Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | George Penrose Kennedy Young | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 1858 | Died: | 28 October 1933 | Bio Notes: | George Penrose Kennedy Young was born in 1858, the son of Perth architect John Young. He was articled to his father in 1875, and after a short period as his father's assistant he spent a year in London, studying architecture under Professor T Roger Smith at University College and drawing under Alphonse Legros at the Slade School. He was second prizeman in construction in 1881. He passed the qualifying exam in 1885 and in the same year was taken into partnership by his father. He was admitted ARIBA on 8 June of that year, his proposers being John Honeyman, Thomas Lennox Watson and John Burnet Senior; his nomination papers indicate that prior to that time he had spent several brief periods travelling and studying in Italy, France, Holland and Belgium. Shortly thereafter he married Charlotte Anne Conacher.
That Burnet Senior was a proposer for Young's Associateship of the RIBA, and that other signatories - who probably signed at Burnet's request - were Glaswegians was a measure of the friendship between the Burnets and the Youngs at that time. It is not yet known how this came about but from the late 1890s the more important works of the practice were almost indistinguishable from the work of John James Burnet. By that time George had become sole partner following his father's death in Perth on 2 December 1895.
In 1907 George's elder son Cedric John Mathison Young, born on 4 June 1890 and educated at Merchiston Castle School, commenced his apprenticeship in his father's office. Two years later he moved to Glasgow to study full-time at Glasgow School of Architecture, working in the office of John Burnet & Son during his holidays. Whilst there he married, his son Kenneth Mathison Young being born on 23 November 1910. In 1911 he returned to Perth to join his father's practice as an assistant, but the following year he went to Canada where he found employment in the offices of E & W S Maxwell and Nobbs & Hyde, both of Montreal. He joined the Territorial Army in 1908 and enlisted in the Black Watch in 1914.
Young's second son Graham Conacher Young, born on 29 March 1892 and educated at Merchiston like his brother, was articled to James Miller in 1909-13, studying at Glasgow School of Architecture. After a brief period with Peter Macgregor Chalmers he returned to his father's office in 1913.
George was admitted FRIBA in June 1914, proposed by the RIBA Council. Like his brother, Graham Conacher enlisted in that year; he had a distinguished war record and did not leave the army until 1923, rejoining his father in the following year, although an illness contracted during his military service forced him temporarily to withdraw from practice on various occasions over the course of the ensuing years.
Meanwhile Cedric was in active service until 1920 when he returned to Perth, and he was taken into partnership by his father in 1921, the firm becoming G P K Young & Son. He was admitted ARIBA under the war exemption scheme late that year. Four years later he returned to Canada and worked for McCarter & Nairne in Vancouver, designing the details and art work of the Medical-Dental Building and the Marine Building in Vancouver in 1928-30. McCarter & Nairne's design for the Vancouver Exhibition Association has marked Burnetian characteristics, suggesting that he had a hand in it. He appears to have returned by 1930 or 1931, however, as the RIBA Kalendars for those years give his address as 42 Tay Street, the office of the family firm. A year or two previously, in 1929, Graham Conacher had been taken into partnership, his health having recovered fully by that time.
