Basic Biographical Details Name: | John Thomas Rochead | Designation: | | Born: | 28 March 1814 | Died: | 7 April 1878 | Bio Notes: | John Thomas Rochead was born in Edinburgh on 28 March 1814, the son of John Rochead (or Rocheid) and his wife Catherine Gibb. He was educated at George Heriot's and apprenticed to David Bryce in or about 1831, probably initially at least at Bryce's own practice in Castle Street. In 1834 he sought admission to the Trustees' Academy with a testimonial from Bryce stating that he had been three years an apprentice and was admitted in June 1835. He is said to have been with Bryce seven years, and c.1837-38 he spent two years with William Hurst and William Lambie Moffatt in Doncaster - Moffatt having been a colleague of Bryce's in Burn's office - before moving to Glasgow where he was engaged as a draughtsman by David & James Hamilton. There he worked on the drawings for the Western Club, leaving in January or February 1839 to design saloons and cabins for steamships, work which was to bring major commissions from the shipbuilders in Dumbarton later. In 1840 he won the commission for the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Belfast. This was not built but it seems to have attracted the attention of potential clients as he was able to set up practice on his own account at 23 St Enoch Square, Glasgow in 1841, securing the commission for the reconstruction of the 1775 house at Minard, Argyll as a giant neo Tudor pile in the following year; this enabled him to marry Catherine Jane Calder at Gorbals on 23 May 1843.
Although Rochead also secured commissions for several disruption churches, he may have suffered some temporary setback in his practice as he applied for the senior clerkship in the Edinburgh Office of Works after Nixon died in 1848. In 1849 he collaborated with James Brown of Brown & Carrick on the Great Western Road terraces, which Rochead completed as Brown gradually withdrew from practice to focus on his civic duties. Two years later, in 1851, Rochead secured the commission for another major neo Tudor house, Knock Castle, for the Greenock industrialist James Steele, followed by several more from the Denny shipbuilders; and in 1855 the commission for the City of Glasgow Bank buildings in Trongate, which were not only the largest block of business chambers in Glasgow at that time, but, in parallel with Robert William Billings, introduced the Scots baronial idiom to commercial architecture.
Rochead was successful in a number of competitions. In 1849 he won that for The Royal Arch, Dundee; and in 1857 third premium of £300 for his Louvre-inspired design for the London War Office; in the following year that for St Mary's Free Church in Edinburgh; and in 1859 that for the Wallace Monument at Stirling. These were not without controversy: at St Mary's Rochead appears to have aggrandised his design with a manse, although it had not been specified in the brief; and at Stirling Rochead's design was coloured contrary to the conditions and exceeded the cost limit by £5,000. While Thomas Gildard put his involvement as tactfully as possible he suffered considerable embarrassment on 10 March 1860 when the Glasgow Architectural Society formally complained about the conduct of the Wallace Monument Competition. The contractor for the monument became insolvent during construction and Rochead never received his fees.
Rochead moved office to 201 West George Street in the early 1860s and to 150 Hope Street in 1866 or early 1867. In his later years much of his business came from the wool and livestock magnates around Hawick. His work there is predominantly baronial or Gothic, some of it with very unconventional detailing, but he was at his best as a High Renaissance architect of the Charles Barry school and his finest works were his last, the Bank of Scotland and North Park House, both in Glasgow. During the course of their building in 1869-71 he suffered a severe nervous disorder and he had to hand his practice over to John Honeyman; the completion of the Bank was undertaken by David Bryce, then building the Bank of Scotland's head office.
Rochead retired first to Innellan where he added a spire to the West Free Church as a thank-offering for what at the time seemed a fairly complete recovery. A year later the Rocheads moved to Edinburgh where he built a pair of semi detached houses in Morningside Place, one of which, Wellbridge at number 19, was for their own occupation. There is no record of him having any significant Edinburgh practice.
Rochead's circle of friends tended to be literary rather than architectural, but among them was his former colleague in Hamilton's office, Thomas Gildard, who described him as having 'indomitable energy: in the more picturesque styles he had a most fertile fancy, and if not much of a colourist he was a splendid draughtsman'.
