Basic Biographical Details

Name: Frank Wood Johnston
Designation:  
Born: 25 December 1906
Died: Before May 1994
Bio Notes: Frank Wood Johnston was born in Leith in 1906, the younger son of Joseph Marr Johnston. He was educated at George Watson’s College and studied part-time at the School of Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art. During this latter period he was articled to Stewart Kaye.

After qualification he joined his father’s practice. His father died in 1934 and the business was carried on by his elder brother James Stewart Johnston. During the Second World War he served in the War Department undertaking essential building and engineering work throughout the Borders. Although he worked in the family firm all his life he was not made a partner until 1946 (James Stewart Johnston had become a partner in 1930) when the firm became J & F Johnston.

Frank Wood Johnston’s main responsibility in the practice was industrial and commercial work, particularly for companies connected with the licensed trade. Many of his clientele became personal friends. He had a natural ability to get on with people and one of his responsibilities was handling staff matters within the office. He resigned his membership of the RIBA in 1977.

Outwith his professional life, Johnston was a good rugby player and a keen golfer. He was a member of the Royal Burgess Club for 65 years and took active interest in the administration of golf in the Edinburgh area, becoming President of the Lothian Golfing Association from 1959-60 and an international selector. He was later to become the sole surviving founding member of the Queen Elizabeth Coronation Cup which is competed for annually by former pupils of schools throughout the United Kingdom. He was also an ice skater and ballroom dancing champion

He died in 1994, survived by his wife Edith Florence Millar and his daughters Frances and Eileen and their families.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness   
Item 2 of 347, Charlotte Street, Leith, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1956  
Item 3 of 332a (or 22a), Lauder Road, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivateBefore 19561994 

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 5Joseph Marr JohnstonAfter 19211934Assistant(?) 
Item 2 of 5Stewart Kaye19251930Apprentice 
Item 3 of 5James Stewart Johnston19341947Assistant(?) 
Item 4 of 5J & F Johnston19471961Partner 
Item 5 of 5J & F Johnston & Partners1961 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3James Stewart Johnston10 January 1956For Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3(Sir) William Hardie Kininmonth 10 January 1956For Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3John Ross McKay10 January 1956For Licentiateship

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 561938Berwickshire High SchoolLangtongate, Duns BerwickshireScotland 
Item 2 of 56Late 1930sStenhouse SchoolStenhouse EdinburghScotlandBegun at this date and probably deferred until after Second World War
Item 3 of 561940sGolden Wonder Crisps Factory  EdinburghScotland 
Item 4 of 561940sLamont's Engineering Works  EdinburghScotland 
Item 5 of 561947Ainslie Park High SchoolPilton EdinburghScotlandBecame partner in 1947 but may wll have worked on the scheme before this date.
Item 6 of 56After 1947Property of R G Ritchie  EdinburghScotlandAlterations?
Item 7 of 561948Inchview Primary SchoolPilton EdinburghScotland 
Item 8 of 56Late 1940sFactory for Messrs Donald Grant & SonSighthill EdinburghScotland 
Item 9 of 56Late 1940sFactory for Messrs P Nimmo & Sons  EdinburghScotland 
Item 10 of 56Late 1940sFactory for Messrs Paper Shavings LtdGranton EdinburghScotland 
Item 11 of 56Late 1940sFactory for Messrs Petrie (Aerated Waters Ltd)Bathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 12 of 56Late 1940sFactory for Scottish Prefaced Papers Ltd  EdinburghScotlandExtensions proposed
Item 13 of 56Late 1940sFlour mill for David Gaudie & SonPortobello EdinburghScotland 
Item 14 of 56Late 1940sLeith Nautical CollegeLeith EdinburghScotlandAddition of Radar Station
Item 15 of 56Late 1940sRoadhouseHaddington East LothianScotland 
Item 16 of 56Late 1940sScottish Croast (Creast?) Lines Ltd   ScotlandProposed offices and factory
Item 17 of 561951Premises, Niddrie Road  EdinburghScotland 
Item 18 of 561957Maritime HouseLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 19 of 561960Goldbergs department store  EdinburghScotland 
Item 20 of 561960Golden Wonder Crisps Factory  EdinburghScotlandExtensions to factory
Item 21 of 56c. 196012 York Place  EdinburghScotlandRear addition
Item 22 of 561961Golden Wonder crisps factoryBroxburn West LothianScotlandNew Build
Item 23 of 56Before 1962Gracemount School  EdinburghScotland 
Item 24 of 561963Telectra House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 25 of 561964Roxburghe Hotel  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction - total cost £250,000
Item 26 of 561966Ardler Primary School  DundeeScotland 
Item 27 of 561966Car showroom and repair shop for James Ross & Sons  EdinburghScotland 
Item 28 of 561966Central Area Redvelopment with shopping precinct, Regent StreetHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 29 of 561966Engineering works for Brown Brothers & Co Ltd  EdinburghScotland 
Item 30 of 561966Housing, BonnyriggBonnyrigg MidlothianScotland 
Item 31 of 561966Housing, SpencerfieldInverkeithing FifeScotland 
Item 32 of 561966Housing, StoneyburnStoneyburn West LothianScotland 
Item 33 of 561966Industrial EstateBroxburn West LothianScotland 
Item 34 of 56c. 1966College of CommerceSighthill EdinburghScotland 
Item 35 of 561967Ainslie Park High SchoolPilton EdinburghScotlandBoys' Vocational Unit
Item 36 of 561967Bottling plant for Arthur Bell & Son, East MainsBroxburn West LothianScotland 
Item 37 of 561967Finance House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 38 of 561968Comprehensive SchoolSouth Queensferry West LothianScotland 
Item 39 of 56c. 1968Factory, Golden Wonder crisp manufacturer   HollandNew storage facility
Item 40 of 56c. 1968New office block for insurance company  EdinburghScotland 
Item 41 of 561969Stevenson CollegeSighthill EdinburghScotland 
Item 42 of 561970sAirport base for Danair  AberdeenScotland 
Item 43 of 561970sBank of Scotland, New Pitsligo branchNew Pitsligo AberdeenshireScotlandRenovation
Item 44 of 561970sDevanha Gardens Nursing Home  AberdeenScotlandExtension
Item 45 of 561970sEngineering, research, training unit, dormitories, squash courts for Comex  AberdeenScotland 
Item 46 of 561970sHarlaw HouseInverurie AberdeenshireScotlandRestoration
Item 47 of 561970sHeadquarters for Wharton Williams Diving Dyce AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 48 of 561970sHeavy Goods Vehicle depot  AberdeenScotland 
Item 49 of 561970sOffices and warehousing for Farquhar Builders  AberdeenScotland 
Item 50 of 561970sStandard Life offices  AberdeenScotland 
Item 51 of 561970sTimberland shopElgin MorayshireScotlandAlterations
Item 52 of 561970sTimberland shop  AberdeenScotlandAlterations
Item 53 of 561970sUnderwater instrumentation base  AberdeenScotland 
Item 54 of 561970sWestings HotelLerwick (near)MainlandShetlandScotlandAlterations and extension
Item 55 of 561975Leith Nautical College and halls of residence  EdinburghScotland 
Item 56 of 561980Headquarters for Arthur Bell & Sons, whisky blenders, CherrybankPerth PerthshireScotlandunlikely to have been involved

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Press 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIAS NewsletterMarch 19945, 4 Obituary
Item 2 of 2RIAS NewsletterMay 1994v5, no4  

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination PapersL no 6631 (Box 150)