Basic Biographical Details Name: | Moffatt & Aitken (or Moffat & Aitken) | Designation: | | Born: | May 1873 | Died: | c. 1880 | Bio Notes: | William Lambie Moffat was born on 31 October 1807, the son of John Moffat, clerk of works and Sarah Couch. At some stage, for unknown reasons, he adopted the spelling of Moffatt which is continued by his descendents, although his brother Henry retained the single 't' as Moffat throughout his life. William Lambie was articled to William Burn who was probably his father's employer and appears to have remained as an assistant: his subsequent career suggests he was engaged on the institutional side of the practice. In 1836 he won the competition for Wakefield Corn Exchange with a very original Greek Revival design which induced him to settle in Doncaster. In 1838 William Hurst of Doncaster invited him to become a partner, his previous partner John Woodhead having died, and for the next six years Hurst and Moffat had a flourishing practice, particularly for churches financed by The Incorporated Church Building Society.
On 8 December 1844 Hurst died. Moffat continued the Doncaster practice, but was increasingly dependent on winning competitions for business. As a number of his competition wins were for hospitals and poorhouses in Scotland, he closed his Doncaster practice in 1858, the catalyst probably being the new asylum at Montrose (1856). He returned to Edinburgh, his house being at 4 Fettes Row, and he subsequently remodelled 13 Queen Street for his own occupation. By about 1874 he was so busy with school board work, probably mainly won in competition, that James Aitken, of whom nothing is as yet known, was taken into partnership.
Moffat was equally skilled in Greek, Italianate, Gothic and neo-Jacobean, his work in the last of those being strongly influenced by William Burn's houses of the mid to late 1820s and early 1830s: in the past some writers conflated him with G G Scott's partner, the English William Bonython Moffatt, and in the earlier 'Buildings of England' volumes he is sometimes wrongly given as W B Moffatt.
Moffat died on 5 June 1882 at 23 Minto Street, survived by his widow Wilhelmina Crystal. Information on the subsequent career of James Aitken - if any - is not yet available. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 13, Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | After 1856 | | Moffat's private address | | 12, North St David Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1873 | c. 1882 | |
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 | | 1873 | Balcurvie School | Markinch | | Fife | Scotland | Proposed enlargement - uncertain if this was executed | | 1873 | Free Church schools | Roseburn | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Upgrade of accommodation | | 1873 | Infant School | Fountainbridge | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Upgrade of accommodation | | 1873 | Milton of Balgonie Board School | Milton of Balgonie | | Fife | Scotland | Plans for additions to old school and for new school on the old site - uncertain which executed, if either | | 1873 | Portobello Public School and janitor's house | Portobello | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1873 | School | Dalkeith | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1873 | St Paul's Free Church Schools | St Leonards | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Upgrade of accommodation | | 1874 | 11-13 Queen Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Palace front. | | 1874 | Arbroath Public School | Arbroath | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1874 | Lovers' Loan School | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and upgrade | | 1874 | Public School | Burntisland | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1875 | Bristo Public School | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1875 | Leith Walk School and lodge | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Original building | | 1875 | Markinch Board School | Markinch | | Fife | Scotland | Working plans and specifications prepared - presumably for new school | | 1875 | Montrose Asylum | Hillside, Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Additions - dining hall, recreation room, enlargement of stores, extension of washhouse and laundry offices, new washhouse | | 1875 | Premises for J Horsburgh | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1875 | Prestonhall Board School | Glenrothes | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1876 | Farm steading at Lairg | Lairg | | Sutherland | Scotland | | | 1876 | Two blocks of tenements, Lutton Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Plans prepared | | 1877 | Mossgreen Church | Dalgety | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1877 | Poorhouse | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Plans for new poorhouse drawn up but project abandoned | | 1879 | Aberdour Public School | Aberdour | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1879 | Feuing plan of Policy Park | Aberdour | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1879 | Greenock Municipal Buildings | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Third premiated competition design | | 1879 | Villa for Miss Auld, Policy Park | Aberdour | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1879 | Villa for Miss McGill, Policy Park | Aberdour | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1879 | Woodside Hotel | Aberdour | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1881 | Semi-detached cottage | Joppa | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Plans prepared | | 1881 | Semi-detached cottage in Quarry Park | Joppa | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | Death of Moffatt | | National Archives of Scotland (formerly SRO) | William Lambie Moffatt Cash Book 1859-1881 GD 1/412/1 | | GD1/421 |
|