Basic Biographical Details Name: | Brown & Wardrop | Designation: | | Born: | 1849 | Died: | 1874 | Bio Notes: | Thomas Brown was the son of Thomas Brown, the City Superintendent of Works in Edinburgh. He was articled to his father and probably spent some time in the office of William Burn as an improver, some of his early houses being very much in Burn's style. In 1837 he was appointed architect to the Prison Board of Scotland and by 1838 had an office at 3 North Charlotte Street independent of his father's.
In 1849 Thomas Brown II entered into partnership with James Maitland Wardrop. Wardrop was born in London on 16 March 1824, the son of James Wardrop MD, surgeon to George IV, and Margaret, widow of Captain Burn RN and daughter of George Dalrymple of North Berwick. He had been an apprentice to Brown prior to being taken into partnership. The practice of Brown & Wardrop was based at 19 St Andrew Square.
Wardrop gradually took over the design work relating to Brown's position as architect to the Prison Board of Scotland, including at the county buildings of Wigtown (1862), polychrome Franco-Italian Gothic and Alloa, Clackmannan (1863), Forfar, Angus (1869) and Stirling (design 1866, built 1874), all 15th/16th-century Franco-Scottish of the same school as David Bryce's Fettes. Indeed he may have spent some time in the office of David Bryce on whose work his domestic style and planning was closely based. In 1848 he had prepared a neo-Tudor scheme for completely remodelling Clifton Hall, Midlothian which was superseded by the executed scheme for complete rebuilding by Bryce in 1850.
Brown's daughter was born on 23 September 1853. On 28 September of the same year Wardrop married at Dundas Castle Anna Maria, 5th daughter of James Dundas, 24th and last of Dundas, a financially unsuccessful inventor. This widened the already extensive landed connections he had inherited from his mother. Much of his work consisted of modernising older houses, but in 1861 he secured the commission for the huge Scottish Baronial Lochinch, built for the 10th Earl of Stair as a setting for the collections of his countess, daughter of the Duc de Coigny. With a big tower as its dominant feature, well organised plan and indoor bowling alley and extensive formal gardens, it established him as a serious rival to Bryce, a position consolidated by the equally large and stylish Franco-Scottish Stitchill, Roxburgh (1866) and the remodelling of Callendar Park, Stirlingshire (1869-77) as a vast symmetrical Francois Ier chateau. Glenternie, Peeblesshire (1863), Ardwell, Wigtownshire (1869), Udny (1874) and Fairburn, Ross-shire (1877) were all of a similar school to Bryce's houses, but his substantial enlargement of the 16th-century Z-plan tower house of Nunraw, East Lothian (1868) in its own style with thick walls, small openings and convincing detail was by far the most accomplished essay in pure revivalism then achieved in Scotland, anticipating R S Lorimer's work much later; in similar vein was his rebuilding from ruins of Barnbougle, Dalmeny, Edinburgh (1881).
At Kinnordy, Angus (1879), Wardrop again broke new ground, the house being large and picturesquely composed in an early-17th-century Scots style but with a studied avoidance of towers, turrets, parapets and other baronial compositional features. At his largest and finest house, Beaufort, Inverness-shire, (1880) Wardrop again demonstrated, as at Stitchill, that he could handle the asymmetrical composition of a really enormous house better than Bryce by concentrating the design into large, simple masses. While Wardrop's classical work was usually subdued Italianate, he became a pioneer of neo-Georgian through his association with the London decorators Wright and Mansfield's Adam-inspired refit of Haddo, Aberdeenshire (1879) and the rebuilding of Barskimming, Ayrshire (1882) in a convincing late-18th-century idiom. Wardrop also rebuilt a large number of country parish churches in a distinctive early decorated style, notable Cumnock, Ayrshire (1864), Methlick, Aberdeenshire (1865), Stow, Midlothian (1862), and Ayton (1867) and Langton (1871) in Berwickshire; he was also a tactful restorer, as can be seen at Mid Calder, West Lothian (1863).
