Basic Biographical Details

Name: Gardner & Glen
Designation:  
Born: 1919
Died: 1929
Bio Notes: Albert Victor Gardner was born in Gloucestershire in early 1884, the son of Newton Gardner, clerk and Susannah Britter (?). He studied at the Glasgow School of Art from 1901 to 1905 but it is not yet known to which practice he was articled. He commenced practice at 7 Bath Street Glasgow in 1908 and from 1914 until about 1915 he was in partnership with John A W Grant as Grant & Gardner.

Gardner married Helen Dawson Greenlees, daughter of the painter James Greenlees, at Burlington House, Glasgow on 9 June 1915. After the First World War, in 1919, he entered into partnership with William Riddell Glen. Glen had been born in Hutchesontown in 1885 (Dist. no. 644/11, entry 2703; although in his RIBA nomination papers he claims his year of birth to be 1884), the son of James Glen, provision merchant and his wife Margaret Riddell. He had won a studentship at Glasgow School of Architecture where he had studied from 1900 whilst undertaking an apprenticeship with Burnet, Boston & Carruthers. He had transferred to the practice of John Archibald Campbell in 1904 whilst continuing his studies for a further year, and had commenced independent practice in 1912 at 144 St Vincent Street, Glasgow; but his career had soon been interrupted by the First World War, during which he served in the Glasgow Highlanders, rising to the rank of major and being awarded an MC.

The practice of Gardner & Glen had offices at 164 Bath Street, Glasgow and specialised in the design of 'atmospheric' cinemas. The practice had traded up from Gardner's early years on innovative low-budget cinemas and it is in this context that we should read the frequently quoted comments of one of their clients, George Singleton, who regarded Glen as a far superior architect to Gardner, describing the latter as 'the most awful faker in the world. He used every substitute for the decent thing'.

The partnership was dissolved in 1929 when Glen left for London having obtained an appointment as Architect to Associated British Cinemas Ltd; Gardner thereafter practised very successfully on his own for several years prior to forming a third partnership with Gavin Thomson in 1936.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1164, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19191929 

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 4William Riddell Glen19191929Partner 
Item 2 of 4Albert Victor Gardner19191929Partner 
Item 3 of 4James Hastie MacLeodSeptember 1924c. 1919Apprentice 
Item 4 of 4Archibald Hunter McCartney (sometimes misspelt MacCartney)c. 1926c. 1931Apprentice 

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 211919Standard Picture HousePartick GlasgowScotlandRebuilding
Item 2 of 211920Possilpark Picture HousePossilpark GlasgowScotland 
Item 3 of 211921Grosvenor CinemaHillhead GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 211923Alexandra CinemaPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandOriginal building
Item 5 of 21192430 Terraced Houses Albert, Skirving and Walton Streets  GlasgowScotland 
Item 6 of 211925Carlton Picture HouseTownhead GlasgowScotland 
Item 7 of 211925Coliseum Theatre  GlasgowScotlandMinor alterations when acquired for Scottish Cinema and Variety Theatres for use as a cinema in March 1925.
Item 8 of 211925Kinema  GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 211925Paragon Picture House  GlasgowScotlandRebuilding
Item 10 of 211926Alexandra CinemaPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandExtensive alterations
Item 11 of 211927CinemaAyr AyrshireScotlandProposed new cinema
Item 12 of 211927Gaiety TheatreClydebank DunbartonshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 13 of 211927The Lorne CinemaIbrox GlasgowScotlandRebuilding
Item 14 of 211928Strathclyde Super CinemaDalmarnock GlasgowScotland 
Item 15 of 211928Wellington PalaceGorbals GlasgowScotlandRebuilding of 1874 Music Hall
Item 16 of 211928West End Picture HousePaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 17 of 211929Regal CinemaGreenock RenfrewshireScotlandAlterations - though may be after the dissolution of the partnership
Item 18 of 211929Ritz Cinema  EdinburghScotlandMay be after the dissolution of the partnership, therefore not involved
Item 19 of 211930The Picture HouseDunoon ArgyllScotlandAlterations
Item 20 of 211931Orient Cinema, Sword Street and Gallowgate junction  GlasgowScotland 
Item 21 of 211935Kelvin CinemaFinnieston GlasgowScotlandReconstruction and additions

References

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Chris DoakInformation via website Additional information sent August 2007
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no4403 (combined box 12) (Glen's paper)