Basic Biographical Details

Name: Walter Fitzgerald Knox Lyon
Designation:  
Born: 1844
Died: 1894
Bio Notes: Walter Fitzgerald Lyon was born at Pau in France in 1844 and was a younger son of the Lyons of Kirkmichael and Dalruscan, Dumfriesshire. He was articled to Peddie & Kinnear, probably assisting them with their Dumfries and Galloway commissions. He was in practice on his own account by 1867 with an address at 22 India Street, Edinburgh and probably also at The Grove, the home of his sister Phoebe who had married Maxwell Hyslop Maxwell. By at least 1876 he had established an office at 50 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London but continued to have a branch office at The Grove to deal with Dumfries and Galloway business. He was admitted FRIBA on 8 January 1877, his proposers being Thomas Henry Wyatt, T Roger Smith and Professor T Hayter Lewis. The second and third of these suggest that at some stage he took classes at University College, London.

Lyon married Isabella Towers-Clark of Wester Moffatt in 1883. Apart from a suggested scheme for Edinburgh Castle in 1887, he does not seem to have practised much, if at all thereafter, although he did assist MacGibbon & Ross with volumes three, four and five of 'The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland' in the later 1880s and early 1890s. He was a good draughtsman and a significant antiquary. His numberous sketches of Scottish houses of the 16th and 17th centuries which are important records of their state at that time. He died in 1894.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 322, India Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1867  
Item 2 of 3The Grove, Dumfriesshire, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)1867(?)  
Item 3 of 350, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, EnglandBusiness1876 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1Peddie & Kinnearc. 1860(?)Before 1867Apprentice 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1Frederic Richard Farrowc. 1870 Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Thomas Hayter Lewis8 January 1877for Fellowship
Item 2 of 3(Professor) Thomas Roger Smith8 January 1877for Fellowship
Item 3 of 3Thomas Henry Wyatt8 January 1877for Fellowship

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 7 Earlshall  FifeScotlandUnexecuted, undated design for restoration
Item 2 of 71867Cowhill TowerHolywood DumfriesshireScotlandAdditions
Item 3 of 71876PendleyTring HertfordshireEngland 
Item 4 of 7c. 1876Fyndynate HouseAberfeldy PerthshireScotlandOriginal house
Item 5 of 71878Royal Tapestry ManufactoryOld Windsor BerkshireEngland 
Item 6 of 71880Kirkwood HouseLockerbie DumfriesshireScotland 
Item 7 of 71887Edinburgh Castle  EdinburghScotlandDesign exhibited at RSA

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers F v5 p67, microfiche89/D5