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Name: | John Archibald Campbell |
Designation: | Architect |
Born: | 26 January 1859 |
Died: | 19 July 1909 |
Bio Notes: | John Archibald Campbell was born at 20 Park Circus, Anderston, Glasgow on 26 January 1859, the son of Archibald Campbell, merchant, and his wife Grace Victoria Gibson: his paternal grandfather was William Campbell of Tullichewan, a connection which brought a number of commissions in and around Alexandria, and he was a cousin of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. His father died aged 35 on 9 January 1861 when he was barely two years old. He was educated privately, probably because his mother travelled a great deal on the continent, taking her children with her: this brought a useful command of languages and from an early age he was fluent in both French and German. John Archibald Campbell lived with his mother and unmarried sister Agnes until setting up house at 7 Charing Cross Mansions.
In 1877 Campbell was articled to John Burnet Senior at the age of eighteen. There he was befriended by John James Burnet who returned from Pascal's atelier in Paris in the autumn of that year. In 1880 he followed Burnet to Pascal's atelier and was admitted to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He returned to the Burnet practice in 1883, and in 1885 he won the Tite prize. On 13 August 1886 the Burnets took him into partnership, the practice title becoming John Burnet, Son & Campbell: prior to that date he had begun to introduce new business to the firm, notably the large church at Shawlands on which he had Andrew Robb Scott, formerly of Rennison & Scott, as a draughtsman.
Of the younger Burnet and Campbell partnership, obituaries record that they collaborated on competition work but on very little else: nevertheless Campbell's style as seen at the Ewing Gilmour Institute in Alexandria was virtually indistinguishable from Burnet's during the ten-year period of their partnership which was dissolved by mutual consent in 1897. Of that event both Edith Burnet Hughes and Alfred Lochhead observed that 'drink had something to do with it' - Burnet had no patience with those who drank too much although he had endured Scott's drinking because of the quality of his work - but the probability must be that Campbell had felt too much overshadowed by Burnet: a hint of that appears in a mischievous joint article which was published in 'Quiz' on 28 September 1893. The catalyst may have been the commission for the British Workmen's and General Insurance Building which, although in some degree indebted to Burnet's Athenaeum Theatre opposite, clearly established Campbell as a brilliant designer in his own right with a style subtly different from Burnet's.
In the corner block on Hope Street and West George Street of 1902-3, Campbell demonstrated that he was more than equal to Burnet in the design of commercial buildings at that point in time, and as Burnet became increasingly preoccupied with his London practice from 1905 Campbell thereafter was rivalled only by James Miller and Burnet Boston & Carruthers as the leading designer of city office blocks in Glasgow.
Campbell was somewhat belatedly admitted FRIBA on 11 June 1906, his proposers being Burnet - with whom he had remained on friendly terms - and John Keppie, David Barclay and C J MacLean. His then chief assistant Alexander David Hislop (and others) remembered him as being tall, handsome, considerate and courteous, if somewhat reserved: apart from reminiscences about his continental travels with his sister and mother (who died on 6 June 1905) he told Hislop very little about himself. It is perhaps significant that the paragraph allocated to him in Glasgow Contemporaries had to be left blank and that he did not appear in 'Who's Who in Glasgow' at all in 1909, but his portrait in 'Quiz' in 1893 shows that at that date he was bearded and had a somewhat French appearance. He never married, living in a bachelor flat in Charing Cross Mansions; apart from professional practice his main interests were travel and golf, for which, about 1903, he built a fine house, Brannochlie, at Bridge of Weir for himself and three other bachelor golfing friends: most of his domestic clients were golfers, notably at Bridge of Weir and within his own immediate circle he was said to have been extremely hospitable.
By 1908 Campbell had begun to develop health problems, a combination of excessive hours, particularly on competition designs, and hard living: in that year he had a major disappointment when he was placed first for the Scottish National Exhibition in Edinburgh, only for the result to be overturned because the assessor was his former partner Burnet. His chief assistant Alexander David Hislop, born in 1876 and previously a shared apprentice of Alexander Nisbet Paterson and William James Anderson, was then taken into partnership and inherited the practice after Campbell died of cirrhotic kidney disease at his sister's house, 7 Greenhill Terrace, Morningside, Edinburgh on 19 July 1909.
