Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | Edward Grigg Wylie | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 11 April 1885 | Died: | 31 August 1954 | Bio Notes: | Edward Grigg Wylie was born at 12 Raeberry Street, Glasgow on 11 April 1885, the son of Robert Wylie, commercial traveller and brush manufacturer and his wife Agnes Robinson Grigg. He was articled to William Forsyth McGibbon from 1900 to 1905, during which period (from 1901) he studied at Glasgow School of Art and the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College, and from 1904 at the Glasgow School of Architecture where he took the full-time course and became close to Eugène Bourdon. At the end of his apprenticeship in 1905 he won the RIBA Silver Medal and the following year took up a place in the office of John Burnet & Son. During his time as apprentice and assistant he undertook five sketching tours in England and France, each of one month's duration.
In 1909 Wylie commenced practice on his own account, Eugène Bourdon having appointed him as a part-time instructor at the Glasgow School of Architecture. In 1911 Wylie entered into partnership with Alexander Wright.
The practice was closed during the First World War. Wylie served with the Durham Light Infantry and was several times mentioned in despatches, gaining the MC and bar; he was also made a Chevalier of the Order of the Crown of Rowmania [sic]. The partnership with Alexander Wright was resumed in 1919. Wylie was appointed an instructor at Glasgow School of Art under Alexander McGibbon in that year, and was admitted ARIBA under the war exemption scheme in mid-1920, his proposers being Sir John James Burnet, John Keppie and Thomas Lumsden Taylor. He was then appointed Professor of Architecture and Head of Glasgow School of Architecture in succession to Eugène Bourdon whose post had remained vacant since his death in 1916, but resigned in 1921 after only a year because of his fast growing practice.
In 1927 the practice moved to larger premises at 204 West Regent Street, business having grown enormously as a result of the competition wins for Hillhead High School and the Scots Legal Life Building. In 1928 Wylie's nephew, Frederick Robert Wylie was taken into partnership, the practice title now becoming Wylie Wright & Wylie, the changed precedence reflecting Wylie's leading role as both designer and job-getter.
The partnership with Wright was dissolved in 1935 by mutual agreement. Wright recognised that by both age and temperament he was no longer suited to the fast-changing nature of the practice, and set up his own which tended to specialise in alterations and additions rather than new buildings. In the following year Wylie took George Ferguson Shanks into partnership, the practice name becoming Wylie Shanks & Wylie.
In 1937 Wylie was appointed chief consulting architect to Scottish Industrial Estates Ltd and from that year onwards designed many of their buildings. In his Fellowship Nomination Paper he states that he was involved with schemes for the Scottish Industrail Estates to the value of £20,000,000. Not long thereafter he also became architect to Scottish Oils and Shell Mex Ltd. By 1947 the practice also acted as architects to Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Clydesdale Bank.
In 1946 Walter Underwood was taken into partnership, the firm name becoming Wylie Shanks & Underwood after the death of Edward Grigg Wylie in 1954. In 1949 Wylie was appointed OBE for his services to the Scottish Industrial Estates Company.
Wylie died of a cerebral thrombosis at his home, 8 Queensborough Gardens, Glasgow on 31 August 1954 on the eve of the opening of the Scottish Industries Exhibition at the Kelvin Hall for which he had been largely responsible, Lord Bilsland paying tribute to his memory. He left a widow, Elizabeth Wyper Forsyth and the then substantial sum of £48,562 11s 5d. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 29, Bentinck Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1902 | 1903 | |  | 39, Airlie Gardens, Partickhill, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1903 | 1906 | |  | 51, Rupert Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1906 | After 1909 | |  | 212, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1911 | 1927 | |  | 311, West Princes Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1920 * | | |  | 204, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1927 | After 1946 | |  | 8, Queensborough Gardens, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1946 | 1954 | |  | 120, Blythswood Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1949 * | | |  | 12, Clairmont Gardens, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1954 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
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 |  | 1914 | House at Milngavie | Milngavie | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1917 | Possilpark Church Hall | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1921 | Hillhead High School | Hillhead | | Glasgow | Scotland | Won competition to secure job |  | 1921 | War Memorial | Kilbarchan | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1923 | Warehouse, 242-252 Sauchiehall Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1924 | 55 Mitre Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1925 | Margaret Hunter Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1925 | War Memorial | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1926 | Albert Secondary School | Springburn | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1927 | Glasgow Dental Hospital and School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1927 | Hillington Industrial Estate | Hillington | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1927 | Scottish Legal Life Assurance Society Office | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Secured commission |  | 1929 | Lennox Castle | Lennoxtown | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Conversion of Lennox Castle into nurses' home, and addition of numerous blocks on the estate to form hospital. Also extensive buildings for a theatre/cinema in hospital grounds proposed. |  | 1929 | Multi-Story Car Park Waterloo Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1929 | Parkhall | Killearn | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | East extension |  | 1931 | House at Rowardennan Hotel | | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1931 | House for John M Ross Esq | Giffnock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1931 | Offices, Ardholm Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1932 | 3 William Street | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Conversion