© All rights reserved. Edinburgh and the Lothians at the opening of the twentieth century / by A. Eddington. Contemporary biographies / edited by W.T. Pike 

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Basic Biographical Details

Name: Charles Stewart Still Johnston
Designation: Architect
Born: 11 March 1850
Died: 3 April 1924
Bio Notes: Charles Stewart Still Johnston was born at Orphir House, Orkney on 11 March 1850 and was the son of James Johnston of Coubister. He was initially educated privately and subsequently at Kirkwall and Aberdeen Grammar Schools. He studied at Glasgow School of Art from c.1866 until c.1870. Thereafter he was articled to David Bryce for four years and commenced business on his own account in the mid-1870s. He married Elizabeth Gairdner, daughter of Major General John Gairdner, Bengal Native infantry in 1879.

Around 1892-93 David B Burnie, of whom little is known, was working in collaboration with Johnston in offices at 10 North St David Street. There is no evidence of any formal partnership having existed, but the two worked together on the winning competition design for West Fife Infectious Diseases Hospital.

Like many architects of his time Johnston was a Volunteer, initially with the 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers when a student in Glasgow in 1866-70 and then after a twenty-two-year break, with the Lothian and Berwickshire Yeomanry's Lodge of Freemasons from 1883, and a Director of the Edinburgh City Mission from 1884. He closed the practice in 1915.

He died on 3 April 1924, leaving moveable estate of £272 8s 6d, and was buried at Warriston Cemetery. His younger brother Col Henry Halcro Johnston (born 1856 - see 'Scottish Biographies', 1938) inherited the Coubister estate.

As part of his interest in Freemasonry Johnston had assembled a large collection of drawings of masons' marks. This was presented to the National Library of Scotland in 1946 by his widow (NLS MS 3726-9). She was then living at Reigate, Surrey.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 106, Hanover Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness   
Item 2 of 10Orphir House, Orkney, ScotlandPrivate1850 Place of birth
Item 3 of 1027, Nelson Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate/businessc. 1880  
Item 4 of 105, Pitt Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate/businessc. 1881  
Item 5 of 1033, Howe Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivatec. 1883c. 1885 
Item 6 of 1020, George Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessc. 1883c. 1888 
Item 7 of 1010a, North St David Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessc. 1889c. 1902 
Item 8 of 1034, Howe Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate/businessc. 1889c. 1902 
Item 9 of 10Erneston, Boswall Road, Wardie, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate19031924Was house and office from c.1915
Item 10 of 1066, Hanover Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessc. 19051914 

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1David Brycec. 1870c. 1874Apprentice 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 6James Davidson CairnsOctober 18821885Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6James Aynsworth Lindsay18881893Assistant 
Item 3 of 6Robert Thom Currie19011905Apprentice 
Item 4 of 6Richard ThorburnSeptember 19051910Apprentice 
Item 5 of 6Joseph WeekesJanuary 1906February 1907Assistant 
Item 6 of 6James Home Kerr Hislop19131915Apprentice 

Buildings and Designs

This architect 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 31 BathmoreSt Andrews FifeScotlandDate unknown
Item 2 of 31 Dunsmuir    Instructed Scott Morton & Co for interior work - date unknown
Item 3 of 31 GlencairdSt Andrews FifeScotlandDate unknown
Item 4 of 31 MonybuieSt Andrews FifeScotlandDate unknown
Item 5 of 31c. 1880Glasgow Municipal Buildings  GlasgowScotlandCompetition design entered under the pseudonym ' Speedwell'
Item 6 of 311881Guthrie Memorial Church  EdinburghScotlandWon competition to secure job
Item 7 of 311881Queensberry House, Lodge  EdinburghScotland 
Item 8 of 311882Leith Sailors' HomeLeith EdinburghScotlandWon competition and secured job
Item 9 of 311885Orphir Free ChurchOrphirMainlandOrkneyScotland 
Item 10 of 311886Gyre HouseOrphir (near)MainlandOrkneyScotlandFor his brother, Col Henry Halcro Johnston
Item 11 of 311889Pollok Castle  RenfrewshireScotlandAdditions
Item 12 of 311891Woodside HouseBeith AyrshireScotlandTower raised and further alterations
Item 13 of 311892West Fife Infectious Diseases HospitalDunfermline FifeScotlandWon competition to secure job - in collaboration with David B Burnie
Item 14 of 31c. 1892Loanhead Infectious Diseases HospitalLoanhead MidlothianScotlandWon competition to secure job
Item 15 of 31189323 Lynedoch Place  EdinburghScotlandAdditions including bay window
Item 16 of 311893Auchtermuchty Free ChurchAuchtermuchty FifeScotlandNew pulpit platform
Item 17 of 311893Institute for the Deaf  EdinburghScotlandTwo storey extensions to east and west
Item 18 of 311896Barochan HouseHouston RenfrewshireScotlandMajor additions
Item 19 of 311897Patrick Memorial HallGateside, Beith AyrshireScotland'Possibly' (HS attribution)
Item 20 of 31189828 Inverleith PlaceInverleith EdinburghScotland 
Item 21 of 311898Drums, with outbuildingsLangbank (near) RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 22 of 311900CraichlawKirkcowan WigtownshireScotlandRemodelling
Item 23 of 311902Lothian and Berwickshire Yeomanry South Africa War MemorialDunbar East LothianScotland 
Item 24 of 311903Kilbirnie Parish ChurchKilbirnie AyrshireScotlandCarved panels; transept and entrance added to east of Crawford aisle
Item 25 of 311905Corsewall HouseKirkcolm (near) DumfriesshireScotland 
Item 26 of 311905Ormsary House  ArgyllScotlandAttribution uncertain, according to 'Buildings of Scotland'
Item 27 of 311906Rathelpie Villa, RathelpieSt Andrews FifeScotlandAlterations
Item 28 of 311910Corsock HouseCorsock KirkcudbrightshireScotlandAdditions, including wings to east
Item 29 of 311910Kilbirnie Parish ChurchKilbirnie AyrshireScotlandOrgan chamber added
Item 30 of 311911Glengarnock CastleKilbirnie AyrshireScotlandSurvey
Item 31 of 311911Glengorm HouseMishnishMullArgyllScotlandInternal alterations

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Johnston, W T2003Artists of Scotland Officina Publications CDROM 
Item 2 of 4Pike Edinburgh and the Lothians at the turn of the 20th century   
Item 3 of 4Post Office Directories     
Item 4 of 4Scottish Biographies1938  E J Thurston (pub.) 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this architect:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Builder18 April 1924CXXVI p 628 - obituary

Images

© All rights reserved. Edinburgh and the Lothians at the opening of the twentieth century / by A. Eddington. Contemporary biographies / edited by W.T. Pike 

© All rights reserved. Edinburgh and the Lothians at the opening of the twentieth century / by A. Eddington. Contemporary biographies / edited by W.T. Pike