Rochead died suddenly of angina at Morningside on 7 April 1878, leaving the then substantial sum of £7,897 17s 5d plus £326 1s 4d, and was buried at Grange Cemetery. He was survived by his wife and his son Stuart, who was living at 4 George Street, Manchester at the time of his father's death. Rochead's widow lived on until 18 October 1896, continuing to press the custodian for his fees for the Wallace Monument, but without success. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 23, St Enoch Square, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1841 | 1845 | | | 3, Windsor Place, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1851 * | | | | 3, Wellington Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1854 | 1856 | | | 150, Hope Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1865 or 1866 | c. 1868 | | | 201, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Private/business | Early 1860s | 1862 | Listed as both office and residence in 1862 PO Directory | | 61, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1870 | 1871 | i.e.John Honeyman's office as successor to his practice. | | Innellan, Argyll, Scotland | Private | c. 1870 | c. 1871 | | | Wellbridge/19, Morningside Place, Morningside, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1871 | April 1878 | |
* 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 | | David Bryce | c. 1831 | c. 1837 | Apprentice | | | William Hurst | c. 1837 | 1838 | Assistant | | | Hurst & Moffatt | 1838 | 1838 or early 1839 | Assistant | | | D & J Hamilton | 1838 or early 1839 | 1839 | Draughtsman | |
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 | | Campbell Douglas | 1843 | 1847 | Apprentice | | | John Hutchison | c. 1856(?) | c. 1861(?) | 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 | | | Stirling Cemetery, Virgin Martyrs Monument | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Date unknown | | 1839 | Western Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Assisted D & J Hamilton with original building | | 1840 | Roman Catholic Cathedral | | | Belfast | Northern Ireland | Competition design - placed first but not executed | | 1842 | Adelphi Theatre | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1842 | Minard Castle | Minard | | Argyll | Scotland | Rebuilding as neo Tudor mansion incorporating original house | | 1843 | Free St George's Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1844 | Free High Church and Free Church College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Two competition designs: 'early decorative' and 'collegiate' | | 1844 | St Andrew's Free Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1845 | Free Church | Renton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Attribution by 'Buildings of Scotland' | | 1845 | St Andrew's Free Church | Kilmun | | Argyll | Scotland | New roof and alterations | | 1845 | St John's Free Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1847 | Bazaar and market, Wemyss Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterted as St Stephen's Free Church | | 1847 | Glasgow Necropolis, Reverend Thomas Brown Monument | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1848 | Glasgow Necropolis, William Dunn of Duntochter Monument | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1849 | Kew Terrace, Great Western Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | In collaboration with James Brown, who was then giving up practice | | 1849 | Premises for the Buchanan Society, 97-101 Trongate | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1849 | Royal Arch, Dundee Docks | | | Dundee | Scotland | Won competition to secure job | | 1849 | Temporary Arch at Jamaica Bridge for Queen Victoria's Visit | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1850 | Murdoch's Charity School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1850 | Offices, 57-61 St Vincent Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1850 | Proposed Fine Art Institute | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1850 | Woodlands | Milngavie | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | c. 1850 | Blair Vaddoch House | Shandon | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1851 | Fern Cliff | Wemyss Bay | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1851 | Glasgow Necropolis, James Davidson of Ruchill Monument | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1851 | Knock Castle | Largs | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Original house and garden pavilion block. Also walled garden | | 1851 | West Shandon House | | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Original house | | c. 1851 | House for A F Mc(?) Haggart | Bridge of Allan | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Porbably by Haggart | | c. 1851 | Marchieston House | Johnstone | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Probably by Rochead | | c. 1851 | Shop for Risk | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1852 | Buckingham Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | East section | | 1852 | Helenslee | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Original plans | | 1853 | Dennystown | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1853 | Knock Castle (Old) | Largs | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Repairs and additions | | 1853 | Langlands Cottage | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1853 | Levenford House | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1853 | Strath Cottage | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1853 | Unitarian Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Won competition and secured job | | 1853 | Villa for Miss Rankin | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1854 | City of Glasgow Bank Buildings, Trongate and Nelson Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1854 | Glasgow Sailors' Home | Broomielaw | | Glasgow | Scotland | Completed for Brown & Carrick | | 1855 | Grosvenor Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1855 | Helenslee | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Construction--original plans simplified in execution | | c. 1855 | Glasgow Necropolis, Monument to Hugh Cogan (died 1855) | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | c. 1855 | Swanstonhill | | Bute | Bute | Scotland | Original house | | 1856 | Belvoir Park and Eaton Park Villa Layout | | | | | | | 1856 | City of Glasgow Bank | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1856 | Established Church, Sandyford Toll | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations, completed by Honeyman | | 1856 | Feuing of the Queenstown Estate | Kelvinside | | Glasgow | Scotland | Entered limited competition but Salmon design selected in 1858. Did design Kew and Grosvenor Terraces. | | 1856 | Park Parish Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1856 | War Office | Whitehall | | London | England | Competition design--won £300 premium | | c. 1856 | Free Church College | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design | | 1858 | Buchanan Street Railway Station | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - placed first (pseudonym 'Caledonia Romana') | | 1858 | Buckingham Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | West section | | 1858 | Church of the Holy Rude | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Repairs and alterations to west church | | 1858 | Duncan Ban McIntyre Monument | Dalmally | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1858 | John Street UP Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1858 | St Mary's Free Church and Manse | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Won competition, then was dismissed, but church and manse were built to his design | | 1859 | Manchester Assize Courts | | | Manchester | England | Competition design - unplaced | | 1859 | Wallace Monument | Abbey Craig | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Won in competition | | 1860s | University of Glasgow, main quadrangles | Gilmorehill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unexecuted design: circumstances in which it was produced unknown, perhaps in protest at exclusion of Scottish architects from the project | | 1860 | Racquet Clubhouse and Court | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1860 | Villa for Mr Haskill | | | | Scotland | | | 1860 or 1862 | Wilton Parish Church | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design | | 1861 | Renfrew Parish Church | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1862 | Two Unidendified Villas | | | | | | | 1862 or 1864 | Scottish National Albert Memorial | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Competition design | | 1863 | Hillhead House | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1863 | Langlands Park | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | c. 1863 | Sillerbut Hall lodge | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | The main house to which this belonged was designed by Rochead and the lodge is likely to be also his design. | | 1865 | Hawick Corn Exchange | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1865 | Heronhill | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1866 | Innellan Parish Church | Innellan/Inellan | | Argyll | Scotland | Addition of porch | | 1866 | Sillerbut Hall | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1866 | Speirs School | Beith | | Ayrshire | Scotland | French middle pointed design--not built | | 1867 | Bank of Scotland, St Vincent Place and George Square | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Completed by David Bryce | | 1867 | Design for a Villa for James Oliver-Fraser | | | | Scotland | | | 1868 | Church of the Holy Rude | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Further work, perhaps not done, taken over by James Collie in 1869 | | 1868 | Design for Church at Glasgow in mixed Moorish and Lombardic Styles | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1868 | Design for Church in Ballagh, County Fermanagh in Early Pointed Style | Ballagh | | County Fermanagh | Eire | | | 1868 | Thornwood | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1869 | Aberfoyle Parish Church | Aberfoyle | | Perthshire | Scotland | Original building - commenced commission, but retired in 1869, passing job to John Honeyman | | 1869 | Aberfoyle School | Aberfoyle | | Perthshire | Scotland | Original building - commenced commission, but retired in 1869, passing job to John Honeyman | | 1869 | North Park House | Kelvinside | | Glasgow | Scotland | Designed and started house; completed by Honeyman | | 1870 | Free St Andrew's Church | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1870 | Glasgow Necropolis, Bell Mausoleum | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | c. 1870 | 13-15 Morningside Place | Morningside | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | c. 1870 | 17, 19 Morningside Place (Wellbridge) | Morningside | | Edinburgh | Scotland | No 19 for himself | | 1871 | West Free Church | Innellan/Inellan | | Argyll | Scotland | Addition of spire (now demolished) | | c. 1872 | The Loaning | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | APSD | | The Dictionary of Architecture | ed Wyatt Papworth | The Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892) | | | DNB | | Dictionary of National Biography | | | | | Dodd, W | | J T Rochead Architect, 1814-78 | | University of Strathclyde Dissertation (unpublished) | | | Gildard, Thomas | 1895 | An Old Glasgow Architect on some Older Ones | XXVI | Proceedings of the Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow | | | RCAHMS | 1992 | Dundee on Record | | RCAHMS | View of Victoria Royal Arch (1963), p45 | | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p96, p145 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Aberdeen Daily Journal | 1878 | | | Obituary--date missing | | Builder | 27 October 1961 | | | 'Architectural Historians' Conference: Papers Submitted to the Edinburgh Meeting' p787 - David Walker delivered a paper entitled 'Towards a New Style' at the SAH (UK) Conference in Edinburgh on 15-17 Sept 1961 in which he mentioned the work of Rochead | | Scotsman | April 1878 | | | Obituary | | Scottish Field | September 1964 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Mitchell Library | Gildard's 'Some Old Glasgow Architects' supplementary manuscript | | | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Additional information on death, collaboration with Brown and Virgin Martyrs Monument from research by Iain Paterson |
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