Basic Biographical Details Name: | John Rutherford Johnstone | Designation: | | Born: | 15 August 1880 | Died: | 5 September 1960 | Bio Notes: | John Rutherford Johnstone was born on 15 August 1880, the son of James Johnstone, estate agent and his wife Margaret Gilfillan Scroggie. He was educated at Ayr Academy, and was articled to Clarke & Bell and R A Bryden in 1897. He studied architecture and building construction at Glasgow School of Art (1900-01), Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College and Glasgow Athenaeum, also taking classes in clay modelling and drawing from the antique. He passed the South Kensington exams and in 1902 returned to Ayr to work for J & H V Eaglesham, where within four years he had been entrusted with the position of principal draughtsman for several large contracts, including the Burgh of Ayr Infectious Diseases Hospital. He spent holidays travelling in France and Germany.
He left the Eagleshams in 1907 to seek practical experience with the Kilmarnock contracting firm of Messrs M Muir & Co. During his two years there he had charge of several country houses in various parts of Scotland. He commenced practice on his own account at The Cross, Troon in 1909. In conjunction with John Speir, he wrote and illustrated a book on the 'Housing of Cows' for the Board of Agriculture. He was admitted LRIBA on 20 March 1911, his proposers being John Eaglesham, James Kennedy Hunter of Ayr and Andrew Robertson of Bryden & Robertson, Glasgow. He was a member of the Glasgow Institute of Architects.
Johnstone continued to practise in the same town after the First World War, designing Voyseyish Arts and Crafts villas. He married Doris Ward Tattersall. He is still listed in the RIBA Kalendar of 1950 with an address in Troon.
He died of lung cancer at 30 Darley Crescent, Troon on 5 September 1960. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | The Cross, Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland | Business | 1909 * | After 1914 | | | Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | 1911 * | | | | Branford, off Bentinck Drive, Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private/business(?) | Before 1923 | 1939 or after 1940 | | | 30, Darley Crescent, Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1925 | After 1950 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | John Turnbull | 1911 | 1912 | Assistant | | | Ronald McPherson Watson Young | May 1925 | Before May 1929 | Apprentice | |
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | John Eaglesham | 20 March 1911 | for Licentiateship | | James Kennedy Hunter | 20 March 1911 | for Licentiateship | | Andrew Robertson | 20 March 1911 | for Licentiateship |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | | | Close, Robert | 1992 | Ayrshire and Arran, an Illustrated Architectural Guide | | Edinburgh: RIAS | p47 | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p68 | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1914 | | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Additional research by Iain Paterson | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L v14 no987 |
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