Basic Biographical Details

Name: John Murray
Designation:  
Born: 1868
Died: c. 1953
Bio Notes: John Murray was born in 1868 and articled to John McLachlan of Edinburgh in 1884 or 1885. Thereafter he worked as assistant to James Robart Pearson until 1892, and subsequently to Sydney Mitchell & Wilson. As an assistant with the latter he worked on five mental hospitals as well as various mansions and banks and gained a level of experience which enabled him to set up practice on his own account at 26 Frederick Street, Edinburgh in May 1899. He was in partnership with R W Findlater, of whom nothing is known, in Edinburgh from 1900 to 1903, but lack of business appears to have compelled him to accept an assistant post with the prestigious Liverpool practice of Willink & Thicknesse. He was still there when he was admitted LRIBA on 27 January 1911, his proposers being Philip Coldwell Thicknesse, Alfred Williams Stephens Cross and George Hubbard, both of London: it is not obvious how Murray came to know them and they may have been friends of Thicknesse. By February 1913 he appears to have left this practice and moved to Luton in Bedfordshire where it he may have worked from his home initially at 21 Market Hill. However by at least 1925 if not earlier he had become an assistant with the London-based practice Trehearne & Norman at Windsor House, 13 Kingsway, WC2.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 746, Brunswick Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1899 *  
Item 2 of 726, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1902 *  
Item 3 of 721, Market Hill, Luton, Bedfordshire, EnglandBusiness1911 *  
Item 4 of 712, Rundle Road, Ayback, Liverpool, EnglandPrivate1911 *  
Item 5 of 714, Castle Street, Liverpool, EnglandBusiness1911  
Item 6 of 7London, EnglandBusinessBefore 1925  
Item 7 of 711, Belford Gardens, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1950 *1953Was a retired FRIBA at that date.

* earliest date known from documented sources.

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 6John McLachlan1884 or 1885c. 1890Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6James Robart Pearsonc. 18901892Assistant 
Item 3 of 6Sydney Mitchell & Wilson1892May 1899Assistant 
Item 4 of 6Findlater & Murray1900April 1903Partner 
Item 5 of 6Willink & ThicknesseApril 1903c. 1913Assistant 
Item 6 of 6Alfred Frederick Aldridge Trehearne and Charles Frederick NormanAfter 1913Before 1925Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Alfred William Stephens Cross27 February 1911for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 6George Hubbard27 February 1911for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 6John James Joass30 November 1925for Fellowship
Item 4 of 6(Sir) Robert Stodart Lorimer30 November 1925for Fellowship
Item 5 of 6Philip Coldwell Thicknesse27 February 1911for Licentiateship
Item 6 of 6Alfred Frederick Aldridge Trehearne30 November 1925for Fellowship

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 241885Whittingehame HouseWhittingehame East LothianScotlandSurvey drawings of old work
Item 2 of 241892CraighouseCraiglockhart EdinburghScotlandAs assistant to Sydney Mitchell & Wilson - asylum buildings including New Craighouse, East and West Hospital Blocks, Queen's Craig, South Craig and Bevan House
Item 3 of 241892Duntreath CastleStrathblane StirlingshireScotlandAs assistant to Sydeny Mitchell & Wilson - additions
Item 4 of 24c. 1892Sauchieburn HouseStirling StirlingshireScotlandDairy and major work on house
Item 5 of 241895Yester HouseGifford East LothianScotlandAlterations to house and garden
Item 6 of 241896Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Laundry  EdinburghScotlandAs assistant to Sydney Mitchell & Wilson
Item 7 of 241897Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Diamond Jubilee Pavilion  EdinburghScotlandAs assistant to Sydney Mitchell & Wilson
Item 8 of 241899Design for a police station     
Item 9 of 24After 1899Business premises for John Caskie  EdinburghScotland 
Item 10 of 24After 1899Grange Terrace  EdinburghScotland 
Item 11 of 24After 1899ResidenceCults AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 12 of 24After 1899Residence for Mrs LockhartKirkcaldy FifeScotland 
Item 13 of 24After 1899Two residencesHawick RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 14 of 241900Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Ear Nose and Throat and Optical Pavilions  EdinburghScotlandAs assistant to Sydeny Mitchell & Wilson
Item 15 of 241901Carnegie Free LibraryHawick RoxburghshireScotlandCompetition design - not successful
Item 16 of 24After 1903HMS Hildebrand, ship interior    Alterations
Item 17 of 24After 1903Liverpool University, Physical Chemistry Laboratory  LiverpoolEnglandAs assistant to Willink & Thickness
Item 18 of 24After 1903Peterborough Cathedral, chancel screenPeterborough CambridgeshireEnglandAs assistant to Willink & Thicknesse
Item 19 of 24After 1903Shrewsbury School, speech hallShrewsbury ShropshireEnglandAs assistant to Willink & Thickness
Item 20 of 24c. 1903Private dwelling houses   Scotland 
Item 21 of 241910Liverpool School of Art  LiverpoolEnglandExtension to Hope Street - as assistant to Willinck & Thicknesse
Item 22 of 241910RMS Franconia, ship interior    as assistant to Willink & Thicknesse
Item 23 of 24After 1913Business premisesLuton BedfordshireEnglandAlterations and additions
Item 24 of 24After 1913The DownawayBarnstead Common SurreyEngland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Builder1 May 1953  p700 - details Murray's bequeathment of £1,000 to the Thistle Foundation, and £1,000 to the Scottish National Institute for the War Blinded (of £8,618 left at his death)

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 v10 no 587; F no2307 (box 5; microfilm reel 17)