Basic Biographical Details Name: | Dunn & Findlay | Designation: | | Born: | 1894 | Died: | 1905 | Bio Notes: | James Bow Dunn was born in Pollokshields, Glasgow, on 16 January 1861, the son of David Dunn and his wife Margaret Robertson Thomson; an earlier son of the same name had been born on 12 December 1859 but had not survived. His family moved to Edinburgh, where he was sent to George Heriot's School. In 1876 he was articled to James Campbell Walker and attended Heriot-Watt College, followed by travel in France, Belgium and Holland. From Walker's office he found a place in the Burgh Engineers Office c.1885 and conducted a small private practice on his own account from 1887. In that year he competed for Edinburgh Public Library under the pseudonym 'Triumphant Democracy' and came into some prominence when he was placed second to George Washington Browne by the assessor, Alfred Waterhouse. In May of the following year Dunn won the competition for the Library of the Society of Solicitors to the Supreme Courts of Scotland under the pseudonym 'Wisdom, Health and Beauty', the assessor in this case being John James Burnet. This win enabled him to set up business on his own account.
In 1894 Dunn took into partnership James Leslie Findlay, born 30 April 1868 and younger son of John Ritchie Findlay, proprietor of the Scotsman. Findlay was educated at Harrow and apprenticed to his father's architect Arthur George Sydney Mitchell. As he never sought membership of the RIBA precise dates are lacking, but he designed Dean Path Buildings for his father in 1885 at the early age of 17, presumably while still in Mitchell's office. The partnership was probably formed for the purpose of building the Scotsman's new buildings (begun 1898) but had got off to an even earlier start with an important competition win for the Adam Smith Memorial and Beveridge Halls and Library in Kirkcaldy in 1894.
Although the partnership prospered principally from commissions from Findlay's father, by 1901 Dunn was advising Robert Stodart Lorimer that 'a small business that you look after yourself with a few fellows is the best.' By that date Dunn was already undertaking commissions in his own name only. The partnership was closed in 1905 although Dunn and Findlay continued to share offices until 1906.
Findlay designed little thereafter apart from his own house, Muirtown in Strathspey, being more interested in fishing, woodworking and the Volunteers. During the First World War he was Lieutenant Colonel commanding the First Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery serving with the 51st Highland Division in France. After he was invalided out of the army he did not resume his architectural career. He died on 19 September 1952, survived by his wife Kathleen Marguerite Richardson of County Antrim, two sons and two daughters.
Dunn was admitted FRIBA on 5 June 1905. His proposers, somewhat surprisingly were all Glaswegian - John Keppie, Thomas Lennox Watson and David Barclay. From 1911 onwards Dunn began to develop a reputation which extended beyond Scotland, acquiring a significant country house practice in Northumberland. He was elected ARSA in 1918 and RSA in 1930, but by then he was in poor health. An operation originally scheduled for the beginning of the year was postponed because of his commitment to George Watson's School and not carried out until August. He died a week later on the 25th of that month. He had one son, Herbert, and two daughters.
Dunn is said to have been a discriminating art collector and acted as advisor to several friends and clients. John Keppie wrote of him that 'like all strong men he was a good hater [sic] and with his frankness of conviction one always knew where Dunn stood'.
