Basic Biographical Details Name: | Walter Robert Watson | Designation: | | Born: | c. 1873 | Died: | 2 October 1932 | Bio Notes: | Walter Robert Watson was born in Melbourne, Australia c. 1873, the son of Walter Robert Watson (sic), commission agent and his wife Sarah Jane Clark. His father died young and his mother had returned by 1881 to her native Glasgow where she and her father-in-law, also Walter Watson, brought him up. In 1891 the family was based in Rothesay where Watson was articled to an as yet unidentified local architect. He was a student at Glasgow School of Art from 1892 to 1894 and again in 1896-7, probably while an assistant with Cowan & Sons, the firm of Joseph Cowan, architect to the archdiocese of Glasgow. Around 1902 he was taken into partnership. By that date, the surviving Cowan son was J L Cowan, with whom Watson practised under the style of Cowan & Watson.
Watson married Lillian Clifton. He practised until his death of angina on 1 October 1932 at Boquhan, Killearn, at the age of fifty-nine, his usual residence being 22 Dowanside Road, Glasgow. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 14, West Princes Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1881 * | | | | Ardbeg Villa, Rothesay, Bute, Bute, Scotland | Private | 1891 * | | | | 6, Buckingham Buildings, Hillhead, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1892 | 1893 | | | 689, Great Western Road, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1893 | 1903 | | | 95, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | c. 1902 | After 1925 | With Cowan | | 22, Albion Street, Dowanhill, Glasgow, Scotland | Private/business | Before 1929 | After 1931 | Probably the same as Dowanside Road. | | 22, Dowanside Road, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1932 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
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 | | Cowan & Sons | Before 1896(?) | c. 1902(?) | Assistant | Uncertain whether he was employed in this firm but seems likely | | Cowan & Watson | c. 1902 | 1932 | Partner | |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | RIBA | 1930 | The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | Scotland Census 1891 | 1891 | | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Research by Iain Paterson |
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