Basic Biographical Details

Name: Richard McLeod Morrison Gunn
Designation:  
Born: 1 June 1889
Died: 16 October 1933
Bio Notes: Richard 'Richie' McLeod Morrison Gunn was born on 1 June 1889 in England, the son of Archibald Reid Gunn, physician and his wife Emily Parry: the painter Sir (Herbert) James Gunn was his younger brother, born 1893. Richard studied at Glasgow School of Art from the age of eleven in 1900-02. He was articled to Henry Edward Clifford in Glasgow c.1904-09, winning the Tite Prize in the latter year and spending some months in travel: Eugène Bourdon advised him to go to the USA, where he spent some time in a New York office. During this period he also studied at the Glasgow School of Architecture, from 1905 to 1910. His RIAS Quarterly obituary does not say where he spent the next year or two although W T Johnston indicates Burnet's office (probably the Glasgow one). However, he joined the office of James Miller in 1910 or 1911, and whilst assisting there he appears to have been involved in the design of Miller's Cranston's Picture House and Tea Room, which is very much in his style. He remained with Miller until he was called up for military service during the First World War.

Whilst on war service he was badly gassed, resulting in poor health for the rest of his life thereafter. He re-joined Miller's office as chief assistant in 1918 and remained there until his sudden death of nephritis on 16 October 1933 at his house at 22 Clouston Street. He was survived by his wife Margaret Mary Wood Hemstock and three children.

Gunn never had any interest in setting up on his own to run a small practice. Miller's connections provided the opportunities for large-scale design that were his forte and consequently Gunn never troubled himself with the qualifying exam or membership to the RIBA. In his RIAS Quarterly obituary, Miller described him as 'a brilliant and rapid draughtsman; in his design he was scholarly and refined, while his knowledge of the practical side of the profession was such as is possessed by few … He loved his work and took no end of pains with any subject he had to deal with, to achieve the best results down to the imminent detail.' Gunn was a master of American commercial classicism and his designs for Miller had a profound effect on the work of his Glasgow contemporaries.

Although Miller observed of him that 'he had a quiet and lovable disposition with a keen sense of humour', James A Carrick who was in the office at the time said of them that 'although they worked so well together, there was no warmth at all between them, no relationship other than employer and employed.' Gunn left a widow, Margaret Hemstock (perhaps a relative of Albert Hodge) and three children, the eldest of whom, Gordon (b.1916) received a bursary to study architecture at the Royal Technical College but became a chartered surveyor. He became better known as a watercolourist, exhibiting in London from 1957.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 32, Windsor Terrace, St George's Road, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1901After 1910 
Item 2 of 325, Craigmillar Road, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1924 *  
Item 3 of 322, Clouston Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1933 * Home and place of death

* earliest date known from documented sources.


Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 4Henry Edward Cliffordc. 1904c. 1909Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4John Burnet & Sonc. 1910 *1910 or 1911(?)Assistant(?)Gunn is thought to have worked in Burnet's office around this time but this is not certain.
Item 3 of 4James Miller1910 or 1911(?)c. 1916(?)Assistant 
Item 4 of 4James Miller19181933Chief Assistant 

* earliest date known from documented sources.


