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 Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 45, St John Street, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1909After 1911 
Item 2 of 4Clifton Bank, Craigie, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivate1911 *  
Item 3 of 436, George Street, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1923After 1950 
Item 4 of 42, Blackfriars Street, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivate1932 *1962 

* 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 4Peter Lyle Barclay HendersonNovember 1891December 1896Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4J & H V EagleshamJanuary 1897December 1897Assistant 
Item 3 of 4Maclaren & MackayJanuary 1898December 1909DraughtsmanLatterly Chief Draughtsman
Item 4 of 4Erskine Thomson & GlassBefore 1925(?)1954(?)Partner 

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 3Gordon Scott Fergusonc. 1913Before 1915Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3James Johnston19191926Apprentice 
Item 3 of 3John Sim Dow19231926Apprentice 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 4Robert Matthew MitchellEarly 1932for Fellowship
Item 2 of 4William SalmondEarly 1932for Fellowship
Item 3 of 4Donald Alexander StewartEarly 1932for Fellowship
Item 4 of 4William Fleming Wilkie20 July 1911for Licentiateship - as President of the Dundee Institute of Architects

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1Harold Carmichael Miller12 March 1946for Licentiateship

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 50After 1891Moncreiffe Island Golf ClubhousePerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant, either to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson or to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 2 of 50After 1891Villas, Barnhill EstateKinnoull PerthshireScotlandAs assistant, either to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson or to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 3 of 50After 1891Villas, Bellwood EstatePerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant, either to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson or to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 4 of 501894St Andrews Episcopal Church, TullypowrieStrathtay PerthshireScotlandAs apprentice to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson. Stone chancel added to iron church.
Item 5 of 501896Lundin Links Golf ClubhouseLundin Links FifeScotlandAs apprentice to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson
Item 6 of 501897Business premises, High StreetAyr AyrshireScotlandAs assistant to J & H V Eaglesham
Item 7 of 501897Wellington ChambersAyr AyrshireScotlandAs assistant to J & H V Eaglesham
Item 8 of 501897Wheatfield HouseAyr AyrshireScotlandAs assistant to J & H V Eaglesham
Item 9 of 50After 1898AsylumPolton MidlothianScotlandAdditions - as assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 10 of 50After 1898DungarthillDunkeld PerthshireScotlandAdditions - as assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 11 of 50After 1898Murrayshall  PerthshireScotlandAdditions - as assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 12 of 50c. 1900James Murray Royal Lunatic AsylumPerth PerthshireScotlandTwo new villas (Elcho and Birnam Wards) - as assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 13 of 501904Co-operative Society central premisesPerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 14 of 501906Block of shops and flats, 31-33 Kinnoull StreetPerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 15 of 501907Perth Town HallPerth PerthshireScotlandCompetition design - unsuccessful
Item 16 of 501908Co-operative Society branch premisesPerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant or principal draughtsman to Maclaren & Mackay
Item 17 of 501909Abbey LodgeNewburgh FifeScotland 
Item 18 of 501909Home FarmTillyrie Kinross-shireScotland 
Item 19 of 50After 1909CottagesMilnathort Kinross-shireScotland 
Item 20 of 50After 1909CottagesKinross Kinross-shireScotland 
Item 21 of 50After 1909CottagesTillyrie Kinross-shireScotland 
Item 22 of 50After 1909King's Cinema HousePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 23 of 50After 1909Perthshire Cricket Club PavilionPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 24 of 50After 1909Villa, CraigiePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 25 of 50After 1909Villas, Pentland AvenueColinton EdinburghScotland 
Item 26 of 501918Caputh Parish ChurchCaputh PerthshireScotlandNew tracery
Item 27 of 501918Housing SchemeBridge of Earn PerthshireScotland 
Item 28 of 501918Housing SchemeCoupar Angus PerthshireScotland 
Item 29 of 501918Housing SchemePitlochry PerthshireScotland 
Item 30 of 501918Housing SchemePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 31 of 501919Perthshire Education OfficesPerth PerthshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 32 of 50After 1921Business premises for Messrs A Caird & SonsPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 33 of 50After 1921Business premises for Messrs Lindsay & FenwickPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 34 of 50After 1921DunurePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 35 of 50After 1921Garage, South StreetPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 36 of 50After 1921HillwayPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 37 of 50After 1921MonksilverPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 38 of 50After 1921Murthly Village HallMurthly PerthshireScotland 
Item 39 of 50After 1921RedlandsPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 40 of 50After 1921St Leonard's Free ChurchPerth PerthshireScotlandDecoration and furniture
Item 41 of 50After 1921Wester Baldowrie House  PerthshireScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 42 of 501922BB CineramaPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 43 of 501922Bridgend War MemorialAberfeldy PerthshireScotland 
Item 44 of 501922InglestonGlenfarg PerthshireScotland 
Item 45 of 501927Model Lodging House, SkinnergatePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 46 of 501931Mid-Atholl Public HallBallinluig PerthshireScotland 
Item 47 of 5019371-17 and 21-39 Union Street and 24 Church StreetInverness Inverness-shireScotlandAddition to roof at east end of hotel
Item 48 of 501937Waverley HotelInverness Inverness-shireScotlandExtension
Item 49 of 501938Forteviot Hall and associated buildingsPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 50 of 501951Craigend Moncreiffe Church, Craigie and MoncreiffePerth PerthshireScotlandHall church (now hall)

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 2RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder4 May 1962202 p918 - obituary
Item 2 of 2RIBA JournalJune 1962 London: Royal Institute of British ArchitectsDeath notice p225

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3British Architectural Library, RIBARIBA Biographical Files Only contains copy of FRIBA paper; no further info
Item 2 of 3H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v21 no1628; F no3028 (box 15)