Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Kennedy Hunter | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 1863 | Died: | 13 February 1929 | Bio Notes: | James Kennedy Hunter was born in Ayr in 1863, the son of Andrew Hunter, a prosperous builder and Ayr Town Councillorand his wife Elizabeth Clark. He spent two years training as a land-surveyor combined with three years attending drawing and watercolour classes before entering into a shortened apprenticeship with the Ayr architect John Mercer in August 1880. In May 1883 he entered the office of James Archibald Morris as an improver and almost immediately gained exceptional responsibility as Morris had opened an office in London and was spending much of his time there. His RIBA nomination paper records that he spent part of the summer sketching in Scotland and England in those years.
In May 1885 he became partner-in-charge at Ayr as Morris & Hunter, Morris now spending most of his time in the London office. In or about 1896 Morris withdrew from his short-lived partnership with Alfred Chastel de Boinville and returned to Ayr; and in May of the same year the Ayr partnership of Morris & Hunter was dissolved by mutual consent, Hunter setting up practice on his own in Sandgate.
Hunter's land surveying background brought a great deal of estate and feuing work. While very competent his work did not have the individuality of that of Morris and his period as sole practitioner was quite short. In 1899 he engaged James Carrick who had just completed his apprenticeship with Peter Macgregor Chalmers. After only a year Carrick left to gain experience in James Miller's office, probably with Hunter's encouragement, and in 1903 he returned to undertake most of the design work.
Hunter was elected FRIBA on 11 June 1906, his proposers being John Keppie, Thomas Lennox Watson and C J MacLean. In 1910 Hunter promoted Carrick to the position of associate-in-charge rather than partner (a very early instance of such an arrangement). Hunter practised in this period in both Ayr and Glasgow with addresses in both.
Hunter shared Morris's antiquarian interests but his main interest outside the office was politics. At the time of his death he was chairman of the Ayr Unionist Association and president of the Ayr, Newton and Wallacetown Unionist Club. His other main interests were Ayr Cricket Club and Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club, being at various times president of both; and Ayr Academy Club and the Finlas Angling Club of which he was secretary. Somewhat unusually for a country member he was President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects in 1926-27.
Hunter never married. He retired in 1928 and died of pleurisy following an attack of influenza at 16 Midton Road on 13 February 1929, leaving moveable estate of £16,782 10s 7d plus an eke of £1,308 1s 11d. He left his practice to his assistants Henry Sloan McNair (born 1885) and Andrew Douglas (born 1892), whilst Carrick left to set up practice on his own account. With the exception of war service, both McNair and Douglas had been in Hunter's office since commencing their apprenticeships in 1902 and 1908 respectively. The firm continued at its existing office at 51 Sandgate, under the name of James K Hunter Architects. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 51, Sandgate, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1892 | 1929 | |  | 53, Sandgate, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Business | 1902 | 1903 | |  | 16, Midton Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | 1906 * | | |  | 194, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1909 | 1915 | |  | 237, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1919 | 1920 | |  | 227, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1924 | 1925 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes |  | John Mercer | August 1880 | May 1883 | Apprentice | |  | James Archibald Morris | May 1883 | May 1885 | Improver | |  | Morris & Hunter | May 1885 | May 1896 | Partner | Became a partner in May 1885 |
Employees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes |  | John Keppie | 11 June 1906 | for Fellowship |  | C J MacLean | 11 June 1906 | for Fellowship |  | Thomas Lennox Watson | 11 June 1906 | for Fellowship |
RIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes |  | After 1885 | Drill Hall and Headquarters for the 1st Ayr and Galloway Artillery Volunteers | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1886 | 146 High Street | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1886 | Edinburgh Municipal Buildings | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1888 | Quarry Green School | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Competition design - placed first |  | 1889 | Cairn Public School | Maybole | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1889 | Sheffield Municipal Buildings | Sheffield | | Yorkshire | England | Competition design - not successful |  | 1891 | Ayr Public Library | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Competition design - unplaced |  | 1891 | Craighall School | Trinity | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1891 | Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum | Kelvingrove | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design - Simpson and Milner Allen appointed |  | 1891 | Working Men's Unionist Club | Newton on Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1892 | Balgarth | Alloway | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1892 | Robert Burns Statue | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Design of pedestal exhibited |  | 1892 | Savoy Croft | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1893 | Fenwick Lodge | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1893 | Prestwick Golf Club House | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Enlargement of villa |  | 1893 | Scottish Episcopal Church, Wallacetown | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Hall |  | 1893 | St Andrews Free Church and hall | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful |  | 1894 | The Green | Maybole | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1896 | 8 Carrick Street | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Hunter in independent practice |  | 1896 | Industrial School for Girls | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1896 | Le Clairs | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | After 1896 | Church at Bank | Bank | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | After 1896 | Miefield | Twynholm | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Free Church and Manse | New Cumnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1898 | Ayr Town Hall | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Reconstruction