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 70c. 1909Scheme for 'National Grounds'   Scotland 
Item 2 of 701914Cranston's Picture House and Tea Rooms, Renfield Street  GlasgowScotlandPossibly involved, as assistant to James Miller
Item 3 of 701915Hotel Majestic and Sandy KnollSt Anne's on the Sea LancashireEnglandAddition -as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 4 of 701919Benbow HotelDalmuir DunbartonshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 5 of 701919Gleneagles Railway StationGleneagles PerthshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 6 of 701919Rushcliffe Halt, Hill FarmEast Leake NottinghamshireEngland 
Item 7 of 701919Rushcliffe Halt, Workmen's HousesRuddington NottinghamshireEnglandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 8 of 7019204 St Leonard's Bank, Washhouse, Toolhouse and VerandahPerth PerthshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 9 of 701920Hazelwood Hydropathic EstablishmentGrange over Sands LancashireEnglandAlterations - in Miller's office
Item 10 of 701920RandolphfieldStirling StirlingshireScotlandAlterations and additions for James Miller- as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 11 of 701920The Royal HotelBridge of Allan StirlingshireScotlandAlterations - As chief assistant with James Miller
Item 12 of 70c. 1920Layout for 200 steel houses, RobroystonRobroyston GlasgowScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 13 of 701921Bannistre HolmeSt Anne's on the Sea LancashireEnglandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 14 of 701921William Lochhead's Trust  GlasgowScotlandInternal alterations - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 15 of 701922Church Hall for Harland & WolffSeafield RenfrewshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 16 of 701922Dalrymple War MemorialDalrymple AyrshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 17 of 701922Dunblane War MemorialDunblane PerthshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 18 of 701922Jordanhill Parish Church HallJordanhill GlasgowScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 19 of 701922Old West KirkGreenock RenfrewshireScotlandRemoval and reconstruction on new site - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 20 of 7019238-13 Blythswood Square  GlasgowScotlandPorch and internal remodelling - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 21 of 701923Barrhill District War Memorial HallBarrhill AyrshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 22 of 701923Forteviot Model Village and Forteviot Village HallForteviot PerthshireScotlandReconstruction including Village Square and Forteviot Hall as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 23 of 701923Houses for Caledonian RailwayGleneagles PerthshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 24 of 701923Lodging HousePerth PerthshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 25 of 701923Wm McLaren Sons & Co Warehouse  GlasgowScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 26 of 701924AultwharrieDunblane PerthshireScotlandAlterations - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 27 of 701924Dalblair HotelAyr AyrshireScotlandAlterations - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 28 of 701924Eastwood Park, GarageGiffnock RenfrewshireScotlandReconstruction - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 29 of 701924Union Bank of Scotland Head Office  GlasgowScotlandAs assistant for Miller on successful competition design, and execution
Item 30 of 701925GlenrinnesDufftown BanffshireScotlandAlterations and additions - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 31 of 701925House, KildalloigCampbeltown ArgyllScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 32 of 701925Richmond Memorial hallKirkoswald AyrshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 33 of 701925Volunteer Headquarters and Drill HallYorkhill GlasgowScotlandAlterations - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 34 of 701926Kilmarnock Agricultural HallKilmarnock AyrshireScotlandReconstruction - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 35 of 701926Kilmarnock War MemorialKilmarnock AyrshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 36 of 701926Perth New InfirmaryPerth PerthshireScotlandMaternity block - now Women's Clinic - as assistant
Item 37 of 701926Stirling Royal InfirmaryStirling StirlingshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 38 of 701927Dining Halls and Open Air Tea Gardens and Cocoa BlockBournville BirminghamEnglandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 39 of 701927New West ChurchGreenock RenfrewshireScotlandCentral memorial - uncertain if this is in the New West Kirk or Old Kirk
Item 40 of 701927Perth AcademyPerth PerthshireScotlandUnsuccessful competition entry - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 41 of 701927Wyggeston Grammar School for BoysLeicester LeicestershireEnglandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 42 of 701928Cherrybank CottagesPerth PerthshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 43 of 701928Dupplin CastleForteviot PerthshireScotlandReconstruction and reduction after fire - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 44 of 701928Dupplin Castle, West GateForteviot PerthshireScotlandAs chief assistant ot James Miller
Item 45 of 701928Holm Foundry Administration Building and Amenity BuildingCathcart GlasgowScotlandAlterations and top floor - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 46 of 701928Pitheavlis CottagesPerth PerthshireScotlandProbably Miller: similar to Forteviot (as chief assistant with James Miller)
Item 47 of 701928Woodhouse Warehouse, Renfield Street  GlasgowScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 48 of 70c. 1928Dupplin Castle, East Lodge and gateForteviot PerthshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 49 of 701929Houses, Silver EndSilver End EssexEnglandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 50 of 701929Synagogue, Salisbury Road  EdinburghScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 51 of 701929Wylie and Lochhead's FactoryCharing Cross GlasgowScotlandAlterations? - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 52 of 7019308-13 Blythswood Square  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 53 of 701930Clydebank Municipal BuildingsClydebank DunbartonshireScotlandAdditions and alterations as chief draughtsman with Miller
Item 54 of 701930Commercial Bank of Scotland  GlasgowScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 55 of 701930Commercial Bank of Scotland, Glasgow Branch  GlasgowScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 56 of 701930CrutherlandEast Kilbride LanarkshireScotlandAdditions and alterations - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 57 of 701930Dankeith HouseDundonald (near) AyrshireScotlandAdditions and alterations - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 58 of 701930J & P Coats Building, St Vincent Street  GlasgowScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 59 of 701930John Dewar & Son Ltd Bottling and Case making WarehousesPerth PerthshireScotlandAlso additions in 1932 - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 60 of 701930Troon Municipal BuildingsTroon AyrshireScotlandProject completed - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 61 of 701931City and County InfirmaryPerth PerthshireScotlandProposed demolition of Mackenzie building and new Perth County offices: not carried out.
Item 62 of 701931Perth New InfirmaryPerth PerthshireScotlandRobert Douglas Memorial Block - as assistant
Item 63 of 701931Stirling Station HotelStirling StirlingshireScotlandAlterations and additions - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 64 of 701931Viewforth HouseStirling StirlingshireScotlandAlterations, became Stirling County Buildings
Item 65 of 701932Dewar's DistilleriesPerth PerthshireScotlandRoof over railway siding - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 66 of 701933(?)Achnashellach Lodge  Ross and CromartyScotlandAlterations - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 67 of 701933Balkissock HouseBallantrae AyrshireScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 68 of 701933Birkhall  AberdeenshireScotlandUnexecuted alterations - as chief assistant with James Miller
Item 69 of 701933Glasgow and West of Scotland Commercial College  GlasgowScotlandAs chief assistant with James Miller
Item 70 of 701933Premises for Shanks & Co, 189 West George Street  GlasgowScotlandAlterations for Shanks & Co - as chief assistant with James Miller

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Johnston, W T2003Artists of Scotland Officina Publications CDROM 
Item 2 of 2Rhind, N1972Gordon Gunn, a Scottish painter and his world   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder10 November 1933  Obituary
Item 2 of 2RIAS Quarterly193344Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Additional research by Iain Paterson (the spelling of Gunn's wife's name as Henstock is incorrect)