Basic Biographical Details Name: | Kerr & McCulloch | Designation: | | Born: | 1902 | Died: | 1911 | Bio Notes: | George Alexander Kerr was born in Lockerbie in 1865 and was articled to Frank James Chambers Carruthers in Lockerbie c.1882, remaining with him as a draughtsman for eighteen months until March 1889. Carruthers described him as 'a good accountant and penman, and an excellent calculator of quantities' and reported that his experience with him had 'a much greater variety of work than he would have had in a city office … farm buildings on various estates including hunting stables etc.'
Armed with other testimonials from local solicitors and bankers, Kerr obtained a place in the office of Andrew Scobie in Dunfermline who became a lifelong friend. After five months he moved to Haddo Estate Office in Aberdeenshire in August 1889 as assistant clerk of works to prepare plans of the Haddo Estate and design new farm buildings. Although he was latterly in full charge as clerk of works his duties there ended in July 1890. An approach from the Earl of Aberdeen to W W Robertson seeking a place for him in H M Office of Works was unsuccessful but a testimonial from the Earl of Aberdeen's father and perhaps the intervention of the Earl himself secured a place in the office of J T Wimperis & Arber, London, architects to the Invercauld estate and architects of the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen's house at 27 Grosvenor Square, London in 1886-88, where he remained until March 1893. A letter to Kerr from Aberdeen records that Wimperis had informed him 'in very cordial terms of their satisfaction with your work'.
At that stage Kerr planned to commence practice in Dumfries, but found the situation there unpromising. Later in the same year he moved to Alloa as assistant to Adam Frame and it was there he set up practice on his own account in 1896 from his house at 30 Mar Street. The practice had prospered sufficiently for Kerr to build semi-detached houses in Claremont in 1898, one for his own occupation, but a bout of pneumonia and consequent loss of earnings resulted in both houses being sold.
About 1902 Kerr took William McCulloch into partnership. McCulloch was born in c.1873 and was articled to John Kinross for three years from September 1889 and remained as assistant until July 1896, studying at Heriot-Watt and 'School of Art' probably the School of Applied Art. From 1896 he was employed as assistant and clerk of works to other architects and when he passed the qualifying exam in 1897 and was admitted ARIBA on 7 March 1898 he was living at 1 St Mary's Street, St Andrews.
The work of the Kerr & McCulloch partnership was of considerable originality culminating in two schools but the partnership ended about 1911 when McCulloch emigrated to Tasmania and allowed his associateship to lapse. Kerr continued to practise in Alloa. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 30, Mar Street, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland | Business | 1911 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Measurers\' Companion | 1911 | The Scottish Architects' and Measurers' Companion | | | |
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