Basic Biographical Details

Name: (Professor) William James Smith
Designation: Architect
Born: 15 January 1893
Died: 25 March 1979
Bio Notes: William James Smith ('Smithy' to his students) was born on 15 January 1893 and commenced his apprenticeship with G N Beattie & Morton of Glasgow in October 1908, remaining with John Gibb Morton after the dissolution of the partnership the following year. This apprenticeship was cut short in late 1910 or early 1911 when Morton, who was engaged to be married but was in some difficulty financially, emigrated to Canada, leaving his father to pay the rent and provide money for Smith to redeem the office equipment from the pawnbroker. Smith transferred to John Hamilton & Son to complete his training, becoming a close friend of Hamilton's son Arthur and virtually an adopted member of the family, frequently spending weekends with them in Rothesay. Throughout this period he attended the diploma course at the Glasgow School of Architecture under Eugène Bourdon, to whom he became much attached. In 1913 Smith was awarded the Franco-Scottish Travelling Scholarship and later the National Art Survey Scholarship and the Haldane Day Bursary (for full-time study).

In 1914 Smith moved to the office of McKellar & Gunn as the Hamiltons had little work in hand, and in the same year he spent four weeks studying in France with the aid of a travelling bursary. From 1915 to 1919 he was on active war service with the Royal Engineers, during the course of which he obtained special leave to visit Cairo, Gizeh, Luxor, Jerusalem, France and Belgium. On his return to Glasgow in 1919 he rejoined John Hamilton & Son as a prospective partner, Arthur Hamilton having been killed in the war, and began to teach at the Glasgow School of Architecture. He was admitted ARIBA under the war exemption scheme at the end of the following year, his proposers being Hamilton, William Brown Whitie and Henry Edward Clifford.

Smith left the Hamilton practice in January 1921 to commence practice on his own account, but continued teaching thereafter, becoming Professor of Architecture at the School in succession to Thomas Harold Hughes in 1942. He was small and slim with a brisk manner and a lively mind: he contributed various articles and reviews to journals including 'Architectural Review', 'Architect's Journal', 'RIAS Quarterly' and 'RIBA Journal'.

He was admitted FRIBA in late 1930, his proposers being John Watson, Thomas Harold Hughes and George Andrew Paterson. In 1933 he was the Athens Bursar. At about that time his office was at 227 Bath Street, Glasgow and he was living at 3 Ferngrove Avenue, Kelvindale. His nomination papers fail to mention his time with Morton, presumably through embarrassment at the association. In addition to the specific works cited, his job list mentions 'numerous smaller domestic dwellings in Glasgow suburbs' which have yet to be identified.

Smith died on 25 March 1979. He was predeceased by his wife and in his later years spent Christmas and part of the winter in Malta, of which he was very fond.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 45, Rhannan Road, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1920 *  
Item 2 of 43, Ferngrove Avenue, Kelvindale, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1926After 1930 
Item 3 of 4227, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1929After 1930 
Item 4 of 4248, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1937 *1939 or 1940(?) 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 5G N Beattie & Morton12 October 19081909Apprentice 
Item 2 of 5John Gibb Morton19091910Apprentice 
Item 3 of 5John Hamilton & Son191012 October 1913Apprentice 
Item 4 of 5McKellar & Gunn19141914Assistant 
Item 5 of 5John Hamilton & Son1919January 1921 Prospective partner

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1Walter Neil Wilson RamsayLate 1930s AssistantDates uncertain

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Henry Edward CliffordLate 1920for Associateship
Item 2 of 6John H HamiltonLate 1920for Associateship
Item 3 of 6Thomas Harold HughesLate 1930for Fellowship
Item 4 of 6George Andrew PatersonLate 1930for Fellowship
Item 5 of 6John WatsonLate 1930for Fellowship
Item 6 of 6William Brown WhitieLate 1920for Associateship

