Basic Biographical Details

Name: Thomas Frame & Son
Designation:  
Born: Before 1863
Died: After 1970
Bio Notes: Thomas Frame was born in Culross c.1813. He became a joiner there, but was working in Dunfermline in the later 1830s before returning to Culross where he was for some two or three years a magistrate. In the summer of 1853 he transferred his business to Alloa, taking over the premises of Archibald Melvin in Mar Place, and in 1856 was responsible for the woodwork of J J M and W H Hay's Free Church in Bank Street. From 1864 he was a commissioner for the burgh and for a time its valuator.

Thomas Frame's son Adam was born in Dunfermline c.1837 and apprenticed to his father as a joiner. He was however 'bent on attaining a higher position in the building line which he did by becoming a complete architect' under his father's supervision, the firm becoming Thomas Frame & Son, architects, land surveyors and measurers. It is not clear when the transition took place but in 1863 they were considered as architects for the building of their church, West UP in Alloa. Peddie and Kinnear were appointed, but the Frames were appointed to supervise its building. Some of the firm's classical work has a Thomsonesque character; there is no record of Frame working in Glasgow but his brother Thomas was a merchant there.

Thomas died at Kellie Place, Alloa on 21 October 1875 and was buried at Greenside Cemetery.

Adam Frame took an active part in public life being a Burgh Commissioner (presumably a Police Commissioner) for Alloa in 1886-91 and a Baillie from 1889 to 1891. He was also a founder member and council member of the Alloa Society for Natural Science and Archaeology, and session clerk of West UP Church. In his later years Frame suffered from a weak heart from which he died 23 January 1901. The practice was continued by Thomas Frame Junior, but he died in 1903 at the early age of twenty-five. Harry Allan Newman took over the firm in 1903.

In 1929 the practice was acquired by George Twigg. Born in 1873 in Dumbarton, he had been articled to J M Crawford there. After a short period in an unspecified office in Edinburgh as junior assistant he had joined Thomas Frame & Son around 1900 as assistant. Between 1929 and 1945 George Twigg was responsible for a number of housing schemes for Clackmannan County Council and other local authorities though his obituarist does not specify if he held the post of County Architect. He also undertook 'a varied programme' of industrial and domestic work. He was a Fellow of the Stirling Society of Architects, the Stirling chapter of the RIAS, and served on its Council c.1940. He is described as 'of a quiet and unassuming disposition'.

Twigg was sole partner until 1945 when he was joined by his son, Lawrence Henry Twigg, who had been born on 17 September 1916. The younger Twigg had served his apprenticeship in the office of David W Glass of Stirling, and taken continuation classes at Stirling in 1934-5 followed by a diploma course at Glasgow School of Art from 1935 until June 1940. He had passed the professional practice exam the following month and been admitted ARIBA on 12 November the same year, his proposers being Thomas Harold Hughes, Edwin Sinclair Bell and Alastair Marshall McMichael. By that time he had been working for ICI Ltd at their explosives factory in Dumfries.

The elder Twigg died on 18 November 1953, survived by his wife Sarah Hilton. The younger Twigg continued the firm for the rest of his life. He died of a coronary thrombosis on 2 August 1970, survived by his wife Ethel Bede Wright.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Mar Place, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, ScotlandPrivate/business1853  
Item 2 of 343, Mill Street, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, ScotlandBusiness1903After 1911Edinburgh Gazette
Item 3 of 320, Victoria Street, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, ScotlandBusiness1964 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

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 13Thomas Frame (junior) 1903Partner 
Item 2 of 13Thomas FrameBefore 18631875Partner 
Item 3 of 13Adam FrameBefore 18631901Partner 
Item 4 of 13John McLintock Bowie18861891Apprentice 
Item 5 of 13John McLintock Bowie1891Early 1895Assistant 
Item 6 of 13Arthur James Marshall18991900Improver 
Item 7 of 13George Twiggc. 1900 Partner 
Item 8 of 13Henry Allan Newman19031946PartnerThomas Frame & Son acquired from the late Thomas Frame's Executrix, by Harry Allan Newman, Architect, Surveyor, and Valuator, Alloa
Item 9 of 13Andrew Rankine1 August 191130 September 1915Apprentice 
Item 10 of 13Andrew Rankine3 February 19192 March 1920Assistant 
Item 11 of 13Charles Douglas McIntosh8 January 1923Before 19 February 1928Apprentice 
Item 12 of 13Charles Douglas McIntoshc. 192719 February 1928Junior Assistant 
Item 13 of 13Lawrence Henry Twigg19451970Partner 

