Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Syme | Designation: | | Born: | Before 1884 | Died: | c. 1923 | Bio Notes: | No details are currently known of the background of William Syme, who worked in partnership with John Daniel Swanston from 1904, the office being located in Redburn Wynd, Kirkcaldy.
Swanston (born in Dundee in 1868) had previously been in practice in Kirkcaldy with _____ Legge after serving an apprenticeship with William Simpson of Stirling, and assistantships with Leadbetter & Fairley of Edinburgh, Alexander Cullen of Glasgow and Hamilton and James Graham Fairley of Edinburgh. From his earliest years in Kirkcaldy he was prominent in public life, becoming town councillor for the Second Ward and a burgess in November 1900. He was convener of the Street Committee from November 1904 to November 1908.
Syme was also a town councillor but resigned this to undertake a commission for housing for the Town Council 1920-23. Syme appears to have formed a temporary partnership with William Williamson and William Barnet Wyllie c. 1920 for the purpose of housing scheme work, whilst remaining in partnership with Swanston. He predeceased Swanston, the latter thereafter practising alone until he retired in 1951 at the age of eighty-three.
The practice specialised in theatre, cinema and public house work, mostly in a bold neo-baroque or half-timbered neo-Tudor idiom. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Redburn Wynd, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Business | 1904 | Before 1918 | | | Millie Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Business | 1918 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Swanston & Syme | 1904 | | Partner | | | Williamson, Wyllie & Syme | 1920 * | | Partner | |
* earliest date known from documented sources. Employees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Arthur Forbes Cargill | 1920 | Before 1924 | Apprentice | |
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 | | 1893 | Auchterderran, Cemetery | Auchterderran | | Fife | Scotland | 'Cemetery with sexton's lodge, mortuary and offices' | | 1904 | Kelso Town Hall | Kelso | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Reconstruction and replacement of original 1816 building | | 1905 | Pair of villas, Balwearie Road and Balwearie Crescent | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1905 | Tenement (and Malcolm's House at rear), High Street | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations | | 1905 | Villa, Balwearie Road | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1905 | Villa, Balwearie Road | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1906 | St Columba's Episcopal Church, Linktown | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1907 | Fife Linoleum Company Factory | Pathhead, Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1907 | Gaiety Theatre | Methil | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1907 | Hippodrome Theatre | | | Dundee | Scotland | Designs | | 1908 | Hall for Bowhill Public House Society Ltd | Bowhill, Auchterderran | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1909 | Alexandra Theatre | | | Belfast | Northern Ireland | | | 1909 | King's Theatre (and tenement) | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations | | 1910 | Free Church, Millie Street | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1912 | Ingleside Steel Foundry | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1913 | Dunfermline Opera House and Hippodrome | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | New interior within existing shell | | 1914 | National Bank of Scotland, Pathhead Branch | Pathhead, Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1918 | The Cedars | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Dining room extension | | 1920 | Bowhill Public House, No 1 Gothenburg | Bowhill | | Fife | Scotland | Clock tower added | | 1920 | Fifty houses for Kirkcaldy Town Council | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1920 | Forty houses, Overton Road | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1920 | Houses, Overton Road site, for Kirkcaldy Town Council | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | 40 houses | | 1920 | Twenty-four houses for Kirkcaldy Town Council | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1923 | Houses, Overton Road site, for Kirkcaldy Town Council | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | 32 houses | | Early 1900s | Pair of villas | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | 'Possibly' (HS) |
ReferencesCurrently, 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. |