RIBA Proposals

This architect proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 108William AdamLate 1931for Associateship
Item 2 of 108Robert Aitchison1 December 1946For Associateship
Item 3 of 108James Paterson Allison10 December 1946For Associateship
Item 4 of 108Donald Forbes Armstrong25 June 1946For Associateship
Item 5 of 108George Arthur9 March 1936for Associateship
Item 6 of 108Thomas Barr7 May 1946For Associateship
Item 7 of 108Thomas Johnston Beveridge6 March 1939for Fellowship
Item 8 of 108Gordon Buchanan Biggar12 September 1938For Associateship
Item 9 of 108Gordon Buchanan Biggar31 March 1953For Fellowship
Item 10 of 108James Milne Munro Billing6 March 1939for Associateship
Item 11 of 108Sidney Wesley Birnage8 March 1937for Associateship
Item 12 of 108James Black9 October 1939for Associateship
Item 13 of 108Peter Lamont Burnside Borthwick27 November 1949for Associateship
Item 14 of 108John Alexander Browning5 March 1934for Associateship
Item 15 of 108Robert Bryden21 October 1941for Associateship
Item 16 of 108James Brown CairnsLate 1931 or early 1932for Associateship
Item 17 of 108Alexander Buchanan Campbell6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 18 of 108James Andrew Carrick13 October 1953For Fellowship
Item 19 of 108Robert McMillan Clive13 February 1945for Licentiateship
Item 20 of 108John Peter Coia15 April 1944for Associateship
Item 21 of 108Albert Dick Cordiner10 April 1956For Fellowship
Item 22 of 108James Macneil Cowie12 December 1939for Associateship
Item 23 of 108James Henderson DavidsonEarly 1956For Fellowship
Item 24 of 108Richard Rudolphe Chitham De'AthJanuary 1953for Associateship
Item 25 of 108James Docherty14 December 1943for Associateship
Item 26 of 108John Easton2 December 1935for Licentiateship
Item 27 of 108Eric Doig Ellison15 June 1954for Associateship
Item 28 of 108William John FairweatherLate 1932for Associateship
Item 29 of 108William John Fairweather5 June 1968For Fellowship
Item 30 of 108Thomas Loudon Fleming11 February 1947For Associateship
Item 31 of 108George Gibson11 December 1945for Licentiateship
Item 32 of 108Thomas Gibson8 July 1958For Associateship
Item 33 of 108(Miss) Janet Craig Stewart Gilfillan22 April 1941for Associateship
Item 34 of 108Walter Henderson Gillespie14 November 1944for Licentiateship
Item 35 of 108Alexander Graham (junior)Early 1956For Fellowship
Item 36 of 108Thomas Oswald White Gratton30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 37 of 108George Douglas Hamilton3 April 1939for Associateship
Item 38 of 108Horace James Dick Hamilton4 March 1941for Associateship
Item 39 of 108Ernest Ronald Harrison5 December 1938for Associateship
Item 40 of 108James Macgregor Harvey7 May 1946for Licentiateship
Item 41 of 108Catherine Mary Helen Henderson (Mrs Lambert)9 January 1939for Associateship
Item 42 of 108John Grenfell Hird (or Hurd)9 January 1940For Associateship
Item 43 of 108James Maclaren Honeyman8 July 1947for Fellowship
Item 44 of 108James Houston3 April 1939for Fellowship
Item 45 of 108Thomas Howarth9 January 1940For Associateship
Item 46 of 108Thomas Jack13 January 1945for Licentiateship
Item 47 of 108David Watson Jackson15 January 1946For Associateship
Item 48 of 108Agnes Freeland Johnston (Mrs Gratton)6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 49 of 108Ninian Rutherford Jamieson Johnston3 December 1934for Associateship
Item 50 of 108Robert Ferguson Kennedy12 December 1939For Associateship
Item 51 of 108Elizabeth Stevenson King (Mrs Ghuman)Early 1932for Associateship
Item 52 of 108James Smith Kirkwood5 December 1938for Associateship
Item 53 of 108Gavin Strathearn Allan Lennox6 March 1939for Associateship
Item 54 of 108Archibald Thomas Lindsay13 December 1939For Associateship
Item 55 of 108Margaret Jean Sutherland Love (Mrs Gardner)10 January 1938for Associateship
Item 56 of 108Thomas Findlay Lyon16 April 1940For Associateship
Item 57 of 108Daniel MacKay (or McKay)10 April 1945for Licentiateship
Item 58 of 108James MaitlandEarly 1931for Associateship
Item 59 of 108Hugh Stewart Mark19 June 1939for Associateship
Item 60 of 108Alexander McAnally (sometimes misspelt McNally or Macannally)15 June 1943for Licentiateship
Item 61 of 108Alexander McAnally (sometimes misspelt McNally or Macannally)20 December 1950for Fellowship
Item 62 of 108John McClure6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 63 of 108Samuel McColl (sometimes misspelt MacColl)5 March 1934for Associateship
Item 64 of 108William McCrea22 September 1942for Fellowship
Item 65 of 108Duncan McCulloch (junior)16 December 1943for Licentiateship
Item 66 of 108(Miss) Bessie McDowall 25 June 1946For Associateship
Item 67 of 108Thomas McGarrigle14 November 1944for Licentiateship
Item 68 of 108Andrew McGraw4 April 1938for Fellowship
Item 69 of 108Joseph McKay* 
Item 70 of 108James Tyre McNeill1932for Licentiateship
Item 71 of 108Alexander MillerEarly 1933for Associateship
Item 72 of 108James MillerEarly 1933for Associateship
Item 73 of 108Joseph Charles Miller7 February 1938for Fellowship
Item 74 of 108William Porter Mitchell12 December 1944for Associateship
Item 75 of 108Geoffrey James MonroEarly 1932for Associateship
Item 76 of 108(Miss) Margaret Florence Muirhead8 March 1937for Associateship
Item 77 of 108David Stuart PatersonLate 1931for Associateship
Item 78 of 108Lennox Dundas Paterson6 February 1939for Fellowship
Item 79 of 108Larmont Douglas Penman (junior)9 September 1942for Associateship
Item 80 of 108Walter Neil Wilson Ramsay6 May 1947For Associateship
Item 81 of 108Robert Barr Rankin6 January 1953For Associateship
Item 82 of 108James Robin6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 83 of 108Robert William Kelly Cupples Rogerson5 August 1948For Associateship
Item 84 of 108William Ross7 March 1938for Fellowship
Item 85 of 108Jeffrey Rowbotham15 January 1946For Associateship
Item 86 of 108John Donaldson Samuel30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 87 of 108William Hamilton Sanders6 March 1939for Associateship
Item 88 of 108Elizabeth Spittal (Mrs Edmonds)19 January 1943for Associateship
Item 89 of 108John Steel16 April 1940For Associateship
Item 90 of 108Diarmad Ronald Steele3 December 1934for Associateship
Item 91 of 108William Ferguson Stewart16 May 1944for Associateship
Item 92 of 108Alexander Strang11 December 1940for Associateship
Item 93 of 108Alasdair Cameron Sutherland3 December 1934for Associateship
Item 94 of 108Robert Sutherland7 May 1946For Associateship
Item 95 of 108Peter Tinto6 March 1939for Associateship
Item 96 of 108John Tonner13 March 1945for Licentiateship
Item 97 of 108Robert George Haddon Turnbull24 June 1947For Associateship
Item 98 of 108Walter Underwood11 March 1947for Fellowship
Item 99 of 108Alastair Frew Wallace (or Alexander Frew Wallace)Mid 1933for Associateship
Item 100 of 108William Ramsay Wark6 May 1947For Associateship
Item 101 of 108Adam Elliot Watson14 January 1935for Associateship
Item 102 of 108John Watson (junior)16 November 1943for Fellowship
Item 103 of 108Richard Alan Webber16 February 1943for Licentiateship
Item 104 of 108(Sir) Harry Anthony Wheeler (or simply Sir Anthony Wheeler)14 December 1948for Associateship
Item 105 of 108Alistair Robertson Whitelaw (or Alexander Robertson Whitelaw)8 July 1947For Associateship
Item 106 of 108Annie Crawford Woodrow (Mrs Woodrow Barclay)10 January 1938for Associateship
Item 107 of 108James Wright6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 108 of 108Ronald McPherson Watson Young9 March 1936for Associateship

