Basic Biographical Details Name: | George Walton | Designation: | | Born: | 3 June 1867 | Died: | 10 December 1933 | Bio Notes: | George Henry Walton was born in Glasgow on 3 June 1867, the youngest of the twelve children of Jackson Walton, a Manchester commission agent, by his second wife, the Aberdeen-born Quaker Eliza Ann Nicholson: the painter Edward Arthur Walton, born near Barrhead on 15 April 1860 was his elder brother and the flower painter Constance Walton his sister. The Waltons had settled in Glasgow in 1862, Jackson becoming first a manufacturer of steam boiler coverings and later a manufacturing chemist, neither successfully. He was, however, a good amateur painter and photographer: one of his elder daughters, the decorative artist, Helen, born 1850, also had marked ability, studying at Glasgow School of Design from 1865 and becoming artistic mentor to the younger members of the family. Jackson died in 1873 leaving his family in reduced circumstances. George had to leave Partick Academy in 1881 at the age of thirteen to become a clerk with the British Linen Bank, but while in its employ he studied at Glasgow School of Art (as the School of Design had become in 1869) and took classes with P McGregor Wilson at the short-lived Glasgow Atelier Fine Arts.
In 1888 Miss Catherine Cranston commissioned Walton to re-design the interiors of the tea rooms at 114 Argyle Street, Glasgow (originally opened in 1878). Walton gave up banking and opened showrooms entitled George Walton & Co, Ecclesiastical and House Decorators, at 152 Wellington Street. In 1890 he took on Robert Graham who was to become manager of the company in 1903-05, and in the same year (1890) he became acquainted with the Quaker architect Fred Rowntree through an amateur dramatic performance. In 3 June of the following year Walton married Kate Gall, a London girl whose parents were well-off with good connections, and set up house in Burnet's newly-built Charing Cross Mansions. A daughter was born in 1892.
The Walton firm quickly expanded into woodwork, furniture making and stained glass and from 1896 Walton collaborated with Rowntree on Rowntree family projects in Scarborough and on a large house at Dunblane. Later in the same year Walton was commissioned to decorate and furnish Miss Cranston's Buchanan Street tea room which had been designed by George Washington Browne. In 1897 Walton followed his brother Edward to London where he set up house and studio at 16 Westbourne Park Road, Bayswater. The catalyst appears to have been the commission to design the Photographic Salon in the Dudley Gallery which came to him through his friendship with the Glasgow photographer James Craig Annan. It led to a further commission from George Davison for the Eastman Exhibition in the New Gallery in Regent Street in the same year, and in turn to a series of Eastman Kodak showrooms in London, Glasgow, Brussels, Milan, Vienna and Moscow which brought him international fame. (Walton joined the Art Workers guild in 1901 and served on the Committee from 1913-15).
A George Walton & Co showroom was opened in York's Stonegate in 1898 and in Glasgow a four-storey block of workshops was built in Buccleuch Street in 1899-1900. But from 1901 Walton began to undertake complete buildings having learned enough of building construction from his showroom alterations and his work with Fred Rowntree, his first being The Leys for the photographic magnate J B B Wellington of Wellington & Ward and previously of the Eastman company. Walton moved from Wesbourne Park Road to a more fashionable address at 44 Holland Park Road, and on 17 January 1903 he resigned from George Walton & Co as the time he could give to it had become limited. The York showroom closed in the same year and on 30 June 1905 the other partners wound up the company, their designer Robert Paterson setting up his own business entitled 'The Crafts'. Thereafter Walton practised exclusively as an architect and designer in private practice and was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, his proposer being his long-standing friend Charles Edward Mallows. Since 1905 he had operated from a still grander house, 26 Emperor's Gate, Kensington, but with the outbreak of war,work tailed off. Kate died and the financial support of the Gall family died with her. Their daughter Marguerite married a doctor in the RAMC and the Emperor's Gate house was given up. In 1916 Walton moved to Carlisle as assistant architect and designer to the Central Control Board (liquor traffic) working under the supervision of Harry Redfern on a series of hurried public house refurbishments.
On 20 November 1918 Walton married a colleague at the Central Control Board, Dorothy (Daphne) Jeram, the daughter of a Hampshire doctor: a son was born in 1920. Walton resigned from the Central Control Board in 1919 to resume private practice, but this proved difficult to re-establish despite the continuing support of Davison, Wellington and the Scottish portrait-painter W O Hutchinson who had married his niece. His practice was now mainly as a textile designer for Morton Sundour Fabrics of Carlisle, but in August 1930 Sir James Morton had to cease commissioning designs partly because of the severity of the recession and partly because the prevailing fashion for Art Deco resulted in too few of his designs being put into production. Davison died in December of the same year and in March 1931 the Waltons had to give up their London house and studio and move to 70 Seabrook Road, Hythe, where living costs were cheaper.
