Basic Biographical Details

Name: Macwhannell Rogerson & Reid
Designation:  
Born: 1908
Died: 1930
Bio Notes: Macwhannell Rogerson & Reid was the continuation of Glasgow practice Macwhannell & Rogerson after the inclusion of John Andrew Reid as a partner in 1908. The firm moved from its original premises at 58 West Regent Street to 11 Jane Street some time between 1910 and 1914.

Ninian Macwhannell was born in Hutchesontown on 15 October 1860, son of John Macwhannell, Treasurer and later Secretary of the Glasgow School Board, and Elizabeth Parker. He was educated at Glasgow High School and was articled to Alexander Petrie in 1877, remaining as assistant until 1884 and latterly studying at Glasgow School of Art (1881 to 1884). Thereafter he spent a year as chief draughtsman to Charles Davidson of Paisley before commencing practice in 1885. John Rogerson, his partner from c.1888, was born about 1862, the son of Provost David Rogerson of Dumbarton and Mary Roy, and was principally responsible for the designs of the partnership. Like Macwhannell, Rogerson was an apprentice in Petrie's office, which he entered at the age of twenty in 1882 for four years, remaining as assistant for a further two years and three months. During that period he studied at Anderson's College and Glasgow School of Art, passing the qualifying exam in 1889. He was admitted ARIBA on 13 January 1890, his proposers being James Archibald Morris of Ayr who seems to have influenced his early work, John Burnet Senior and Thomas Lennox Watson. Macwhannell married Elizabeth Sellars Mason, daughter of Robert Mason, master plumber, on 15 January 1890 at 4 Provan Place: they had one daughter. Macwhannell did not become FRIBA until 3 December 1906, his proposers including James Milne Monro and Robert Douglas Sandilands, also from Petrie's office.

John Andrew Reid was born on 1 October 1870, the son of John Reid, fancy goods dealer and Margaret Martin. He was initially apprenticed to James Boucher of Boucher & Higgins, Glasgow in 1887 but transferred to the office of Macwhannell & Rogerson in 1888, remaining as assistant until he became a partner in 1908. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art and Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College, and was active as a teacher, holding a position at the Glasgow Technical College as a lecturer in building construction under Charles Gourlay, and teaching the same subject under the auspices of the Glasgow and Ardrossan School Boards as well as for the Insurance and Actuarial Society of Glasgow. Somewhat surprisingly in that context he did not take the qualifying exam; he was admitted LRIBA in 1910, his proposers being Macwhannell, Rogerson, and Sandilands.

Macwhannell was a man of exceptionally wide business and social interests. In 1885 he was a keen footballer in the Queens Park team; in 1901 he was very oddly Deacon of the Fleshers Incorporation, and during the Great War Inspector of Munitions at Georgetown, Renfrewshire. In 1925 he was elected to Glasgow Corporation for Pollokshaws; in 1929 he was a magistrate and President of the Association of Deacons; and in 1930 a senior Baillie. He retired from the Corporation in 1934 and was appointed Baillie of Provan in 1937. Throughout his career Macwhannell was well known for his love of the Doric, and was much in demand as a reader, reciter and lecturer. He compiled an anthology entitled 'Oor Mither Tongue' and was President of the Burns Federation from 1934 to 1937. At various times he was Head of the Scottish National Song Society, Preses of the Grand Antiquity Society, and President of the Glasgow District Branch of the Rationalist Press Association.

In his earlier years Rogerson was an enthusiastic volunteer and later territorial, being awarded the TD for his services. Because his work consisted mainly of suburban schools and hospitals rather than city centre buildings, he has been somewhat underrated as an architect, his best work being comparable with that of Morris in a similar Scots Renaissance-inspired idiom.

Rogerson died on 1 February 1930, at which date the surviving partners renamed the practice Macwhannell & Reid. Macwhannell died at 1366 Pollokshaws Road on 23 December 1939 after a brief period of retirement. Reid died of heart failure after many years of arterior sclerosis at 83 Norham Street on 19 February 1950.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 358, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1908After 1911 
Item 2 of 311, Jane Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1914 *  
Item 3 of 3309, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1929 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

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 4John Rogerson19081930Partner 
Item 2 of 4John Andrew Reid19081930Partner 
Item 3 of 4John Easton28 September 19141919ApprenticeUnder Ninian Macwhannell
Item 4 of 4Robert McKinlay (or MacKinlay)19231929Apprentice(?) 

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 171910Giffnock SchoolGiffnock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 2 of 171910(?)Glasgow School Board Offices  GlasgowScotlandUnsuccessful competition designs
Item 3 of 171910Masonic TempleBarrhead RenfrewshireScotlandCompetition entry
Item 4 of 171911Darnley HospitalEastwood RenfrewshireScotlandAdditions
Item 5 of 171911Villa at NeilstonNeilston RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 6 of 171912Battlefield Congregational Church HallBattlefield GlasgowScotland 
Item 7 of 171912Battlefield Public SchoolLangside GlasgowScotlandNew block
Item 8 of 171912Cathkin Road School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 171912Dumbarton AcademyDumbarton DunbartonshireScotlandDesigned but not built
Item 10 of 171913Buchanan Institute  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 11 of 171913Shakespeare Street School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 12 of 17c. 1913Royal Samaritan Hospital for Women, Laundry and Laboratory  GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 171914Govancroft Potteries  GlasgowScotland 
Item 14 of 171922Royal Samaritan Hospital for Women, Agnes Barr Dispensary  GlasgowScotland 
Item 15 of 171924Queen's Park Synagogue  GlasgowScotland 
Item 16 of 17c. 1925Jean Armour's HouseMauchline AyrshireScotlandRestoration
Item 17 of 171930Hotel, Buchanan Street  Glasgow  

References

Currently, there are no references for this . The information has been derived from: the British Architectural Library / RIBA Directory of British Architects 1834-1914; Post Office Directories; and/or any sources listed under this individual's works.