Buildings and Designs

This architect 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 22 Picture House and Tea RoomsDumbarton DunbartonshireScotlandAssistant 1914
Item 2 of 22c. 1920Marlborough HouseShawlands GlasgowScotlandPartly designed
Item 3 of 22After 1921Bonded Store for Messrs Gordon & Blair Ltd  GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 22After 1921Carlisle Picture HouseCarlisle CumberlandEnglandAlterations and additions
Item 5 of 22After 1921Conversion of houses into flats, Huntly Gardens  GlasgowScotland 
Item 6 of 22After 1921Conversion of houses into flats, Windsor Terrace  GlasgowScotland 
Item 7 of 22After 1921Flatted villasRiddrie GlasgowScotland 
Item 8 of 22After 1921More's Hotel  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 9 of 22After 1921(?)Parkhead Picture PalaceParkhead GlasgowScotlandFaçade etc
Item 10 of 22After 1921Pavilion Picture HouseDumbarton DunbartonshireScotlandAlterations - possibly c.1927 prior to change of name to Rialto Cinema
Item 11 of 22After 1921Salvation Army HallRutherglen LanarkshireScotland 
Item 12 of 22After 1921Shop for Messrs Manfields  GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 22After 1921St Paul's Outer High Church, memorial to Dr Smith  GlasgowScotland 
Item 14 of 22After 1921Thomson HomeRothesayButeButeScotland 
Item 15 of 22After 1921Westbourne Terrace  GlasgowScotlandConversion of houses into flats
Item 16 of 221925Competition design for Canadian National War Memorial  OttawaCanada 
Item 17 of 22After 1926St Paul's Outer High Church, memorial to Professor Charles Gourlay  GlasgowScotland 
Item 18 of 22Late 1920sKilmacolm HydropathicKilmacolm/Kilmalcolm RenfrewshireScotlandAdditions and alterations, including extension to lounge
Item 19 of 22Late 1920sOverton, gate lodges and garageKilmacolm/Kilmalcolm RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 20 of 221937Proposed golf clubhouse  Glasgow (near)Scotland 
Item 21 of 221945Barnasheen and Fernlea  GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions to nos 5 and 7
Item 22 of 221955Barnasheen and Fernlea  GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions to nos 5 and 7 for conversion to hall of residence

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 3RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 3Who's Who in Architecture1923    

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect:
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Personal recollections from Professor William James Smith
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no3108 (microfilm reel 25); F no2827 (box 12)