to two flats |  | 1932 | Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance and Junior Conservative Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations - north end of Renfield Street façade reconstructed as shops |  | 1933 | Anderson and Robertson factory | Motherwell | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1933 | Craigpark Electric Cable Company's works | Springburn | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions and complete reconstruction |  | 1933 | Milton's furnishing warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1934 | House for Frank M Marshall Esq | Whitecraigs | | Glasgow | Scotland | With Shanks mainly responsible |  | 1934 | Warehouse, 242-252 Sauchiehall Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Internal alterations |  | 1934 | Wylie & Lochhead's | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Warehouse (behind main building?) This is the address given in 'Architect & Building News'. |  | 1935 | 25-41 Hope Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Reconstruction and additions |  | 1935 | Cathkin Braes Golf Clubhouse | Cathkin Braes | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Complete rebuild? |  | 1935 | Messrs McKean's building (pork factory) | Port Dundas | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1936 | Maternity hospital | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1936 | Wylie & Lochhead, new shop front | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1937 | Holm Foundry Administration Building and Amenity Building | Cathcart | | Glasgow | Scotland | Amenity block |  | 1937 | Premises for George Miller & Son | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations - with Shanks mainly responsible |  | 1937 | Premises of Messrs Newman Ltd | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations - with Shanks mainly responsible |  | 1937 | Premises of Messrs Spencer Ltd | | | Glasgow | Scotland | With Shanks mainly responsible |  | 1937 | Weir's Welfare building | Cathcart | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Carfin Industrial Estate | Carfin | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Factory of Messrs Anderson & Robison (or Robertson) | Motherwell | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Extension - with Shanks mainly responsible |  | 1938 | Funeral office for Wylie & Lochhead | | | Glasgow | Scotland | With Shanks mainly responsible |  | 1938 | Larkhall Industrial Estate | Larkhall | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Modiste Establishment for Renee Eme Ltd | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Office block for the Law Union and Rock Insurance Co | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Office building for the Yorkshire Copper Works Ltd | Barrhead | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | With Shanks mainly responsible |  | 1940 | Craigpark Electric Cable Company's works | Springburn | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extensions |  | 1942 | Service flats | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1944 | Factory or factories | Carfin | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1944 | Factory or factories | Chapelhall | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1944 | Factory or factories | Newhouse | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1947 | Biscuit Factory, Finnieston | Finnieston | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension |  | 1947 | Carruthers & Sons Limited Premises | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1947 | Glasgow Maternity Hospital | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1947 | Malcolm Campbell Ltd, Paisley Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1947 | Simpson Ltd Factory Larkhall Insustrial Estate | Larkhall | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1947 | Engineering works of Rankin & Blackmore | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1947 | Factory or engineering works for James P McPhie | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1947 | House for Abraham Russell Esq | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1947 | House for J Russell Leng Esq | | | Glasgow | | |  | Before 1947 | House for John McKean Esq | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1947 | House for William McPhail | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1947 | Rutherglen Town Hall | Rutherglen | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Scheme for restoration - or proposal for new building? |  | Before 1947 | Stonefield House and estate | | | Argyll | Scotland | Work on estate |  | Before 1947 | Works for Lobnitz & Co, shipbuilding | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1948 | Factory Block No 111 | | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1948 | Factory Block No 123 | | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1948 | Factory Block No 19, Bothwell | Bothwell | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1948 | New Buildings, Industrial Estate | Newhouse | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1949 | National Cash Registers (NCR) Factory | | | Dundee | Scotland | Factory extension |  | 1949 | Royal College of Science and Technology, James Weir Engineering Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1950 | Colston Milton Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1950 | Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension |  | 1951 | Rolls Royce Factory | East Kilbride | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1952 | Cranhill Parish Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1952 | Newhouse Industrial Estate buildings | Motherwell | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1953 | Hillington Industrial Estate | Hillington | | Glasgow | Scotland | To r-erect two factories destroyed by fire |  | 1954 | Scottish Industries Exhibition, 1954 | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p4 |  | Post Office Directories | | | | | |  | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Glasgow Herald | 2 September 1954 | | | Obituary of Wylie |  | RIAS Quarterly | 1954 | Winter | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | Obituary of Wylie |  | RIBA Journal | December 1954 | 62, 3rd series | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary of Wylie p83 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Information on birth, parentage, marriage and death from research by Iain Paterson |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no3062 (microfilm reel 24); F no4241 (combined box 3) |
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