Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Russell Baxter
Designation:  
Born: 19 September 1909
Died:  
Bio Notes: James Russell Baxter was born on 19 September 1909, a son of David William Baxter of Baxter & Johnston, Dundee. He was articled to an unspecified firm, perhaps Baxter & Johnson, from 1925 to 1929 and in October of the latter year commenced the diploma course at Liverpool School of Architecture. He worked in various offices during holidays, including the practice of Sir John Burnet, Tait & Lorne where he spent two months as a 'special pupil' in August and September 1932, and was RIBA Dawnay Scholar from 1931 to 1933. He obtained his diploma in July 1933 and was admitted ARIBA on 8 January 1934, his proposers being Lionel B Budden, Edward R F Cole and James Ernest Marshall. In his supporting statement, Budden describes his performance as a student as 'one of outstanding excellence'. In the same year he was appointed assistant to the Government Architect in Iraq. He remained in that department until 1940, and during that time as well as in the war years he travelled in France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Persia and elsewhere. Ar some point Baxter was awarded the 'Medal of the Humayun, First Class, in Gold'.

From 1945 to 1952 Baxter practised in Dundee, undertaking the Diploma in Town Planning at Edinburgh College of Art in 1946-7. Thereafter he emigrated to Canada where he practised in Kitimat, British Columbia from 1954. He was elected FRIBA on 5 April 1960, proposed by Gordon Stephenson (who was then at the School of Architecture, Toronto), J H North (?) and William Holford. By the time he retired from his RIBA membership in 1970 he had moved to Australia. In 1970 he was teaching at the Western Australia Institute of Technology. He had retired by 1972.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 8Auchencairn, Rosemount, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, ScotlandBusiness   
Item 2 of 8Liverpool, EnglandPrivateBefore 1929After 1933 
Item 3 of 8IraqPrivate/business19341940 
Item 4 of 849, Meadowside, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness19451952Address of Johnston & Baxter.
Item 5 of 8Kitimat, British Columbia, CanadaBusiness1954  
Item 6 of 8PO Box 610, Nechako PS, Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada 1960 *  
Item 7 of 8137, St George's Terrace, Perth, AustraliaPrivate/business(?)1970 *  
Item 8 of 8126, Whitehall Road, South Guildford, Western Australia, AustraliaPrivateBefore 1970After 1972 

* 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 2(Sir) John Burnet, Tait & LorneAugust 1932September 1932Apprentice'Special Pupil'
Item 2 of 2Johnston & Baxter1945(?)1952(?)  

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 5Lionel Bailey Budden8 January 1934for Associateship
Item 2 of 5Edward Robinson Ferdinand Cole8 January 1934for Associateship
Item 3 of 5(Professor Sir) William Graham Holford 5 April 1960for Fellowship
Item 4 of 5James Ernest Marshall8 January 1934for Associateship
Item 5 of 5Gordon Stephenson5 April 1960for Fellowship

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 51930Dundee Royal Infirmary, Caird Cancer Pavilion  DundeeScotlandSE additions
Item 2 of 5After 1945Arbroath InfirmaryArbroath AngusScotlandReconstruction
Item 3 of 5After 1945Dundee Royal Infirmary  DundeeScotlandReconstructions
Item 4 of 5After 1945Maternity Hospital  DundeeScotland 
Item 5 of 51951Dundee Royal infirmary, Radiodiagnostic Department  DundeeScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 3RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 3 of 3RIBA1972RIBA Directory 1972   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no5290; F5448 (combined box 79)