Basic Biographical Details Name: | Salmon, Son & Gillespie | Designation: | | Born: | November 1903 | Died: | June 1913 | Bio Notes: | William Forrest Salmon was born in 1843, the elder son of James Salmon, architect, Glasgow and his wife Helen Russell. He continued his father's practice of James Salmon & Son after the latter's death in 1888. In 1891 Forrest Salmon engaged John Gaff Gillespie (b. 1870), who had been articled to James Milne Monro c.1884, concurrently attending classes at Glasgow School of Art, and had won the Glasgow Institute of Architects prize in 1889 jointly with Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Like Mackintosh at Honeyman & Keppie, Gillespie was given design responsibility very early, notably at the free Flemish Renaissance Scottish Temperance League building in 1893 and the West of Scotland Convalescent Seaside Homes at Dunoon in 1895. In that same year, Gillespie was taken into partnership, the everyday work of the practice having grown as a result of Forrest having secured some of the business of the British Linen Bank, whose architects were usually J M Dick Peddie & Washington Browne.
Forrest Salmon's elder son James (b. 1873), who had begun his apprenticeship in the family firm but completed it in Leiper's office, returned to the office in March 1895 after completing a Grand Tour of the continent given to him by his father as a twenty-first birthday present (the tour is partly chronicled in watercolours in the Salmon collection at NMRS made between April and July of that year). Leiper's influence on Salmon was to remain marked in both commercial and domestic work.
James Junior worked under his father and Gillespie for rather more than two years, being given much of the design responsibility for Mercantile Chambers on Bothwell Street, a huge project in which the Salmons had a financial interest and which was to become their office. He became a partner in 1898, but for the next few years and even beyond the individual design responsibilities of Gillespie and James Junior are not always easy to separate. Their names were not acknowledged in the practice title until November 1903 when the firm became Salmon Son & Gillespie.
By that date there had been domestic changes in the Salmon family. On 11 June 1889 Forrest, whose first wife Jessie (mother of James Junior) had died in 1887, married Agnes Cooper Barry, the daughter of a Forfar grocer who lived with her brother the Reverend James Cooper Barry, a civil engineer who had switched career to become a Free Church minister in 1882 and had obtained the charge of the North Free Church at Dumbarton. Neither Forrest's formidable elder sister Wilhelmina nor his sons took to Agnes, always referring to her as 'Steppy'. In 1898 the Salmon family moved to the newly built Rowantreehill at Kilmacolm where they rapidly acquired a significant domestic clientele.
In his later years Forrest became prominent in professional matters as a Governor of Glasgow School of Art, President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects 1892-94, and a member of the RIBA Council. It was probably due to his influence that Gillespie and James Junior were admitted directly to Fellowship of the RIBA on 3 December 1906, Gillespie's proposers being Monro, Thomas Lennox Watson, Leiper and Forrest Salmon, and James's Leiper, John James Burnet, Watson and his father. By 1906 both Gillespie and James Junior had travelled extensively. Gillespie's nomination paper records travel in Italy, Spain and Morocco, and that of James Junior travel in Norway, Holland (1904), Romania, Austria and Hungary (1904), France (1894 and 1906), Switzerland (1894), Spain, Italy (1894 and 1904), Greece and Turkey (probably 1904). Sketches and photographs preserved in the Salmon collection at NMRS have left his travels well documented.
