Basic Biographical Details

Name: Cowan & Watson
Designation:  
Born: c. 1902
Died:  
Bio Notes: Joseph Cowan began practice c.1874 at 147 West Graham Street, Glasgow, his house being at 58 Hill Street, Garnethill, close to St Aloysius College with which he was closely associated. He was architect to the archdiocese of Glasgow but received only such commissions as Peter Paul Pugin was either too busy or unwilling to undertake. By the 1890s his sons, variously given as James Cowan and J L Cowan (not to be confused with James Lymburn Cowan, who had an essentially Protestant practice in Glasgow), were in the business.

Around 1902 the Cowans took into partnership Walter Robert Watson. Watson had been born in Melbourne, Australia c. 1873, the son of Walter Robert Watson (sic), commission agent and his wife Sarah Jane Clark. His father had died young and his mother had returned by 1881 to her native Glasgow where she and her father-in-law, also Walter Watson, had brought him up. In 1891 the family had been based in Rothesay where Watson had been articled to an as yet unidentified local architect. He had been a student at Glasgow School of Art from 1892 to 1894 and again in 1896-7, probably while an assistant with Cowan & Sons.

At the time of the formation of the partnership of Cowan & Watson the surviving Cowan son was J L Cowan who lived at 14 Myrtle Park, Crosshill. By that date the practice had moved to 95 Bath Street.

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 Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 195, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessc. 1902  

Employment and Training

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 2J L Cowanc. 1902 Partner 
Item 2 of 2Walter Robert Watsonc. 19021932Partner 

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 171897Johnstone Combination HospitalBrookfield Renfrewshire extension
Item 2 of 171902St Aloysius CollegeGarnethill GlasgowScotlandNorth wing
Item 3 of 171903St James's ChurchRenfrew Renfrewshire  
Item 4 of 171904Lilybank Sawmills  GlasgowScotlandShed at rear
Item 5 of 171904St Mary's Presbytery  GlasgowScotlandRemodelling
Item 6 of 171904St Paul's PresbyteryWhiteinch GlasgowScotlandRemodelling from Jordanvale House
Item 7 of 171906HallPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 8 of 171906St Conval’s Primary School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 171906St Roch's RC Church  GlasgowScotland 
Item 10 of 171908Express Oil Works  GlasgowScotlandAddition
Item 11 of 171908St Aloysius CollegeGarnethill GlasgowScotlandWest wing
Item 12 of 171908St Paul's RC Church HallsWhiteinch GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 171909RC School, Patrick StreetGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 14 of 171910Kelvin Motor Works  GlasgowScotlandIn conjunction with Monro & Son
Item 15 of 171912NetherhillPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 16 of 171912St Mirren's RC School and Cathedral HousePaisley RenfrewshireScotlandExtension to south
Item 17 of 171913Queen's College  GlasgowScotlandWon in limited competition - Watson wholly responsible, according to Alexander Wright

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Post Office Directories     
Item 2 of 2Walker, Frank Arneil1986South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew  p78, p99