Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Erskine Thomson | Designation: | | Born: | 23 February 1875 | Died: | 13 April 1962 | Bio Notes: | William Erskine Thomson was born on 23 February 1875, the son of William Thomson, wine and spirit merchant, and his wife Margaret Erskine. He was articled to Peter Lyle Henderson of Edinburgh from November 1891 until December 1896, during which period he attended Edinburgh School of Art and Heriot-Watt College. In January 1897 he moved to Ayr as assistant to J & H V Eaglesham and in January the following year to Maclaren & Mackay of Perth, where he later became chief draughtsman. He remained there until he commenced practice at 5 St John Street in the same town in December 1909. In 1907 he had entered the competition for Perth City Hall with Robert F Sherar, presumably while still an assistant with Maclaren & Mackay. He was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by William Fleming Wilkie and the Dundee Institute of Architects which he had recently joined.
By 1923 he had moved his office to 36 George Street, Perth. At some point he took John Guthrie Lornie Glass into partnership, Glass giving the George Street address in his LRIBA nomination papers in March 1925, although it is possible that at this time he was working as Thomson's assistant - since he gained automatic admittance, he was not obliged to give any career details on his papers.
Thomson was elected FRIBA in 1932, his proposers being Donald Alexander Stewart and Robert Matthew Mitchell of Perth and William Salmond of Dundee.
Thomson was Vice-President of the Dundee Institute of Architects c.1930 and also served on the RIBA Council for a time. He retired in 1954, and died at 11 Barossa Place, Dundee, on 13 April 1962. He had never married. The practice was continued by Glass under the existing name of Thomson & Glass.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 5, St John Street, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1909 | After 1911 | | | Clifton Bank, Craigie, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | 1911 * | | | | 36, George Street, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1923 | After 1950 | | | 2, Blackfriars Street, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | 1932 * | 1962 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Gordon Scott Ferguson | c. 1913 | Before 1915 | Apprentice | | | James Johnston | 1919 | 1926 | Apprentice | | | John Sim Dow | 1923 | 1926 | Apprentice | |
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA ProposalsThis proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | Harold Carmichael Miller | 12 March 1946 | for Licentiateship |
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 | | After 1891 | Moncreiffe Island Golf Clubhouse | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | As assistant, either to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson or to Maclaren & Mackay | | After 1891 | Villas, Barnhill Estate | Kinnoull | | Perthshire | Scotland | As assistant, either to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson or to Maclaren & Mackay | | After 1891 | Villas, Bellwood Estate | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | As assistant, either to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson or to Maclaren & Mackay | | 1894 | St Andrews Episcopal Church, Tullypowrie | Strathtay | | Perthshire | Scotland | As apprentice to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson. Stone chancel added to iron church. | | 1896 | Lundin Links Golf Clubhouse | Lundin Links | | Fife | Scotland | As apprentice to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson | | 1897 | Business premises, High Street | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | As assistant to J & H V Eaglesham | | 1897 | Wellington Chambers | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | As assistant to J & H V Eaglesham | | 1897 | Wheatfield House | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | As assistant to J & H V Eaglesham | | After 1898 | Asylum | Polton | | Midlothian | Scotland | Additions - as assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay | | After 1898 | Dungarthill | Dunkeld | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions - as assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay | | After 1898 | Murrayshall | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions - as assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay | | c. 1900 | James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Two new villas (Elcho and Birnam Wards) - as assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay | | 1904 | Co-operative Society central premises | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | As assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay | | 1906 | Block of shops and flats, 31-33 Kinnoull Street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | As assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay | | 1907 | Perth Town Hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Competition design - unsuccessful | | 1908 | Co-operative Society branch premises | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | As assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay | | 1909 | Abbey Lodge | Newburgh | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1909 | Home Farm | Tillyrie | | Kinross-shire | Scotland | | | After 1909 | Cottages | Milnathort | | Kinross-shire | Scotland | | | After 1909 | Cottages | Kinross | | Kinross-shire | Scotland | | | After 1909 | Cottages | Tillyrie | | Kinross-shire | Scotland | | | After 1909 | King's Cinema House | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1909 | Perthshire Cricket Club Pavilion | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1909 | Villa, Craigie | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1909 | Villas, Pentland Avenue | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1918 | Caputh Parish Church | Caputh | | Perthshire | Scotland | New tracery | | 1918 | Housing Scheme | Bridge of Earn | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1918 | Housing Scheme | Coupar Angus | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1918 | Housing Scheme | Pitlochry | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1918 | Housing Scheme | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1919 | Perthshire Education Offices | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Reconstruction | | After 1921 | Business premises for Messrs A Caird & Sons | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1921 | Business premises for Messrs Lindsay & Fenwick | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1921 | Dunure | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1921 | Garage, South Street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1921 | Hillway | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1921 | Monksilver | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1921 | Murthly Village Hall | Murthly | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1921 | Redlands | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1921 | St Leonard's Free Church | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Decoration and furniture | | After 1921 | Wester Baldowrie House | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions and alterations | | 1922 | BB Cinerama | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1922 | Bridgend War Memorial | Aberfeldy | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1922 | Ingleston | Glenfarg | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1927 | Model Lodging House, Skinnergate | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1931 | Mid-Atholl Public Hall | Ballinluig | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | 1-17 and 21-39 Union Street and 24 Church Street | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Addition to roof at east end of hotel | | 1937 | Waverley Hotel | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Extension | | 1938 | Forteviot Hall and associated buildings | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1951 | Craigend Moncreiffe Church, Craigie and Moncreiffe | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Hall church (now hall) |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 4 May 1962 | 202 | | p918 - obituary | | RIBA Journal | June 1962 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Death notice p225 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | RIBA Biographical Files | | Only contains copy of FRIBA paper; no further info | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L v21 no1628; F no3028 (box 15) |
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