By the early 1900s Gillespie and Salmon's styles had begun to diverge, Gillespie's work tending to be a simplified free classic and Salmon's still a sculpturesque art nouveau as seen in the alternative elevational treatments in the competition for the new Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College competition of 1901, both partners adopting a highly simplified arts and crafts style for domestic, cottage hospital and golf clubhouse work. But from 1904 when they received the commission for Lion Chambers both Gillespie and James Junior had become interested in the possibilities of reinforced concrete, working closely with the structural engineer Louis Gustave Mouchel, the British-based representative of Francois Hennebique. Within the firm Forrest seems to have been responsible for the 'scheming out' of commissions, the detailed design work being delegated to Gillespie or to his son James. Forrest was latterly known as the commercial traveller adept at moving in Parish Council School Board and clubland circles to obtain directly commissioned work for the practice which spent much of its time on designs for national and local competitions, none of which it succeeded in actually winning until 1908 when William Leiper selected their design for Stirling Municipal Buildings which was mainly Gillespie's work. Construction was, however, some years away and in the summer of 1911 Forrest began to suffer from cancer. He died at Rowantreehill on 7 October. By his own wish he was buried with his first wife and the Scott Mortons at Merchiston Cemetery, Edinburgh. He left moveable estate of £7,008 11s. 4d..
While the Finance Act of 1909 had probably affected the prosperity of the practice as it had so many others, Forrest Salmon's will proved the catalyst for the dissolution of the partnership in June 1913. Forrest's will made no provision for James to inherit his share of the practice. It remained part of his trust estate and entitled 'Steppy' to a share of such profits as the firm had at that time. Gillespie now became senior partner and as James Junior had spent all his income on foreign travel and motoring (as a letter to his brother Hugh of 18 August 1910 records) he could not afford to buy out either Gillespie or his stepmother. Gillespie bought out Agnes's trust estate interest, retaining the office in Mercantile Chambers, the archive (which was later sent for pulping when his successor Jack Antonio Coia was interned in 1940) and the Stirling commission. James moved out to a rented flat at 48 Jane Street, Blythswood Square which was both home and office, apparently without even a secretary. He retained the commission received in 1909 for the Admiralty Village at Cove Farm, Greenock of which only a few houses had been built in 1910, and was allowed to revive the name of the firm as it had existed prior to 1903, James Salmon & Son, later abbreviated simply to James Salmon FRIBA. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Mercantile Chambers/53, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1904 | After 1906 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
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 | | 1903 | 22 Park Circus | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors - internal alterations, including billiard room (1905) | | 1903 | Cranstonhill Bakeries | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Partial remodelling | | 1903 | Elgin Place Mission Halls | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition entry - unsuccessful | | 1903 | Gallowhill House, Motor Car House and Chauffeur's House | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Plans dated | | 1903 | Hamilton Municipal Buildings and Public Library | Hamilton | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | | 1903 | Lanfine Cottage Home for Consumptives, Broomhill | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Built to revised plans | | 1903 | Plantation Bakery | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension | | 1903 | Renfrew Parish Church Halls | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Competition entry - not successful | | 1903 | Tenements, Dale Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Toilet addition | | November 1903 | Barony Parochial Asylum | Lenzie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Nurses' quarters and pathological unit | | After November 1903(?) | Interior work for R Hunter Craig MP | | | | Scotland | Exact date not known, therefore it is not clear whether it was done under James Salmon & Son or Salmon Son & Gillespie | | 1904 | Catholic Apostolic Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Baptistery and new aisle | | 1904 | Kirkintilloch Town Hall and Municipal Buildings | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | | 1904 | Lion Chambers, Hope Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | With Louis Gustave Mouchel of the Yorkshire Hennebique Company as structural engineer | | 1904 | Miyanoshita | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1904 | St Peter's Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1904 | Walford | Prestonpans | | East Lothian | Scotland | Additions | | 1905 | 88 West Regent Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and extension | | 1905 | British Linen Bank | Thurso | | Caithness | Scotland | Alterations | | 1905 | British Linen Bank | Stromness | Mainland | Orkney | Scotland | | | 1905 | British Linen Bank | Kirkwall | Mainland | Orkney | Scotland | | | 1905 | Cottage | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1905 | Cottages at Brechin | Brechin | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1905 | Den O' Gryffe | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Original house | | 1905 | Mitchell Library | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition entry - not successful | | 1905 | North Lodge | Edzell | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1905 | Workshop and studio for William Nicol | Mount Florida | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1906 | Bolfrax | Giffnock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1906 | British Linen Bank Head Office | | | Glasgow | Scotland | New telling room | | 1906 | Campbell's Music Salon | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Proposed alterations | | 1906 | Cartsburn Public School | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1906 | Dilkush | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1906 | Northernhay | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Extension | | 1907 | Den O' Gryffe | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Extension | | 1907 | Dunoon Hydropathic | Dunoon | | Argyll | Scotland | Alterations to kitchen and new wing | | 1907 | Houghton | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | New porch | | 1907 | Liberal Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - unsuccessful | | 1907 | London County Hall | | | London | England | Competition design - unsuccessful | | 1907 | Nether Knockbuckle | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1907 | Perth Town Hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Competition design - unsuccessful | | 1907 | Stable, Winton Avenue | Giffnock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1907 | Ten workmen's cottages, Garthamlock and Queenslie Colliery | Shettleston | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1908 | Bakery | Stranraer | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | | | 1908 | Bakery for J & B Stevenson | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations to bakery | | 1908 | Blantyre Cottage Hospital | Blantyre | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | | 1908 | Glamorgan County Buildings | | | Cardiff | Wales | Competition design - not successful | | 1908 | Industrial shelter | Possilpark | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1908 | Kilmacolm Golf Club | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Toolhouse, shelter and landscaping works | | 1908 | Stirling Municipal Buildings | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Won competition and secured job (building later completed by Gillespie after dissolution of partnership) | | 1909 | Auchendoune | Doune | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1909 | Co-ownership cottages | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1909 | Cove Farm Garden Suburb | Gourock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1909 | Ferro Concrete shop and offices | | | | Scotland | Competition design | | 1909 | Hamilton Academy (and house at school) | Hamilton | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | | 1909 | Offices for the Scottish Assurance Company | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1909 | Rutherglen Town Hall | Rutherglen | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Competition design for extension - not successful (extension not built) | | 1909 | Vellore | Polmont | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Addition of laundry | | 1910 | 6 Cathedral Square | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations - new chimneypiece | | 1910 | Ashfield, Central Avenue, Beech Avenue | Cambuslang | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1910 | Offices, 36 Oswald Street and Ann Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | | 1910 | Offices, Blochairn Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1911 | 15 Park Gardens South | Partick | | Glasgow | Scotland | Hearth and stained glass work | | 1911 | Bakery for J & B Stevenson | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations to bakery | | 1911 | Drumlanrig | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | Redecoration and heating | | 1911 | Housing Blackley Estate | Blackley | | Manchester | England | Architectural Competition Third place, £50 premium. | | 1911 | Pollok Golf Club | Pollok Estate | | Glasgow | Scotland | Gillespie mainly responsible for clubhouse | | 1912 | Cranstonhill Bakeries | | | Glasgow | Scotland | New bakery | | 1912 | London Road UF Church Hall | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Hall and offices | | 1913 | 1 North Park Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Installation of electric light |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p145 Lion Chambers | | Gray, A Stuart | 1985 | Edwardian Architecture: A Biographical Dictionary | | | pp316-18 | | Miles Glendinning, Diane Watters, David Whitham | | Docomomo Scotland Leaflet | | | p227 Image of Lion Chambers | | O'Donnell, Raymond | 2003 | The life and work of James Salmon architect, 1873-1924 | | Edinburgh: The Rutland Press | | | Walker, David M | 1966 | Salmon, Son, Grandson and Gillespie | | Scottish Art Review, vol. X, no. 3, pp. 17-29 | | | Walker, David M | 1975 | The Partnership Of James Salmon And John Gaff Gillespie | | Service, A (ed.): Edwardian Architecture and its Origins (London: Architectural Press, 1975), 236-49 | | | Walker, David W | 1995 | The Salmon Collection | | Unpublished: copy in NMRS | DSA text is adapted from this source |
|