Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Campbell Davidson
Designation:  
Born: 29 June 1873
Died: 1917
Bio Notes: William Campbell Davidson was born on 29 June 1873 and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and between 1883 and 1889 at Robert Gordon's Technical College, followed by one year at the Durham College of Science, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1889-90. He was articled to the Great North of Scotland Railway Engineers Department 1890-1895 and remained as assistant 1895-97. During the latter period he formed a very brief partnership with James Watt with whom he built two houses in Broomhill Road and Hammerfield Avenue, but he accepted a similar appointment in the Great Western Railway's Engineer's Department in 1897. He remained there until 1903, when owing to ill health he he was compelled to resign. His health did not recover until 1905 when he formed a second partnership with Watt in Aberdeen as Watt and Davidson, carrying on their business as architects and civil engineers at 216 Union Street. This did not prosper in the difficult conditions after 1906 but lasted until 1910 when Davidson secured a post in Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners' Engineers Department. His career with the Great North of Scotland Railway Company and the Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners has parallels with that of Alexander Ellis Diack a decade earlier.

Davidson was elected LRIBA in late summer 1910, his proposers being William Edgar Gauld, George Gilbert Irvine and Arthur Hay Livingstone Mackinnon. He died in 1917.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 148, Devonshire Road, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1910After 1914 

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 5Great North of Scotland Railway Company Engineers' Department18901895ApprenticeRemained as assistant 1895-97
Item 2 of 5Davidson & Watt18951897Partner 
Item 3 of 5Great Western Railway Engineers Department18971902Assistant 
Item 4 of 5Watt & Davidson19051910Partner 
Item 5 of 5Aberdeen Harbour Engineer's Office1910 Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3William Edgar Gauld1910for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3George Gilbert Alexander Andrew Irvine1910for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3Arthur Hay Livingstone Mackinnon1910for Licentiateship

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 311897Two houses, Walker Road  AberdeenScotland 
Item 2 of 311906Two houses, Forest Avenue  AberdeenScotland 
Item 3 of 311909Terraced house and shop, Carmelite Street  AberdeenScotlandShop front added at 10a
Item 4 of 31Before 191010 Carmelite Street  AberdeenScotlandReconstruction
Item 5 of 31Before 1910161 and 163 George Street  AberdeenScotlandRedecoration
Item 6 of 31Before 19102, 4, 6 & 8 Exchange Street  AberdeenScotlandAlterations
Item 7 of 31Before 1910217 Union Street  AberdeenScotlandRedecoration
Item 8 of 31Before 191027 Maiden StreetPeterhead AberdeenshireScotlandAdditions
Item 9 of 31Before 1910Carnegie HallDyce AberdeenshireScotlandCompetition design
Item 10 of 31Before 1910Cottage, Market StreetStoneywood AberdeenScotland 
Item 11 of 31Before 1910Cottage, Shelton StreetPeterhead AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 12 of 31Before 1910Detached villaBanchory Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotland 
Item 13 of 31Before 1910Dwelling house and shopsStoneywood AberdeenScotland 
Item 14 of 31Before 1910Dwelling house and shops, Great Western Road  AberdeenScotland 
Item 15 of 31Before 1910Dwelling house for six tenants, Maiden StreetPeterhead AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 16 of 31Before 1910Dwelling house, Fraser Road  AberdeenScotland 
Item 17 of 31Before 1910Dwelling houses, Hay CrescentPeterhead AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 18 of 31Before 1910FarmhousesBanchory Devenick KincardineshireScotlandAdditions
Item 19 of 31Before 1910Gordon HousePeterhead AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations etc
Item 20 of 31Before 1910Mannofield Parish ChurchMannofield AberdeenScotlandCompetition sketches for new hall
Item 21 of 31Before 1910Potterton House, Potterton EstatePotterton AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations to house; alterations to farmhouse on estate; new farmhouse; farm steadings
Item 22 of 31Before 1910Property, Provost Blaikie's Quay  AberdeenScotlandAlterations and electric installation and hoist
Item 23 of 31Before 1910RosebankStonehaven KincardineshireScotlandAddition - height raise by one storey
Item 24 of 31Before 1910Stable, North Silver Street  AberdeenScotlandAddition
Item 25 of 31Before 1910Villa for two tenants, Victoria RoadPeterhead AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 26 of 31Before 1910Villas for two tenants, Queen StreetPeterhead AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 27 of 31Before 1910Villas, Balmoor TerracePeterhead AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 28 of 31Before 1910Villas, Cranford Road  AberdeenScotland 
Item 29 of 31Before 1910Villas, Devanha Gardens  AberdeenScotland 
Item 30 of 31Before 1910Villas, Rosebery Street  AberdeenScotland 
Item 31 of 31Before 1910Woodend CottageStoneywood AberdeenScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA JournalNovember 1917 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp14
Item 2 of 2RIBA JournalApril 1918XXVLondon: Royal Institute of British Architectsp 121

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 L v3 no191 (microfilm reel 30)