Basic Biographical Details Name: | John Murdoch | Designation: | | Born: | 1825 | Died: | 29 December 1907 | Bio Notes: | John Murdoch was born in 1826 in Ayr and educated at Ayr Academy. He trained as a civil engineer and by the date of his marriage 4 October 1854, to Harriet Helen Miller, eldest daughter of Captain Miller who was an adjutant with the Royal Ayr Militia Rifles, he had qualified being described then as John Murdoch Esq, CE. He also qualified as an architect 'passing the different examinations for admission' and became a member of the Institute of Architects. By 1868 he was in practice at 48 Newmarket, Ayrr. In the early 1880s he seems to have formed a brief partnership with James Inglis McDerment. By 1894 he had moved to 62 Sandgate.
Murdoch and his wife had a large family: at least five daughters and four sons. Two of his sons became architects, John who was born about 1858 and George Alexander who was born about 1862. Murdoch's early work is dry post-late Georgian. By the late 1870s he was proficient in both Bryce-school Scots baronial and a Queen Anne-inspired free Renaissance, perhaps because one or both of his sons had joined the practice. However neither son remained in Ayr. They may have emigrated. Three years before his death on 29 December 1907 Murdoch senior was joined in partnership by John Whitelaw Lockhart. Lockhart had been born in 1877 and articled to Morris & Hunter from 1894 until 1899 when he had obtained a place in the office of James Salmon & Son as an improver, enabling him to attend the courses at Glasgow School of Art and the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College under Charles Gourlay. The practice retained Murdoch's name after his death. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Redholm/11, Ronaldshaw Park Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | | 1907 | | | 48, Newmarket Street, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1868 | After 1889 | | | Westerlea, Racecourse Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | 1881 * | | | | Newfield/6, Southpark Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | c. 1884 | After 1891 | | | 62, Sandgate Street, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1894 | After 1899 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | McDerment & Murdoch | 1881 | 1882 | Architect | | | John Murdoch & Lockhart | 1904 | 1907 | Partner | |
Employees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | William John Blain | 1885 | 1889 | Apprentice | | | Thomas Stewart Purdie | September 1886 | December 1890 | Apprentice | |
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 | | | Girvan Parish Church | Girvan | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Undated exhibition drawing | | | Westland Steading | | | | Scotland | Date unknown | | 1860 | Wellington Square | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Laid out garden to accommodate the erection of the first memorial. With ___Davidson, head gardener at Culzean. | | c. 1860 | St John's Tower | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Conversion to house for John Miller | | 1861 | Alton Albany House | Barr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Wings added | | 1861 | Doune Cemetery | Girvan | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1861 | Old School near Episcopal Church | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1862 | Ayr Cemetery, entrance and lodge | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Designed gates | | 1863 | Angus Galbraith's house | Old Rome | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Plans drawn up | | 1863 | County Buildings and Sheriff Court | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Lower pavilions to S added | | 1863 | Reigate | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | 'Probably' (Buildings of Scotland) | | 1863 | Reigate and Greenside | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Probably by Murdoch (Buildings of Scotland) | | 1867 | Police Station | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1868 | Maybole Police Station | Maybole | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1869 | Villas, 29-31 Miller Road | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1870 | Windsor Villas | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1871 | Police Station | Largs | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1872 | Club | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1873 | Country Club | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1874 | Boys Industrial School | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1874 | Doune School | Girvan | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1874 | Dumfries House, Cumnock Gate lodge and gates | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Conflict of information - Green gives architect as Railton. | | 1875 | Building, High street | Maybole | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1875 | School | Sinclairston | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1876 | Cumnock New Cemetery | Cumnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1876 | Ladyland School | Maybole | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1876 | Police Station | Dalmellington | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1877 | Ayr Town Hall | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Extension to High Street, and alterations - placed first in competition but job went to Campbell Douglas & Sellars | | 1877 | Greenan, feuing plan | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1878 | Glenbuck House | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1878 | Patna Waterside Parish Church | Patna | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Extension | | 1879 | Carlton Turrets | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | From 1879 onwards | | 1879 | Craigweil House, 3 Craigweil Road | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1879 | Villa, 1 Craigweil Road | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1879 | Westfield | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1880 | Killochan Castle | Old Dailly | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Additions and alterations; new carriage entrance and gate lodge | | 1880 | Newstead | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1880 | Tenement, Newmarket Street | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1881 | Ayr County Hospital | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Original hospital building | | 1881 | Glenbuck Parish Church | Glenbuck | | Ayrshire | Scotland | 'Buildings of Scotland' gives McDerment & Murdoch as responsible. | | 1881 | School | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1882 | Ayr County Hospital | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Washing house for fever wards | | 1882 | Clydesdale Bank | Cumnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1882 | Congregational Church | Cumnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1882 | Feuing plan for W T McWhinnie's property | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Plans dated | | 1883 | Holmston Primary School | Holmston | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1883 | North Newton Church and Manse | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1883 | St James Church | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1884 | 225-231 High Street | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1884 | 247-255 High Street | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1884 | Netherby | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1885 | Ashgrove, feuing plan | Kilwinning | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Original feuing plans | | 1886 | St Leonard's Parish Church | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Original building | | 1888 | Police station | Ardrossan | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1888 | Property for George Hart | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1890 | Cartland | Lanark | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1892 | Auchendoon | Hollybush | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1893 | Evangelical Union Church | Muirkirk | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1895 | Glendoune | | | Ayrshire? | Scotland | Plans dated | | 1896 | Manse | Cumnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Additions and alterations | | 1896 | Police Station | Newmilns | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Police Station | Galston | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Another storey added | | 1899 | Police Station | Stevenston | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | Late 1800s | 2, 4 Charlotte Street and 43 Fort Street | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1900 | Straiton Parish Church | Straiton | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Addition of porch, belfry and tower, and restoration of church - uncertain if he is executant but seems to have drawn plans | | 1901 | Commonhead, feuing plans | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1903 | Police Station | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Architects Engineers and Building Trades Directory | 1868 | Architect's, Engineer's and Building Trades' Directory | | London, Wyman | | | Ayr Directories | | Ayr Directories | | | | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 4 January 1908 | v94 | | p20 | | RIBA Journal | 18 October 1924 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary of John Whitelaw Lockhart p677 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Courtesy of Mr James Brown | Information sent via 'Contact Us' on website | | Sent July 2015 | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Research on addresses by Iain Paterson |
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