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 44 Bo'ness Distillery, Buildings for James Calder and CoBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandDate unknown
Item 2 of 44 Co-operative Society Buildings, Ward StreetAlloa ClackmannanshireScotlandDate unknown
Item 3 of 44 Distillers Company, Buildings at CambusCambus ClackmannanshireScotlandDate unknown
Item 4 of 44 Distillers Company, Buildings at CarsebridgeCarsebridge ClackmannanshireScotlandDate unknown
Item 5 of 44 Distillers Company, Buildings at GlenochilGlenochil ClackmannanshireScotlandDate unknown
Item 6 of 44 Middleton Kerse   ScotlandAdditions for McNab - date unknown
Item 7 of 44 St Mungo's RC SchoolAlloa ClackmannanshireScotlandDate unknown
Item 8 of 44c. 1860BeechwoodTillicoultry ClackmannanshireScotlandIn partnership
Item 9 of 441862Co-operative Society Buildings, High StreetAlloa ClackmannanshireScotlandIn partnership
Item 10 of 44c. 1865Alloa Corn ExchangeAlloa ClackmannanshireScotlandIn partnership
Item 11 of 441872BirkendaleAlloa ClackmannanshireScotlandIn partnership
Item 12 of 441873Burgh ChambersAlloa ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 13 of 441873Savings bankDunfermline FifeScotlandExtension
Item 14 of 441874NaemoorMuckhart Clackmannanshire?ScotlandAlso later additions
Item 15 of 441874Tenement for J and J Dawson, Mill StreetAlloa ClackmannanshireScotlandIn partnership
Item 16 of 44c. 1874British Linen BankStrathbungo GlasgowScotland 
Item 17 of 44c. 1874Houses, 29-31 Grange RoadAlloa ClackmannanshireScotlandAttributed to partnership
Item 18 of 441875Halbeath School and Schoolmaster's HouseHalbeath FifeScotland 
Item 19 of 441875Primary School, SalineSaline FifeScotland 
Item 20 of 441875Tenement, 5-11 CoalgateAlloa ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 21 of 441875Townhill Primary SchoolDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 22 of 441876Duty-free warehouse and store for Bruce & GlenDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 23 of 441877St Patrick's RC ChurchLochgelly FifeScotland 
Item 24 of 441879St James the Great Episcopal ChurchDollar ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 25 of 441881St Andrews Parish ChurchAlloa ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 26 of 441882Post OfficeAlloa ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 27 of 441883Grangemouth Town HallGrangemouth StirlingshireScotlandCame second in competition
Item 28 of 441886Glendevon Parish ChurchGlendevon PerthshireScotlandRe-seating and repairs
Item 29 of 441887Co-operative Society Buildings, Primrose StreetAlloa ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 30 of 441887Primary School, FishcrossFishcross ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 31 of 441887Sauchie SchoolSauchie ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 32 of 441888Clackmannan Town HallClackmannan ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 33 of 441888UP Church, AlvaAlva ClackmannanshireScotlandPorch and alterations
Item 34 of 441889Manse, Walker TerraceTillicoultry ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 35 of 441891UP Mission HallMenstrie ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 36 of 441891West UP Church HallAlloa ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 37 of 441895Co-operative Society Buildings, Drysdale StreetAlloa ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 38 of 441897Clackmannan Public SchoolClackmannan ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 39 of 441904Public SchoolTullibody ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 40 of 441905Fairfield SchoolSauchie Stirlingshire?Scotland 
Item 41 of 441914Corn ExchangeCupar FifeScotlandStrengthening of spire
Item 42 of 441924Clackmannan Public SchoolClackmannan ClackmannanshireScotlandAdditions
Item 43 of 441930sHousing, Main StreetMenstrie ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 44 of 441935Housing, Sorley's BraeDollar ClackmannanshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Archibald, J1911Alloa Sixty Years Age  pp165-166
Item 2 of 3Measurers\' Companion1911The Scottish Architects' and Measurers' Companion   
Item 3 of 3Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Alloa Advertiser25 June 1853   
Item 2 of 6Alloa Advertiser23 October 1875   
Item 3 of 6Alloa AdvertiserJanuary 1901  Check date
Item 4 of 6Alloa Journal23 October 1875   
Item 5 of 6Alloa JournalJanuary 1901  Obituary of Adam Frame
Item 6 of 6Edinburgh Gazette7 August 1903  p825 - Thomas Frame & Son, Architects, Surveyors, and Valuators, 43 Mill Street, Alloa, acquired from the late Thomas Frame's Executrix, by Harry Allan Newman, Architect, Surveyor, and Valuator, Alloa

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Research by Adam Swan