Note: The statement in A Stuart Gray's 'Edwardian Architecture; A Biographical Dictionary' that Campbell worked in association with the German-American architect Otto Pullich is not correct. It arises fro Campbell's obituary in 'The Builder' (31 July 1909) where the editor confused Campbell with his exact namesake John Archibald Campbell (1878-1948), a native of Wolverhampton who practised in Dresden and Berlin before the First World War (see Alan Powers: 'John Campbell: Rediscovery of an Arts and Crafts Architect', Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture (1997)). There is an older item of misinformation from an equally reliable source in relation to the South Kensington competition of 1891. Although there is a clear reference to Burnet and Campbell preparing separate submissions for this in Theodore Fyfe's memoir of Burnet in the RIBA Journal of 15 September 1938 - he was in the office at the time and must have at least seen drawings - Burnet Son & Campbell are not among the limited entrants listed by Harper in 'Victorian Architecture Competitions' or in John Physick's detailed account of the competition in 'The Victoria & Albert Museum: The History of the Building' (1982); nor can it be the Imperial Institute in South Kensington where the entrants were limited to six. Fyfe's memory must have been at fault: probably the schemes for the Art Galleries at Kelvingrove were what he actually saw. |
This 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 |
 | | Birmingham Law Courts | | | Birmingham | England | May have submitted design - see Hislop & Wesh Collection drawings |
 | | Feuing scheme survey, Gallanach | Oban | | Argyll | Scotland | Not clear whether alone (post-1897) or with Burnet Son & Campbell; probably by Burnet as he subsequently extended Gallanach House |
 | | The Cairn | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | | |
 | 1885 | Established Church | Corrie | Arran | Bute | Scotland | |
 | 1886 | Auchterarder House and west lodge and gates | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Remodelling - porte cochere, billiard room, winter garden and internal refitting of house. Also west lodge and gates 1889 |
 | 1886 | Barony Parish Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Won competition and secured job |
 | 1886 | Casino | | | | | |
 | 1886 | Circus for a large town | | | | | |
 | 1886 | Corrienessan | Loch Ard, Aberfoyle | | Perthshire | Scotland | |
 | 1886 | House at Kilwinning | Kilwinning | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |
 | 1886 | Shawlands Parish Church | Shawlands | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1886 | Wood Memorial Free Church | Elie | | Fife | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design (Sydney Mitchell appointed) |
 | 1887 | 1-17, 2-8 Park Circus Place | Woodlands Hill | | Glasgow | Scotland | No 9 |
 | 1887 | 9 Park Circus Place | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Billiard Room |
 | 1887 | Nunholme | Dowanhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Design exhibited - major reconstruction of existing house |
 | 1887 | Royal Clyde Yacht Club and Hotel | Dunoon | | Argyll | Scotland | Competition design - not successful |
 | 1888 | Ewing Gilmour Institute for Working Girls | Alexandria | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Mainly responsible |
 | 1888 | St Molio's Parish Church | Shiskine | Arran | Bute | Scotland | With William Kerr and Alexander McGibbon as assistants on the drawings |
 | 1888 | The Chesters | Bearsden | | Glasgow | Scotland | Internal refitting of earlier house |
 | 1888 | Villas for J Smellie Junior | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1889 | Baronald | Lanark | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |
 | 1889 | Charing Cross Mansions and shops | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1889 | Edinbarnet | | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Major reconstruction after fire |
 | 1889 | Free Church | Alexandria | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Responsible for design |
 | 1889 | Largs Parish Church and Memorial Halls | Largs | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Competition design - unsuccessful |
 | 1889 | Marine Hotel | Elie | | Fife | Scotland | |
 | 1890 | Garmoyle | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |
 | 1890 | Levenford House | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Interior remodelling and addition |
 | 1891 | Ayr Public Library | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful |
 | 1891 | Caledonian Insurance Office | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unexecuted proposal to build additional floors - 'Proposed building in St Vincent Street' |
 | 1891 | Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum | Kelvingrove | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |
 | 1891 | J & P Coats Offices | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - not successful |
 | 1891 | Killean House (new) | Tayinloan | | Argyll | Scotland | Further work |
 | 1891 | Tullichewan Arms | Balloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |
 | 1892 | Aerated Water Factory, 65 East King Street | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |
 | 1892 | Cathedral Court, workmen's housing | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1892 | Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1893 | Arbroath Parish Church | Arbroath | | Angus | Scotland | Won competition and secured commission |
