Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Hamilton Paterson (or Robert Hamilton-Paterson)
Designation: Architect
Born: 1843
Died: 1911
Bio Notes: Robert Hamilton Paterson (his surnames were not originally hyphenated) was born in Edinburgh in 1843, the son of Thomas Paterson, architect to the Duke of Hamilton's estate, and younger brother of John Paterson (1832-1877). He was educated at Hamilton Academy and was articled to James Turner of Hamilton, a branch office of the Dublin firm, followed by experience in an unspecified office in Edinburgh and with Cubitt & Co in London. In 1870 Paterson married Elizabeth Cullen in Hamilton and that summer they moved to Edinburgh where he commenced practice. They are mentioned in the session minutes of Newington UP Church of which Paterson's cousin, Robert Paterson (1825-1889) was both architect and session clerk. From his earliest years he made a special study of the architectural and engineering requirements of brewers, maltsters and warehousemen. For some twenty-five years he held the position of architect and surveyor to the Police Commissioners of the County of Lanark.

In 1898 Hamilton-Paterson took into partnership Thomas Duncan Rhind (born 1871), with whom he is said to have studied; this partnership was short-lived, being dissolved about 1905.

Thereafter, Hamilton-Paterson took into partnership his much younger nephew (son of his older brother John), Thomas Tolmie Paterson (born 1864). However, in the words of Thomas Tolmie Paterson's obituarist, 'happy results did not ensue… The ill health of the principal [Robert Hamilton-Paterson] was closely followed by bad times in the Building Trade affecting the architectural profession.'

Robert Hamilton-Paterson died in 1911 at the age of sixty-seven years. Long widowed, he was survived by two daughters, of whom one lived in Edinburgh and the other was married in South Africa. Thomas Tolmie Paterson continued the practice thereafter but the Finance Act of 1909 had an adverse effect on it and he emigrated to Canada sometime after that.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 455, Muir Street, Hamilton, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1861  
Item 2 of 4York Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1870  
Item 3 of 410A, George Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessc. 1887c. 1910 
Item 4 of 470, Thirlestane Road, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1911  

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 2Hamilton-Paterson & Rhind1898c. 1905Partner 
Item 2 of 2Hamilton-Paterson & Patersonc. 19051911Partner 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1John Peter Dippie Grant1907c. 1909ApprenticeThough John Petrie Dippie Grant states that he was apprenticed to Hamilton Paterson & Paterson it was probably Hamilton Paterson on his own.

Buildings and Designs

This architect 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 29 Abbey Brewery  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction - date unknown
Item 2 of 29 Benmore Estate  ArgyllScotlandWork on estate - date unknown
Item 3 of 29 Brewery for James Calder & CoAlloa ClackmannanshireScotlandNew maltings - date unknown
Item 4 of 29 Castle BreweryCraigmillar/Duddingston EdinburghScotlandDate unknown
Item 5 of 29 Holyrood Brewery  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction - date unknown
Item 6 of 29 Maltings for Robert Hutchison and CoKirkcaldy FifeScotlandDate unknown
Item 7 of 29 New Maltings, Kilns, Stores, Cooperage, Moray Park  EdinburghScotlandDate unknown
Item 8 of 29 Park Stores  EdinburghScotlandDate unknown
Item 9 of 291870Priestfield MaltingsPitlessie Fife original building built by Robert Hamilton-Paterson. Priestfield Maltings is not by the same architect
Item 10 of 291889Tenement, Jeffrey Street  EdinburghScotland 
Item 11 of 291889Tenement, Jeffrey Street  EdinburghScotland 
Item 12 of 291890Bonthrone MaltingsPitlessie FifeScotland 
Item 13 of 291892Andrew Drybrough's BreweryCraigmillar/Duddingston EdinburghScotland 
Item 14 of 291892Caledonian Brewery  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction, new brewery, maltings, etc.
Item 15 of 291896Calderbank Police StationCalderbank LanarkshireScotland 
Item 16 of 291896Clydesdale Brewery  GlasgowScotlandRebuilt and enlarged
Item 17 of 291899W and J Raeburn's Brewery and MaltingsDuddingston EdinburghScotlandNew brewery
Item 18 of 291900Macvitties Guest & Co / McVities Guest & Co shop and tea room  EdinburghScotlandOriginal L-plan development round the corner house
Item 19 of 29c. 1900Business Premises, Randolph Place  EdinburghScotland 
Item 20 of 291900 or 1901The HolliesBarnton EdinburghScotland 
Item 21 of 29190183 George Street  EdinburghScotland 
Item 22 of 291902Queen Victoria Memorial  LiverpoolEnglandCompetition design
Item 23 of 291903St Giles Cathedral, Royal Scots Boer Memorial  EdinburghScotland 
Item 24 of 291903St Rule'sDunbar East LothianScotland 
Item 25 of 291904NorhamNorth Berwick East LothianScotland 
Item 26 of 291905Unspecified country house, no 1     
Item 27 of 291905Unspecified country house, no 2   Scotland 
Item 28 of 291906Business premises at BathgateBathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 29 of 29c. 1910Castle BreweryCraigmillar/Duddingston EdinburghScotlandLarge maltings

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Eddington, A1904Contemporary BiographiesEdinburgh and the LothiansWT Pike and Co., Pike's New Century Series, no. 12 
Item 2 of 3Pearson, Lynn1999British Breweries   
Item 3 of 3Pride, Glen L1999The Kingdom of Fife2nd EditionThe Rutland Pressp91

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this architect:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Scotsman17 October 1911  p6 - obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect:
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2H M Register HouseDeath Register 1911
Item 2 of 2Scotland's People websiteCensus 1861  

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 

© All rights reserved. Edinburgh and the Lothians at the opening of the twentieth century / by A. Eddington. Contemporary biographies / edited by W.T. Pike