotland | |  | 1894 | Board School | Inveresk | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1894 | Braid Hills Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1894 | St Brycedale | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1895(?) | Barnton Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1895 | Buildings, Traquair Estate | Traquair | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | |  | 1895 | Stables | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1896 | Church | Glencraig | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1896 | Inveresk Union Poorhouse | Inveresk | | Midlothian | Scotland | Sick wards |  | 1897 | Fisherrow Brewery | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Pentland Terrace, southern houses | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Traquair Parish Church | Traquair | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1898(?) | Braid Hills Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions |  | 1898 | Business premises | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1898 | Co-operative Society Premises | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1899 | Auchtergaven Parish Church | Auchtergaven | | Perthshire | Scotland | Remodelling of Georgian church - vestries flanking tower added |  | 1900 | Cardenden School and schoolhouse | Cardenden | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1900 | Musselburgh Tolbooth | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | Alterations, including new clock in tower |  | 1900 | Musselburgh Town House | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | Won competition for hall at rear (£25 premium) and secured job |  | 1900 | School | Tranent | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | c. 1900 | Terraced houses, Eskside West | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1901 | Buildings for Sir Alexander Hope | | | East Lothian? | Scotland | |  | 1901 | RC School | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1902 | Crookston School | Inveresk | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1902 | Tenement | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1902 | Tower Inn | Tranent | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Buildings for Sir Alexander Hope | | | East Lothian? | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Inveresk Union Poorhouse | Inveresk | | Midlothian | Scotland | Further work? |  | 1904 | Houses, Ranfurly | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1904 | Schools | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1905 | Braid Hills Road, houses on south side and 168-172 Braid Road | Greenbank | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1905 | House | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1905 | House for General Cockburn | | | | Scotland | |  | 1905 | Pentland Terrace, houses between Braid Hills Road and Riselaw Road | Greenbank | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | c. 1905 | Riselaw Road, houses on north side | Greenbank | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1906 | Cockenzie School and Schoolhouse | Cockenzie | | East Lothian | Scotland | Further work - or another school? |  | 1906 | House(s) | Grange | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1906 | House(s), Greenbank | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1906 | Marshall's Bar | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1907 | Broxburn School | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1907 | Farm house and steading | Huntlywood | | Berwickshire | Scotland | |  | 1908 | Fisherrow School | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1908 | Pencaitland School | Pencaitland | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1908 | Tranent School | Tranent | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1909 | Houses | Grange | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1909 | St Fothad's Church | Cardenden | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1910 | 57-67 and 68-104 West Holmes Gardens | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1910 | Crossroads School | | | | Scotland | |  | 1910 | House | Pencaitland | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1910 | Humbie School | Humbie | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | c. 1910 | Terraced houses, Campie Road | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1911 | Infant School | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1914 | Cambie School | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1916 | Campie School | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1922 | Musselburgh & Inveresk War Memorial | Musselburgh/Inveresk | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1925 | 30 Houses for G Graham | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1925 | Cox House, Lothianburn | Lothianburn | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1930 | Burntisland Established Church Hall | Burntisland | | Fife | Scotland | New hall |  | 1930 | Windy Mains Cottages | | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1931 | University of Edinburgh, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extension |  | 1931 | Windy Mains Cottages | | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1933 | 1-8 Swanston | Swanston | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions |  | 1933 | 108-122 Grange Loan | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | c. 1936 | Grange Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Responsible for the plan of Grange Crescent. |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | |  | Eddington, A | 1904 | Contemporary Biographies | Edinburgh and the Lothians | WT Pike and Co., Pike's New Century Series, no. 12 | |  | Post Office Directories | | | | | |  | Who's Who in Architecture | 1914 | | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Courtesy of Crichton Wood | Typescript memoirs and collection of drawings | | |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L v10 no1190 |
Images © All rights reserved. Edinburgh and the Lothians at the opening of the twentieth century / by A. Eddington. Contemporary biographies / edited by W.T. Pike |