 | 1893 | Bromley House | Alexandria | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Proposed alteration |
 | 1893 | Established Church | Glenboig | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |
 | 1893 | Feuing at Whiting Bay | Whiting Bay | Arran | Bute | Scotland | Feuing plan |
 | 1893 | Hamilton Terrace | Lamlash | Arran | Bute | Scotland | |
 | 1893 | Skinner's Bakery and tea room | Charing Cross | | Glasgow | Scotland | Earlier work - perhaps by Burnet, Son & Campbell |
 | 1893 | University of Glasgow Students' Union | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Western extension |
 | 1894 | Campbeltown Cottage Hospital | Campbeltown | | Argyll | Scotland | |
 | 1894 | Dougarie Lodge | | Arran | Bute | Scotland | Proposed additions - not built following the death of the 12th Duke in 1895 |
 | 1894 | Dundas UP Church | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |
 | 1894 | Glasgow Stock Exchange | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension in St George's Place |
 | 1894 | Glasgow Western Infirmary, Pathology Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1894 | Kirklee Station | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1894 | Lochranza Hotel | | Arran | Bute | Scotland | Large scheme proposed & exhibited but reduced scheme also exhibited in the same year. Reduced scheme executed |
 | 1894 | Princes Dock and hydraulic power station | Queen's Dock/Cessnock Dock | | Glasgow | Scotland | Hydraulic power station |
 | 1894 | Village Hall | Brodick | Arran | Bute | Scotland | |
 | c. 1894 | Dougarie Lodge, boathouse | | Arran | Bute | Scotland | Attribution; no documentary evidence found |
 | 1895 | Glasgow Cross Station | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1895 | Night Asylum | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |
 | 1895 | North British Railway Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Competition design - not successful |
 | 1895 | Public Baths and gymnasium | Alloa | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | |
 | 1895 | St Modan's Parish Church | Rosneath / Roseneath | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Alterations, including some to chancel |
 | 1896 | Aerated Water Factory | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1896 | Albany Chambers and shops | Charing Cross | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1896 | Albany Mansions | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1896 | Anderston Cross Station and associated buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1896 | Black's warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Reconstruction as R W Forsyth's Store |
 | 1896 | Carronvale | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Complete reconstruction - commission retained by Burnet after dissolution of partnership with Campbell |
 | 1896 | Clydebank Riverside Station | Clydebank | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |
 | 1896 | Gardner Memorial Church | Brechin | | Angus | Scotland | Commission retained by Burnet after dissolution of partnership with Campbell |
 | 1896 | Glasgow School of Art | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |
 | 1896 | Kelvinside Station | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1896 | Liverpool Museum extension and Technical Schools | | | Liverpool | England | Competition design - not successful |
 | c. 1896 | Canal houses | Bowling | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |
 | 1897 | Dalskairth | | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | Plans drawn up for complete Scots Baronial remodelling (not executed). |
 | 1897 | Dawyck House | Broughton (near) | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | Large addition - tower not carried out. General plans and elevations. Estimates of additions and alterations to cottages and stables. Also proposed new gatehouses. Elevations of main library. |
 | 1897 | Union Bank, Argyle Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1898 | Britannia Assurance Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1898 | Gilmour Girls' Cottage Home | Croftamie, Drymen | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |
 | 1898 | Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901 | Kelvingrove | | Glasgow | Scotland | Third premiated competition design (in association with Alexander McGibbon) (£100 premium) |
 | 1899 | Baillieston House | Baillieston | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions and new stables |
 | 1899 | Commercial premises, Buchanan Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |
 | 1899 | Dalskairth | | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | Reduced scheme, addition and internal remodelling - executed |
 | 1899 | Daniel House | Dowanhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1899 | Warehouse for Balloch & Co | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | c. 1899 | Darleith House | Cardross | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions to house and cottage |
 | 1900 | 1 Park Terrace | Woodlands Hill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Single-storey billiard room extension |
 | 1900 | Dalskairth | | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | Wellhead - HS attribution |
 | 1900 | Ewart Free Library | Dumfries | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful |
 | 1900 | Glasgow Royal Infirmary | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - unplaced |
 | 1900 | Keppoch | Cardross | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Stables |
