Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Ferguson
Designation:  
Born: 12 August 1853
Died: 29 October 1912
Bio Notes: William Ferguson is believed to have been born on 12 August 1853 (his RIBA nomination papers give 1843 as the year of his birth, but the career details given suggest that this is an error), the son of William Ferguson and Elizabeth Moncrieff. He studied at Glasgow School of Art and was articled to John Burnet for three years, and in 1874 shortly after entering the office of Campbell Douglas & Sellars he obtained an additional prize of £5 in John James Stevenson's measured drawing competition. He spent eight years as assistant with Campbell Douglas & Sellars and three years with Robert Rowand Anderson before commencing independent practice in Glasgow in 1886. By that time he had married Mary Donald, with whom he had two sons, both of whom became architects: William Moncrieff ('Willie'), born c.1883, and James Donald, born 11 January 1888.

Ferguson's work reflects his Sellars-Anderson background, Cambuslang Baptist Church particularly so in its red sandstone details in a cream sandstone classical building. Ferguson's practice was almost wholly confined to Cambuslang, where he lived, and the adjoining burgh of Rutherglen. He was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects. He died of syncope on 29 October the following year.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 4Rosebank Buildings, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate   
Item 2 of 4121, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1894 *  
Item 3 of 4114, West Campbell Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1898After 1911 
Item 4 of 4Wemyss Villa, North Avenue, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 18981912 

* 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 3John Burnet (senior)c. 1871c. 1874Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3Campbell Douglas & Sellarsc. 1874c. 1882Assistant 
Item 3 of 3Wardrop, Anderson & Brownec. 1883c. 1885Assistant 

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 Ferguson (junior) (or William Moncrieff Ferguson, or Willie Ferguson)c. 1897(?)c. 1902(?)Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4John Glen Dunn19021903Apprentice 
Item 3 of 4David Cowper Frame19021905Apprentice 
Item 4 of 4James Donald FergusonMarch 1910June 1913Apprentice 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1John Bennie Wilson20 July 1911for Licentiateship - as President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects

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 18After 1886Auchenheath House  LanarkshireScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 2 of 18After 1886House, BurnsideRutherglen LanarkshireScotlandAdditions
Item 3 of 18After 1886Newton Parish ChurchCambuslang LanarkshireScotland 
Item 4 of 18After 1886Presbytery for St Mary's ChurchHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 5 of 18After 1886Villa for A RobertsonRutherglen LanarkshireScotland 
Item 6 of 181889City Machinery Stores  GlasgowScotland 
Item 7 of 181891Macdonald SchoolRutherglen LanarkshireScotlandNew wing
Item 8 of 181895Cambuslang Baptist ChurchCambuslang LanarkshireScotland 
Item 9 of 181897Cambuslang UP ChurchCambuslang LanarkshireScotland 
Item 10 of 18After 1897Co-operative BuildingsCambuslang LanarkshireScotland 
Item 11 of 18After 1897Co-operative BuildingsNewton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 12 of 18After 1897Co-operative BuildingsBlantyre LanarkshireScotland 
Item 13 of 18After 1897SchoolsCambuslang LanarkshireScotland 
Item 14 of 18After 1897Work for Lesmahagow School BoardLesmahagow LanarkshireScotland 
Item 15 of 181898309-313 Main StreetBlantyre LanarkshireScotland 
Item 16 of 181898Eastfield Public SchoolRutherglen LanarkshireScotland 
Item 17 of 181902Burgh Primary SchoolRutherglen LanarkshireScotland 
Item 18 of 181903Rutherglen Baptist ChurchRutherglen LanarkshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 2Post Office Directories     

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Glasgow Herald25 December 1874   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 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 (parentage, marriage and death) by Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v17 no1261