Dunn's son Herbert continued the practice as J B Dunn & Partners, and then as J B Dunn & G L Martin, Martin having been his principal assistant for several years. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 94, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1895 | 1896 | | | 35, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1896 | 1903 | | | 42, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1903 | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
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 | | | 15 Eglinton Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations? No date. May be Dunn alone or later | | | Custom House Inn | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | Possibly by Dunn & Findlay | | | Hospital design | | | | Scotland | | | | Stables at Thornybauk | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Date unknown | | 1894 | 252-284 Bonnington Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1894 | Adam Smith Memorial and Beveridge Halls and Library | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Won competition to secure job | | 1894 | Chisholm Trust Tenements | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1894 | Mansion, 59-61 Inverleith Place | Inverleith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1894 | Slaughterhouse | Innerleithen | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1895 | 14 Picardy Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Ground floor frontage | | 1895 | 21 Charlotte Square | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1895 | Bellevue Hotel | Dunbar | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1895 | Building at 24-25 Home Street, including National Bank of Scotland | Lochrin | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Shops and shop fronts | | 1895 | Dean Path Buildings | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1895 | Hawthornbank Buildings | Dean Village | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1895 | North British Railway Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Competition design | | 1895 | Unidentified House at Perth | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1895 | Union Club | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Internal alterations | | After 1895 | Fleming Cottage Hospital | Aberlour | | Banffshire | Scotland | | | 1896 | Bungalow for Henry Eley | Milnathort | | Kinross-shire | Scotland | | | 1896 | Dalmahoy House and lodges | Ratho | | Edinburgh | Scotland | North lodge | | 1896 | Deaconess Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extensions? | | 1896 | Double villa, Marmion Road and Clifford Road | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1896 | Eskbank House | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1896 | Gardener's Cottage | Walkerburn | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1896 | Plewlands Estate | Plewlands Estate | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Feuing plan, houses, villas, etc | | 1897 | 41 Drumsheugh Gardens | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1897 | Conservative Club | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1897 | Gordon Parish Church | Gordon | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Gyleburn | Lockerbie | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Menstrie Church halls | Menstrie | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Menstrie Parish Church | Menstrie | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1897 | Perth Co-operative Society Tenements | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenement Block with shops | Tollcross | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenements and Shops | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenements with shops | Tollcross | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenements, corner of Friar Street and Abbot Street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenements, Gilmore Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1897 | Villa at Gullane | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1897 | Villa at Gullane | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1898 | Bank Buildings | Craigellachie | | Banffshire | Scotland | | | 1898 | Double Villa, Musselburgh | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1898 | Harmeny House and Lodge | Balerno | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1898 | House for A C D Vert | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1898 | Muir Hall of Residence | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Converted from houses | | 1898 | Villas, Murrayfield Gardens | Murrayfield | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1898 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission Halls | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | 105-109 Nicolson Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1899 | 11-13 Douglas Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Attic storey added | | 1899 | 12-14 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1899 | 22, 24, 26, 30 Inverleith Place | Inverleith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Architects commissioned by Sutherland & Sons | | 1899 | Craighouse Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Methodist Central Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Quarryknowe | Joppa | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Rentons, 10-15 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Proposed alterations | | 1899 | Scotsman Buildings | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Scotsman Buildings extension | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | St Mungo's Parish Church Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1900 | Houses, Abinger Gardens | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1900 | Royal Riding Academy | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1900 | Terraced Villas and shops | Morningside | | Edinburgh | Scotland | 'Continuous villas'. | | 1900 | Villas, East End, Gullane | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1900 | Currie Memorial Public hall | Lilliesleaf | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | ? | | 1901 | 34 Buckingham Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Interior work | | 1901 | Dean Parish Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1901 | Hill of Burns | Creetown | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | Additions and alterations | | 1901 | Upholsterer's at Silvermills | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1901 | Victoria Chambers | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1901 | Villa for Messrs D Sutherland and Sons | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | House at Barnton | Barnton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | House for J Michael Brown | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Northfield | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Offices and shop premises, 14-16 Frederick Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1902 | Queen's Club | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Tenement, 198-206 Bruntsfield Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Tenement, 208-226 Bruntsfield Place and 2-10 Merchiston Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Tenements, Spottiswoode Street and Spottiswoode Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Villa for J M Brown | Lundin Links | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1903 | 18 Alva Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903 | 20 Hermitage Drive | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1903 | 24 Ainslie Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903 | Bellenden | Innerleithen | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1903 | Bisset's Hotel | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | Extension | | 1903 | Castle Menzies | Aberfeldy | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903 | Deaconess Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extensions | | 1903 | Henry Ballantyne Memorial Institute | Walkerburn | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1903 | Houses and Villas, Plewlands Terrace | Plewlands Estate | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Uncertain if involved | | 1903 | Life Association of Scotland, Head Office and Bedford Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Plans - alterations to Bedford Hotel | | 1903 | Tenement block, South Street and Canal Street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1904 | 53, 55, 57, 59 Home Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations to shop front | | 1904 | Barnhill | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1904 | Deaconess Hospital Mission Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Completed by Dunn alone after dissolution of partnership |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Braidwood, Niall C | 1988 | Dunn and Findlay and The Scotsman Building | | RIBA Dissertation 1988 | | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | Royal Scottish Academy | 1930 | Royal Scottish Academy 103rd Annual Report, 26 August 1930 | | | pp19-21 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 29 August 1930 | v139 | | p334 - Dunn's obituary | | RIAS Quarterly | 1930 | 34 | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | Dunn's obituary | | RIBA Journal | 20 September 1930 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Dunn's obituary p711 | | Scotsman | 26 August 1930 | | | Dunn | | Scotsman | 20 September 1952 | | | Findlay |
|