 | 1900 | Old Monkland Farm | Baillieston | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |
 | 1900 | Villas for J Smellie | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1901 | 13 High Windsor Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Billiard room |
 | 1901 | Cottage for A Murray Esq | | | | | Drawings include some for alterations and additons to cottage. |
 | 1901 | Duncryne Cottage | Gartocharn | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Incorporated mid 19th century cottage house |
 | 1901 | Kelvin Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interior work |
 | 1901 | Office block for R E Buchanan | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1901 | Todhill | Newton Mearns | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |
 | 1901 | Wellpark Brewery, cold storage building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | c. 1901(?) | 2 High Windsor Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1902 | Lynedoch Place and Lynedoch Crescent | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Attic floor added to no 9 |
 | 1902 | Office building, 157-167 Hope Street and 169-175 West George Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1902 | Western Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Proposed extension |
 | After 1902 | Allan Line turbine steamers | | | | | |
 | c. 1902 | Carrick House | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Interior work |
 | 1903 | Drumquhar | Strathblane | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |
 | c. 1903 | Brannochlie | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Extension and remodelling of farmhouse |
 | 1904 | Edinburgh Life Assurance Company | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1904 | Golf Clubhouse, Old Course, Ranfurly | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Includes proposed adjacent cottage |
 | 1904 | Housewoodhed | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |
 | 1905 | 3 Park Circus | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Stables etc |
 | 1905 | Auchenkyle | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |
 | 1905 | Burnside Cottage | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | | |
 | 1905 | Caldarvan House | Kilmaronock | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions |
 | 1905 | Dunragit House | | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | Alterations |
 | 1905 | House for Richard Arroll | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |
 | 1905 | Lydwell for Sheriff W D Lyall (or Lyell) | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | List of plans in GUL suggests that there may also be alterations to Sheriff Lyell at a later date. |
 | 1905 | Office and warehouse building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1905 | Queen Victoria Memorial School, Drums of the Kippendavie | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Appointed through competition |
 | 1905 | South African War Memorial | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |
 | 1905 | Southwood | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |
 | 1905 | The Homestead | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |
 | c. 1905 | 10-20 Carrick Avenue | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |
 | 1906 | Auchenheglish and lodge | Loch Lomond | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Proposed additions |
 | 1906 | Tenement of two storeys and attic with shops, Bearsden Cross | Bearsden | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1906 | Terrace of houses, Redlands Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1906 | Threeplands | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |
 | c. 1906 | 14-16 Mirrlees Drive and 18-20 Mirrlees Drive | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | c. 1906 | 15-19 Mirrlees Drive | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | c. 1906 | 3-13 Mirrlees Drive | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
 | 1907 | House and motor car house for James Anderson | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |
 | 1907 | House for J Fullerton | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |
 | 1907 | Northern Insurance Company offices and Imperial Union Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Including interiors of Imperial Union Club - in partnership with Hislop in later stages of project |
 | 1907 | Residence for Robert Clark | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |
 | 1907 | Scottish National Exhibition, 1908 | Saughton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Competition design - first premium. Commission went to Walker & Ramsay |
 | 1907 | Whiteslade | Broughton | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | |
 | Before 1907 | Horsewoodhead Golf Course Clubhouse | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |
 | 1908 | Auchineden House | Blanefield | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Alterations |
 | 1908 | House for A Guthrie | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |
 | 1908 | Perth Town Hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Competition design - placed third |
 | 1908 | Queen Victoria Memorial School, headmaster's house | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | |
 | 1908 | Queen Victoria Memorial School, infirmary | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Completed |
 | c. 1909 | Damside | Auchterarder | | Perthshire | Scotland | Reconstruction of spoilt Georgian house with new wings |
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