after fire |  | 1898 | Black Clauchrie | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Hunter in independent practice |  | 1899 | Ceannacroc Lodge | Glenmoriston | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | |  | 1901 | Corsock Free Church | Corsock | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | New chancel arch - design modified in execution. Hunter in independent practice |  | 1901 | Dunskey House | Portpatrick | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | |  | 1901 | Morrison Congregational Church | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Additions- Hunter in independent practice |  | 1901 | Templetonburn House | Crookedholm (by), Kilmarnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1902 | Block of workmen's dwellings | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1903 | 35-39 High Street | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1903 | Belleisle Cottages | Alloway | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Wallacetown Parish Church | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Stair towers added |  | 1904 | Ayr Pavilion, Low Green | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Placed first in competition of 1904 |  | 1904 | Glenfairn | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations and extensions, including billiard room |  | Before 1904 | Portpatrick Hotel | Portpatrick | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | |  | c. 1904 | House, 40 Auchinleck Road | Cumnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | 'Probably' by J K Hunter (Buildings of Scotland) |  | 1905 | Carnegie Free Library, Maybole | Maybole | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1905 | Gordon Buildings | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1905 | Montgomerie House | Tarbolton (near) | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Internal reconstruction |  | 1905 | Shops and dwelling houses | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1905 | The Gables | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1905 | Villa, 2 Corsehill Road | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | c. 1905 | Shop and dwelling, 145 High Street | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1906 | Black Clachrie | Barrhill | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1906 | Drill Hall | Irvine | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1906 | Gadgirth | Annbank | | Ayrshire | Scotland | May have been responsible for terrace of estate cottages |  | 1906 | The Red House | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Additions |  | After 1906 | Ayr County Hospital | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Addition of new block |  | 1908 | Ayr Grammar School | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Major reconstruction and extension. |  | 1908 | Biggart Memorial Home for Cripple Children | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1908 | Stonegarth | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Hunter exhibited design in 1919. Was this the original design for design for further work? |  | 1908 | Templetonburn House | Crookedholm (by), Kilmarnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Extension |  | 1909 | Cripples’ Home | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1909 | Gilmilnscroft House | Sorn, Mauchline | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Extension - Baronial style. Probably by Hunter |  | 1909 | Starch Factory River Terrace | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1910 | Fisherton School | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Extension |  | 1910 | High Greenan | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1910 | St Ann RC Church | Mossblown | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Extension |  | 1910 | St John's Tower | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Restoration. Miller's house removed for restoration of tower |  | 1911 | Furniture store, 19-27 James Street | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1911 | House, 41 Main Street | Patna | | Ayrshire | Scotland | In J K Hunter's style |  | 1911 | Old Kirkyard, memorial gateway | Barr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1912 | Dolphin Lodge | Turnberry | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1915 | 9 Dalrymple Street | Girvan | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1916 | Earlstoun Lodge and estate buildings | Dalry | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | |  | 1919 | Auchendrane | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Reconstruction after fire - possibly by Hunter |  | 1919 | Hollybush | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations? |  | 1919 | Lanfine | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1919 | Local Authority housing, Vicarlands and Kirkmichael Road | Maybole | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1920 | County Police Headquarters | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1920 | War Memorial, Memorial park | Maybole | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Carrick responsible within Hunter's practice. |  | c. 1920 | Trinity UF Church and halls | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | War memorial (executed byHolmes & Jackson) |  | 1921 | Craigie House | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations - by Hunter or Carrick working in his office |  | 1921 | St Leonard's Parish Church | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | War memorial in gallery |  | c. 1921 | Brae of Auchendrane | Maybole (near) | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Low south wing added |  | 1924 | Ayr War Memorial | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Won competition and secured job |  | 1924 | Kirkbride House | Crosshill (near) | | Ayrshire | Scotland | May be responsible for addition of 2-storey wing |  | 1924 | Popular Supply Store | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1925 | Eglinton Terrace | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Addition |  | 1926 | Toll Cottage | Hollybush | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Johnston, W T | 2003 | Artists of Scotland | | Officina Publications CDROM | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Ayrshire Advertiser | 21 February 1929 | | | Obituary |  | Ayrshire Post | 15 February 1929 | | | Obituary |  | Builder | 22 February 1929 | | | Obituary |  | RIBA Journal | 13 April 1929 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary p449 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F v17 p21 no1107 (microfilm reel 12) |
Images © All rights reserved. The Bailie 8 July 1891 (Feature of Burns Statue, Ayr) (Courtesy of Iain Paterson) |