Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Forsyth McGibbon
Designation: Architect
Born: 30 March 1856
Died: 17 March 1923
Bio Notes: William Forsyth McGibbon was born at Anderston on 30 March 1856, the son of William McGibbon, commercial traveller and wis wife, Margaret Walker. No particulars of his early education are at present available, but he was articled to H & D Barclay of Glasgow in December 1870, remaining with them as a draughtsman after completing his apprenticeship, and travelling in France, Belgium and Holland during his holidays in 1876 and 1877. He commenced independent practice in 1878 at the very early age of twenty-one or twenty-two, evidently with particularly good Methodist connections. His Wesleyan churches at Govan and Partick were carefully detailed but in no way exceptional, but his church at Pollokshields was tall and ambitious, rather Pearsonesque in style externally.

McGibbon designed only one important public building, the Corn Exchange of 1896. It was by this work that he was chiefly noticed in his lifetime, a bold Italian design derived in style from Belcher's Institute of Chartered Accountants Building in London. It challenged comparison with the best work by Burnet and Campbell in the nineties.

McGibbon was admitted FRIBA on 11 June 1906, his proposers being David Barclay, John James Burnet, John Keppie and C J MacLean. He died of heart failure and apoplexy on 17 March 1923 at his house, 'Allerly' (or 'Allerley'), 229 Nithsdale Road, Pollokshields; no notices of his death appear to be available. He was survived by his wife, Mary Halley Small (whom he had married at Bellahouston Parish Church on 6 December 1883), two daughers and three sons, one of whom, Charles George, was an architect and assisted in the practice.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 5175, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1879 *  
Item 2 of 57, Berlin Terrace, Pollokshields, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1883 *  
Item 3 of 571, Nithsdale Drive, Pollokshields, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1889 *  
Item 4 of 5221, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1889After 1919 
Item 5 of 5Allerley (or Allerly)/229, Nithsdale Road, Pollokshields, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 190117 March 1923Place of death

* 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 2H & D BarclayDecember 18701875Apprentice 
Item 2 of 2H & D Barclay1875Before 1878Draughtsman 

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 5Arthur John Fryersc. 18891894Apprentice 
Item 2 of 5James Black FultonFebruary 18901895Apprentice 
Item 3 of 5James Money1898 or 1899December 1899Assistant 
Item 4 of 5Edward Grigg Wylie19001905Apprentice 
Item 5 of 5Charles George McGibbonc. 1909 Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 4David Barclay11 June 1906for Fellowship
Item 2 of 4(Sir) John James Burnet11 June 1906for Fellowship
Item 3 of 4John Keppie11 June 1906for Fellowship
Item 4 of 4C J MacLean11 June 1906for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This architect proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 2Henry HigginsEarly 1911for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 2John Marshall Hunter20 July 1911for Licentiateship

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 41 Factory for the Scottish Dried Grains CoCampbeltown ArgyllScotland 
Item 2 of 41 Speculative houses in PollokshieldsPollokshields GlasgowScotland 
Item 3 of 411880Partick Methodist ChurchPartick GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 41c. 1880227 Nithsdale RoadPollokshields GlasgowScotlandHS attribution on sound stylistic grounds
Item 5 of 411882Pollokshields East ChurchPollokshields GlasgowScotland 
Item 6 of 411883Wesleyan ChurchGovan GlasgowScotland 
Item 7 of 411885St Ninian's ChurchPort BannatyneButeButeScotland 
Item 8 of 411886Barony Parish Church  GlasgowScotlandUnsuccessful competition design
Item 9 of 411886Barrowfield Weaving Factory  GlasgowScotlandAdditions at rear
Item 10 of 411886Dykeneuk House  GlasgowScotlandHS attribution on sound stylistic grounds
Item 11 of 411886Garnethill SchoolGarnethill GlasgowScotlandAddition (east side of old school)
Item 12 of 411886Hazliebrae  GlasgowScotlandHS attribution on sound stylistic grounds
Item 13 of 411886Wesleyan ChurchClydebank DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 14 of 41c. 1886Oak Neuk  GlasgowScotlandHS attribution on sound stylistic grounds
Item 15 of 41c. 1887Allerley, 229 Nithsdale Road  GlasgowScotland 
Item 16 of 411888Victoria Grain Mills  GlasgowScotlandThree blocks built
Item 17 of 411889Contractor's Depot  GlasgowScotlandExtension
Item 18 of 411891Neill & Reid's  GlasgowScotland 
Item 19 of 411891Tenements and shop, Orchard StreetPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 20 of 41189248 and 48A Dalziel Drive  GlasgowScotlandHS attribution on sound stylistic grounds or perhaps Dean of Guild
Item 21 of 411894Calton Brass Foundry  GlasgowScotlandRebuilding
Item 22 of 411894Hall, Sherbrooke St Gilbert's Free Church  GlasgowScotland 
Item 23 of 411895Corn Exchange  GlasgowScotlandNew building on same site.
Item 24 of 411896Armour Street bakery  GlasgowScotland 
Item 25 of 411896Clydesdale Paint, Colour and Oil Works  GlasgowScotland 
Item 26 of 411896Clydesdale Paint, Colour and Oil Works  GlasgowScotlandAddition of two mansarded buildings
Item 27 of 411896Offices, 13-15 York Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 28 of 411896Scotstoun Flour Mills  GlasgowScotlandRiverside block
Item 29 of 411896Shettleston Free ChurchShettleston GlasgowScotland 
Item 30 of 411898Bellahouston Established Church  GlasgowScotlandNew chancel and transepts added
Item 31 of 411898St Cuthbert's Church  GlasgowScotland 
Item 32 of 411899Sherbrooke St Gilbert's Free Church  GlasgowScotland 
Item 33 of 411900Blacklock & McArthur's premisesTradeston GlasgowScotland 
Item 34 of 411900Clydesdale Paint, Colour and Oil Works  GlasgowScotlandAddition
Item 35 of 41c. 1900The TowerLenzie DunbartonshireScotlandHS 'style of W F McGibbon'
Item 36 of 411902Tenement and shops, CauseysidePaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 37 of 41c. 1903Tenement in Brown Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 38 of 41Before 1906St David's Ramshorn  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 39 of 411907Building in Cadogan Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 40 of 411908Steven Memorial Church  GlasgowScotland 
Item 41 of 411911Bowling ChurchBowling DunbartonshireScotlandTransepts and sanctuary added

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Post Office Directories     

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 Additional research (birth, death and family history) by Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers F v17 p39 no1116 (microfilm reel 12)