Brown appears to have retired or died in 1872 or 1873 (somewhat confusingly Thomas Brown II of Uphall died in that year but he does not appear to be related). Charles Reid, who had been chief draughtsman in the firm and was a brother of A & W Reid of Elgin, was then taken into partnership, although the practice does not seem to have adopted the title of Wardrop & Reid until 1874. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 19, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1849 | Before 1873 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | 1848 | Craighall, farmstead and farmbuildings | Ceres | | Fife | Scotland | Additions and alterations to farm builldings | | 1849 | Easthall, Steading and cottages | Monimail | | Fife | Scotland | Five cottages | | 1849 | West Hall, farmstead and farm offices, cottages etc | Monimail | | Fife | Scotland | Five cottages | | 1850 | Hartwood Hill House | | | | Scotland | | | 1850 | Springwood Park | Kelso | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Extensive alterations and additions | | 1850 | St Roque's House | | | | Scotland | | | 1851 | 33 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1851 | Dalmahoy House and lodges | Ratho | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1852 | Brechin Castle and gate lodge | Brechin | | Angus | Scotland | Extensive alterations and additions and west gate lodge | | 1852 | Invermark Lodge | Glenesk | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1853 | 31, 32 & 33 Royal Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1853 | Kinblethmont House | Arbroath (near) | | Angus | Scotland | Alterations | | 1853 | Ormiston Church | Ormiston | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1853 | Philiphaugh Farmhouse | | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1855 | Dalzell House | Motherwell | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1855 | Fort George Prison | Fort George | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1855 | Hilderston Farm | | | West Lothian | Scotland | Addition | | 1855 | Miss Ivory's House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1855 | Wallhouse | Torphichen | | West Lothian | Scotland | Addition of wings and rear towers | | 1856 | Kirklands Farmhouse | | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1856 | Selkirk Episcopal Parsonage | Selkirk | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1857 | Elliston House | | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1857 | Kirklands cottages | | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1857 | M Matheson's shop | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1858 | Carrington Church | Carrington | | Midlothian | Scotland | Interior alterations etc | | 1858 | Cranston Parish Church | Cranstoun Riddel | | Midlothian | Scotland | Alterations | | 1858 | Ecclesmachan Manse | Ecclesmachan | | West Lothian | Scotland | Re-modelling | | 1858 | Labourers' cottages | Shepperton-on-Thames | | Surrey | England | | | 1858 | Lamington House | | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Music Room addition | | 1859 | Kirkliston Free School | Kirkliston | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1859 | New Parish Church | Selkirk | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | Scheme for new building selected and executed | | 1860 | Dunblane Cathedral | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Roofs of chancel and north range renewed to a flattened section and south chancel parapet also restored | | 1860 | Fife and Kinross District Asylum | Springfield, Cupar | | Fife | Scotland | Competition design | | 1860 | House for Livingstone | Portobello | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1860 | New Crookston House | Stow (near) | | Midlothian | Scotland | Reconstruction | | 1860 | Newton Don | Kelso | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Additions including porte cochere | | 1860 or 1862 | Wilton Parish Church | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design | | 1861 | Linlithgow Old County Buildings, with courthouse and police station | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1861 | Lochinch House | Wigtown | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | | | 1862 | Barnton House | Cramond | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions and alterations | | 1862 | Borthwick Church | Borthwick | | Midlothian | Scotland | New church and alterations to chapel, especially west end | | 1862 | Hoscote House | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1862 | King's Grange | Kirkcudbright | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1862 | King's Grange, Steading | Kirkcudbright | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | | | 1862 | Stirling Old Town Prison | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Minor alterations | | 1862 | Wigtown County Buildings | Wigtown | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | | | 1863 | Alloa County Buildings | Alloa | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | | | 1863 | Glenternie House and gate lodge | | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | House and porter's lodge | | 1863 | Linlithgow School and schoolhouse | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1863 | Midcalder Church | Midcalder | | West Lothian | Scotland | Restoration of medieval choir and addition of transepts | | 1863 | New Calder Church | | | | Scotland | | | 1863 | Nunraw, cottages | Nunraw | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1863 | Parson's Green House | Willowbrae | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1863 | Town and County Buildings and prison | Nairn | | Nairnshire | Scotland | Alterations to prison | | 1864 | Ayton Castle | Ayton | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1864 | Ayton Parish Church | Ayton | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | 1864 | Craichlaw | Kirkcowan | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1864 | Dingwall Prison, Sheriff Court and Police Station | Dingwall | | Ross and Cromarty | Scotland | Alterations to courthouse? | | 1864 | Killiechassie | | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1864 | Merecleuch | | | | Scotland | Designs only | | 1864 | Old Cumnock Parish Church | Cumnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1864 | Papillon Hall | | | | Scotland | | | 1864 | Stirling Courthouse | Stirlingshire | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Scheme for new sheriff court adjoining prison in St John Street | | 1865 | Belton House | | | East Lothian | Scotland | Addition | | 1865 | Cockburnspath