George Penrose Kennedy Young was President of the RIAS 1926-28, and served on the Council of the Dundee Institute of Architects. He died on 28 October 1933 and was buried at Wellshill Cemetery. His wife had predeceased him on 13 December 1929. Graham Conacher continued the practice alone, under the existing name of G P K Young & Son. At the time of George's death, Cedric was again in Canada, but he later returned. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 24, Marshall Place, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | 1885 * | | |  | 42, Tay Street, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Business | c. 1887 | 1933 | |  | Union Mount, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | Before 1914 | 1933 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes |  | John Young | 1875 | 1881 | Apprentice | |  | John Young & Son | 1885 | 1895 | Partner | |  | G P K Young & Son | 1921(?) | 1933 | Partner | |
Employees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis architect 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 |  | | Cameron's premisis, George street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Refitting and new shop front |  | | Cleeve | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Instructed Scott Morton & Co on interior design - date unknown |  | 1883 | Aberfeldy Parish Church | Aberfeldy | | Perthshire | Scotland | Working as assistant with John Young |  | 1885 | Livingstone Hall | Newburgh | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1886 | Dunnottar Mission Church | Bridgefield, Stonehaven | | Kincardineshire | Scotland | |  | 1887 | Design for a hotel | | | | | |  | 1887 | Opera House, Moncrieff natural history museum, studio and boys and girls hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1887 | Wood Memorial Free Church | Elie | | Fife | Scotland | Unsucessful competition design - placed 2nd( or third?) |  | 1888 | Dunbog Parish Church | Dunbog | | Fife | Scotland | Reconstruction with tower and spire |  | c. 1890(?) | Kinclaven Parish Church | Kinclaven | | Perthshire | Scotland | Improvements |  | 1891 | Loch Awe Hotel | Loch Awe | | Argyll | Scotland | Four storey north east wing added |  | 1891 | Lochawe Hotel | Lochawe | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | 1892 | Crieff and Comrie Railway, including stations on the line | | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1893 | Fair Maid's House | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Restoration |  | 1894 | Ferndale | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1894 | Perthshire County Cricket Club Pavilion | | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1894 | St Stephen's Church, Craigie | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1895 | Opera House, Moncrieff natural history museum, studio and boys and girls hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Extension to museum |  | After 1895 | Northern Central Markets | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | After 1895 | St Stephen's Church Hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1895 | Aberdeen Town and County Bank | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1895 | Ardbrecknish House | | | Argyll | Scotland | Extensive additions |  | Before 1895 | Easter Moncrieffe House | | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1895 | Scottish Girls Friendly Society Institute and Club | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | c. 1895 | Dunblane Public Hall | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Completed after the death of John Young |  | 1896 | Perth Academy | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions and alterations (laboratories, art room etc) |  | 1896 | Perth Deanery | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Craigie Public Hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Craigie Public School | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1898 | Head Office of the General Accident, Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Ltd | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | High Street frontage extended by 2 bays and made symmetrical |  | 1898 | Premises for W B & J B Deas | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | c. 1898 | Public Swimming Baths | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1899 | Southern District School | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Reconstruction |  | 1901 | House for Duncan Fraser | Loch Awe | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | Before 1901(?) | Central District School | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1902 | Methven Buildings | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Dunnottar Parish Church | Dunnottar | | Kincardineshire | Scotland | Restoration and reconstruction turning 1782 church into transept |  | 1904 | City of Perth Fever Hospital, Friarton | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Won competition and secured job |  | 1904 | Lochawe Hotel | Lochawe | | Argyll | Scotland | Additions |  | 1905 | Exchange Coffee Rooms | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | New shopfronts |  | 1906 | 'York Corner' | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1906 | Carraig Thura | Loch Awe | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | 1908 | Balhousie School | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1908 | Bridge of Earn Village Hall and Institute | Bridge of Earn | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1908 | Northern District School | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1909 | Methven Parish Church Hall | Methven | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1910 | Balbeggie Public Hall | Balbeggie | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1910 | Methven Parish School | Methven | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1911 | Perth Territorial Drill Hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1914 | Earl Marischal Mausoleum | Dunnottar | | Kincardineshire | Scotland | |  | 1924 | Fettercairn Parish Church and churchyard | Fettercairn | | Kincardineshire | Scotland | Restoration and remodelling of interior |  | 1924 | Perth Theatre | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Restoration after fire |  | 1938 | Manderley | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | In conjunction with Cecil Stewart |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Measurers\' Companion | 1911 | The Scottish Architects' and Measurers' Companion | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | RIAS Quarterly | 1933 | no 44 | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | Obituary of G P K Young |  | RIBA Journal | 9 December 1933 | v41 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p153 - obituary of G P K Young |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | GPK Young newscutting file (copy of file comp. Mrs Elsie Young, Union Mount, Glasgow Rd, Perth) | | |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A v9 p87 (microfiche 36/A7); F v22 no1541 (microfilm reel 13) |
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