Basic Biographical Details Name: | Watson & Salmond | Designation: | | Born: | 1898(?) | Died: | 1914 | Bio Notes: | John Watson was born in Glasgow in 1872, the son of Joseph Watson, licensed grocer, and Hannah Peacock. He was articled to John Hamilton in Glasgow from 1887 to 1893, studying at Glasgow School of Art (1888 to 1894) and the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College. Having won a Royal Academy 'bone' (an inscribed ivory plaque) which provided free admission to the Royal Academy Schools, he moved to London as assistant to Niven & Wigglesworth where he remained until 1897. After a study tour of Italy he commenced practice at 231 St Vincent Street in Glasgow in 1898.
In the following year Watson took into partnership a younger colleague at Niven & Wigglesworth's, David Salmond. Salmond was born in 1876, the son of David Salmond, described as an 'agent' and his wife, Hannah Kennedy Millar, who were prominent in literary and musical circles in Glasgow and South Africa where the elder Salmond had business connections. He was articled to John Gordon in Glasgow from 1891 to 1896 and attended classes at Glasgow School of Art under William James Anderson and at the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College. After the period of his apprenticeship he spent a year with Niven & Wigglesworth before leaving for South Africa, perhaps with a view to settling there; but following the outbreak of the Boer War he returned to Glasgow where he worked briefly in various as yet unidentified offices before joining Watson in partnership.
Both partners were admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects, which they had joined in 1907. Watson soon sought elevation to Fellow, and was elected on 2 December 1912, his lead proposer being Henry Edward Clifford with whom they shared an office and assistants, the others being James Miller and William Gardner Rowan. Salmond was admitted FRIBA on 9 June 1913, his proposers being Clifford, Alexander Nisbet Paterson and Herbert Hardy Wigglesworth.
In 1914 Watson & Salmond took into partnership another employee of Niven & Wigglesworth, James Henry Gray (born 1885), the practice having won the competition for the extension of Glasgow City Chambers. It was for this job that in 1927 the firm, renamed Watson, Salmond & Gray, was awarded the first RIBA Scottish Architecture medal for the best city building completed within the preceding five years. Much of the work of the practice was in Glasgow but further afield they won commissions for designing factories and other works in the Midlands and the south west of Scotland. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 231, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1898 | 1902 or 1903 | | | 225, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1902 or 1903 | 1913 | | | 242, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1913 | 1914 | |
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 | | 1899 | Cottage for W Lang Edgar | | | | | | | 1899 | Cottages for D S Salmond | Giffnock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1899 | Semi-detached cottages | Brookfield | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1899 | Springburn & Cowlairs District Halls | Springburn | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - placed third | | After 1899 | Capelrig House | | | | Scotland | | | After 1899 | House | Whistlefield | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Probably 1911 | | 1900 | Board Schools | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Watson won competition | | 1901 | Busby School | Busby | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Won competition and secured job | | 1901 | Netherton Farmhouse | | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Steading for Andrew Clement | Netherton | | | Scotland | | | 1901 | Tollcross Park UF Church Hall | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1901 | Westdene | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1902 | Girvan Methodist Church | Girvan | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1902 | House for A Cunningham | Stewarton | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1902 | House for J Reid Bennie | Bridge of Weir | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1902 | Pollokshields Congregational Church | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | | 1903 | Tarbet Hotel | Tarbet | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903(?) | Tulliallan Castle, gardens and lodge | Kincardine-on-Forth | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations to castle, and new gateway and lodge built | | 1903 | Unspecified Glasgow Free Library | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | | 1904 | House for Mrs M Steen | Skelmorlie | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1904 | Montrose Public Library | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | | 1904 | Partick Methodist Church | Partick | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations, removal of spire and curved parapet | | 1904 | St Vincent Street UP Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Organ case | | 1904 | UF Church | Lochgilphead | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1904 | Wesleyan Methodist Central Halls | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | October 1904 | Blairvadach Row, engineer's cottage | Shandon | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1906 | Overtoun Park, lodge (superintentent's house), gates and layout of park | Rutherglen | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1906 | Tenements, Dunn Street | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1906 | Tenements, off Carriagehill Drive | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1906 | The Tudor House | Skelmorlie | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Buildings of Scotland gives 1904-05 | | 1907 | Paisley Mission Halls | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1907 | Perth Town Hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unsucessful competition design | | 1908 | Two pairs of semi-detached cottages | Houston | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1909 | Dalriada | Portincaple | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1910 | Craigton School | Craigton | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1910 | Stable, Mart Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1911 | Barcapel House | | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1911 | Butler's Cottage | Kilcreggan | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | January 1911 | Design for a small house | Newtonmore | | Invernesshire | Scotland | | | 1913 | Glasgow Municipal Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Won competition to secure job for extension. Begun but never completed | | 1914 | Barcaple House | Ringford, Castle Douglas? | | Kirkcudbrightshire? | Scotland | | | 1914 | Tom-na-Monachan | Pitlochry | | Perthshire | Scotland | Interior work | | Before 1914(?) | Cottage | Burnmouth | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | c. 1914 | House | Burnside | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p36, p78 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 4 September 1936 | | | Obituary of Watson Senior | | Builder | 9 September 1938 | | | Obituary of Salmond | | Glasgow Herald | 24 August 1936 | | | Obituary of Watson Senior | | Glasgow Herald | 25 August 1936 | | | Obituary of Watson Senior | | Glasgow Herald | 3 September 1938 | | | Obituary of Salmond | | RIBA Journal | 20 March 1937 | v44 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p 516 - obituary of Watson Senior |
|