School | Cockburnspath | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | 1865 | Elphinstone Tower Farmhouse | Tranent | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1865 | Kirkliston Manse | Kirkliston | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1865 | Kirkliston Parish Church | Kirkliston | | West Lothian | Scotland | Alterations | | 1865 | Methlick Parish Church | Methlick | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | | | 1865 | Misterton Hall | | | Leicestershire | England | Alterations and addtions | | 1865 | St Nicholas Parish Church | Uphall | | West Lothian | Scotland | Design for new church - not built | | 1865 | Stirling Old Town Prison | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1865 | The Lodge | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Wardrop for himself | | 1866 | Arniston House | | | Midlothian | Scotland | New library - with Adam Lumsden | | 1866 | Bieldside House | West Barns | | East Lothian | Scotland | Additions | | 1866 | Cowdenknowes | | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Scheme to baronialise the house - only simplified scheme executed. Extra storey added to SW wing | | 1866 | Falkirk Courthouse | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1866 | Glamis Castle | | | Angus | Scotland | Proposals for large new wing - not built - but 3 bays in range to E of kitchen block built. Gateways to walled garden (1866) | | 1866 | Markree Castle | | | County Sligo | Eire | Alterations | | 1866 | Melgund Farm | Roxburgh | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1866 | Nunraw Castle | | | East Lothian | Scotland | Large additions (various schemes from 1861) | | 1866 | Stitchel House | Stitchel/Stichill/Stichel | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1866 | Cuplahills Farm Office | Leuchars | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1867 | Bracewell House | | | | | | | 1867 | Hopetoun, dovecote | | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1867 | Lochinch House | Wigtown | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | Lodges | | 1867 | Lochinch House, Main Lodge | | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | | | 1867 | Lochinch House, stable court | Inch | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | | | 1867 | St John's Episcopal Church | Selkirk | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1867 | St Leonard's Hall | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1867 | Villas at West Grange | Grange | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1867 | Wigton Manse | Wigtown | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | | | 1868 | Castle Stuart | | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Restoration | | 1868 | Christ's Kirk on the Green | Leslie | | Fife | Scotland | South extension (doubling original size) with east tower | | 1868 | Dalkeith School | Dalkeith | | Midlothian | Scotland | Additions | | 1868 | Darnaway Castle, east and west lodges | | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1868 | Dunblane Prison | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1869 | Ardwell House | Wigtown | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | Large additions | | 1869 | Callendar House | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Remodelling (was Wardrop & Reid from 1872) | | 1869 | Ederline House | Ford | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1869 | Forfar Courthouse | Forfar | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1869 | Forfar Prison | Forfar | | Angus | Scotland | Alterations | | 1869 | House for Steedman | Selkirk? | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1869 | Melrose District Asylum | Melrose | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Won competition to secure job | | 1869 | Penninghame House | Newton Stewart | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1869 | Reid Hall | Forfar | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1869 | Villa | Grange | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1870 | Donibristle Estate, North Lodge | | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1870 | Donibristle House, east lodge | | | Fife | Scotland | Lodge and gates | | 1870 | Gospatric House | Dalmeny | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1870 | Springwood Estate, Springwood Home Farm | Kelso | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1870 | Springwood Park Home Farm | Kelso | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Additions and alterations | | 1871 | Bridge Castle | Torphichen | | West Lothian | Scotland | Additions | | 1871 | Galashiels Manse | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1871 | House and offices for R R Glen | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1871 | Langton Church | Gavinton | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | 1871 | Longnewton Place | | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1872 | Airdit Cottage | | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1872 | Arniston House | | | Midlothian | Scotland | Porch and other alterations | | 1872 | Darnley House | Melrose | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1872 | Harleyburn House, stables and lodge | Melrose | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1872 | House for Dr Wright | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1872 | Kirknewton Parish Church | Kirknewton | | Midlothian | Scotland | Reconstruction and addition of tower | | 1872 | Kirkton Manor Church | Manor | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1872 | Monument to the 2nd Marquess of Ailsa | Culzean Bay | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1872 | Sheriff Courthouse | Stranraer | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | | | 1872 | Springfield | | | | Scotland | Additions | | 1872 or 1873 | Stow Church | Stow | | Midlothian | Scotland | Begun under Brown & Wardrop, completed under Wardrop & Reid | | 1873 | Cromlix House | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Could possibly be by Wardrop & Reid | | 1873 | House for Mr Lauder | Lochgelly | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1873 | Kilkerran House | Maybole | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Dining room, office court and stable block | | 1873 | Lochgelly School | Lochgelly | | Fife | Scotland | |
ReferencesCurrently, there are no references for this . The information has been derived from: the British Architectural Library / RIBA Directory of British Architects 1834-1914; Post Office Directories; and/or any sources listed under this individual's works. |