Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Davidson
Designation:  
Born: 1789
Died: 9 February 1853
Bio Notes: William Davidson was born in 1789 and baptised on 20 April of that year, the son of John Davidson and his wife Elizabeth Ross of Buckies and Aimster, Thurso, the Davidsons being an old and well-established Caithness farming family. He is said to have studied in England as an architect and spent the years 1809-1811 in London.

Despite his years spent in England Davidson's designs show little originality and his drawings are rather crude. His church designs are all of traditional design and layout.

Besides his work as an architect Davidson was also a builder, a farmer on the large arable farm of Old Hall, Watten and for a period acted as a land agent. He died at Old Hall, Watten on 9 February 1853. In his obituary he is described as having been 'affable and gentlemanly in his manners, and scrupulously honourable in his dealings … eminently respected by all who knew him'.

There may be a merging in this record of two generations of William Davidsons. The census of 1851 shows a William Davidson at Old Hall, Watten, who was 'Farmer Factor & J P F 850 Acres 18 Lab' but he was born in 1811 so might well have been the son of William Davidson, born in 1789. Some further confusion may have arisen because William Davidson architect and land surveyor wrote a book entitled 'Arithmetic and Measurement improved by examples and plain demonstrations' which was published in 1779 in London.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1ScotlandBusiness   

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 221811Sarclet PierWick CaithnessScotland 
Item 2 of 221817Ballintraid PierInvergordon Ross and CromartyScotlandProbably acted as contractor
Item 3 of 221819Forse HouseLatheron CaithnessScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 4 of 221820Wick Old Parish ChurchWick CaithnessScotlandProbably acted as contractor and local executant architect, working to John Henry's designs
Item 5 of 221821Latheron Parish ChurchLatheron CaithnessScotlandBelfry and north aisle added
Item 6 of 221823Pultneytown HarbourWick CaithnessScotlandWork on harbour
Item 7 of 221825Town HallWick CaithnessScotlandActed as contractor and executant architect
Item 8 of 221827Berriedale Parliamentary Church and ManseLatheron CaithnessScotlandActed as contractor
Item 9 of 221829Commercial Bank of Scotland, WickWick CaithnessScotlandProbably acted as contractor and executant architect
Item 10 of 221829Kinlochbervie Parliamentary Church and ManseKinlochbervie SutherlandScotlandActed as contractor
Item 11 of 221829Rhuestoer (or Stoer) Parliamentary Church and manseRhuestoer SutherlandScotlandActed as contractor
Item 12 of 221830Mission Chapel, BruanLatheron CaithnessScotland 
Item 13 of 221833Westfield Bridge over Forss RoverHallkirk CaithnessScotland 
Item 14 of 22c. 1835Barrock House and Barrock Mains Home Farm  CaithnessScotlandHouse and farmhouse - attribution by Elizabeth Beaton on stylistic grounds
Item 15 of 221836St Mary's Chapel of EaseLybster CaithnessScotland 
Item 16 of 221841Bridge over Berriedale WaterBraemore, Latheron CaithnessScotland 
Item 17 of 22c. 1841Braemore LodgeLatheron CaithnessScotlandAttribution by Elizabeth Beaton
Item 18 of 221842Causeymire Mission ChapelHalsary CaithnessScotland 
Item 19 of 221842Pultneytown Parish ChurchWick CaithnessScotlandOriginal church
Item 20 of 221847Bower Parish ChurchBower CaithnessScotlandOriginal church
Item 21 of 22Before 1853Stanstill, farmhouse, steading, farm servant's house and farm cottagesStanstill CaithnessScotlandFarmhouse
Item 22 of 22Before 1853Watten, Old Hall farmhouseWatten CaithnessScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Beaton, Elizabeth1996Caithness: An Illustrated Architectural Guide Edinburgh: Rutland Pressp18, 21, 74
Item 2 of 3Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 
Item 3 of 3Mill, Hugh Robert1951An autobiography London: Longmansp6

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2John O' Groats Journal11 February 1853  Obituary
Item 2 of 2Northampton Mercury17 May 1779