Walton died depressed and frustrated by lack of work of any kind on 10 December 1933. John Betjeman obtained a civil list pension for his widow. The drawings and photographs relating to his later practice are in the British Archtectural Library Collection. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | George Walton & Co/152, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1888 | | | | Workshops, Buccleuch Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1889 | 1900 | | | Charing Cross Mansions, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1891 | | | | 16, Westbourne Park Road, Bayswater, London, England | Private/business | 1897 | | | | George Walton & Co, Stonegate, York, Yorkshire, England | Business | 1898 | 1903 | | | 44, Holland Park Road, London, England | Private | c. 1902 | | | | 26, Emperor's Gate, South Kensington, London, England | Private/business | 1905 | Before 1916 | | | 70, Seabrook Road, Hythe, Kent, England | Private | March 1931 | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Alexander Ross Lindsay | 1898 | 1900 | Assistant | |
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | Charles Edward Mallows | 20 July 1911 | for Licentiateship |
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 | | | 4 Devonshire Gardens | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Stained-glass window - date not known | | | The Croft | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Chimneypiece in studio | | 1888 | Miss Cranston's Tea Rooms, Argyle Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors of tea room | | 1890 | Premises for T & R Annan, Sauchiehall Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors | | 1890 | St Peter's Episcopal Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interior decoration | | 1891 | 15 Grosvenor Crescent | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors | | 1891 | 203 Bath Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors | | 1891 | 5 Dundonald Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors | | 1891 | 7 Woodside Place | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors | | 1891 | Fancy fair stage set for Glasgow Society of Lady Artists | | | Glasgow | Scotland | In conjunction with Fred Rowntree | | 1891 | Shop for Neilson Shaw & MacGregor, silk merchants | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1891 | The Glen | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Interiors | | 1891 | Thornton Lodge | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Interiors | | 1892 | 8 Great Western Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Stair window | | c. 1892 | Shop and photographic studios | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1893 | Drumalis | Larne | | County Antrim | Northern Ireland | Interiors | | 1893 | East Park | Barrhead | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Interiors | | 1895 | John Rowntree & Sons Café | Scarborough | | Yorkshire | England | With Stark & Rowntree | | 1895 | Lady Artists' Club, Blythswood Square | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Designs for Fancy Fair, with Stark & Rowntree | | 1896 | Drawing Room | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1896 | Lady Artists' Club, Blythswood Square | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Gallery, with Stark & Rowntree | | 1896 | Miss Cranston's Tea Rooms, Buchanan Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interior furnishings | | c. 1896 | Glenbank | Lenzie | | Dunbartonshire/Lanarkshire | Scotland | Interiors | | 1897 | Bedford House | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors | | 1897 | Dudley Gallery, photographic salon (temporary exhibition) | | | London | England | | | 1897 | Eastman Exhibition, New Gallery | | | London | England | | | 1897 | Ledcameroch | Bearsden | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interior decoration - hall and drawing room | | 1897 | The Anchor Tea Room | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Remodelling | | 1897 | The Cabin Tea Room | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Remodelling | | 1897 | The Mecca Tea Room | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Remodelling | | 1897 | The Orient Tea Room | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Remodelling | | 1897 | William Rowntree's department store | Scarborough | | Yorkshire | England | Tea room | | 1898 | Beechcroft | Molesey | | Surrey | England | Interior work and furniture | | 1898 | Elm Bank | York | | Yorkshire | England | Remodelling of interior - with A J Penty | | 1898 | Exhibition stand for Wellington & Ward, Crystal Palace | | | London | England | | | 1898 | Kodak Shop | | | London | England | | | 1898 | Miss Cranston's Tea Rooms, Argyle Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors | | 1898 | Parkinson's Café | | | Doncaster | England | Interiors | | 1898 | Premises for Eastman Photographic Materials Co | | | London | England | Interiors | | 1898 | Royal Glasgow Institute, Warneuke Exhibition interior | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1899 | Artists Guild Exhibition, photographic stands | | | | | | | 1899 | Kodak showroom | | | Brussels | Belgium | | | 1899 | The White House | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Furnishings | | 1899 | Workshops for George Walton & Co | | | Glasgow | Scotland | With Stark & Rowntree | | After 1899 | The Hall | Harlech | | Gwynedd | Wales | | | 1900 | Aultwharrie | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | With Rowntree | | 1900 | Kodak Showroom | | | London | England | | | c. 1900 | 17-45 Cleveden Road and 1-98 Beaconsfield Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Refurbishment of no 31 | | c. 1900 | 28 Kensington Court | | | London | England | Interiors | | 1901 | 44 Holland Street | Kensington | | London | England | Interiors | | 1901 | Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901, 'Little House' stand for G Walton & Co | Kelvingrove Park | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1901 | Kodak Showroom | | | London | England | | | 1901 | The Leys | Elstree | | Hertfordshire | England | | | c. 1901 | Kodak Showroom | | | Moscow | Russia | | | c. 1901 | Kodak Showroom | | | Dublin | Eire | | | c. 1901 | Kodak Showroom | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | c. 1901 | Kodak Showroom | | | Milan | Italy | | | c. 1901 | Kodak Showroom | | | Vienna | Austria | | | 1902 | 11 Kelvin Drive | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interior work | | 1902 | Alma House | Cheltenham | | Gloucestershire | England | Interiors | | 1902 | Armadale | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interior work | | 1902 | Crystal Palace, American Exhibition, Kodak Stand | | | London | England | | | 1902 | Finnart House | Weybridge | | Surrey | England | Interiors | | 1902 | House for Carl Bembé | | | Mainz | Germany | Interiors. (With Emanuel Seidl of Munich) | | 1902 | The Log Cabin Houseboat | River Thames | | London | England | Interiors | | c. 1902 | The Phillipines, Idle Hill | Brasted Chart | | Kent | England | Interiors | | 1905 | Exhibtion Room | | | Berlin | Germany | | | 1905 | House (possibly called Jordaens) | | | Brussels | Belgium | Interiors | | c. 1905 | 26 Emperor's Gate | | | London | England | Interiors | | 1907 | St David's Hotel | Harlech | | Gwynedd | Wales | | | 1908 | The White House | Shiplake | | Oxfordshire | England | House and gardener's house | | 1908 | Wern Fawr | Harlech | | Gwynedd | Wales | | | 1909 | St John's | Ryde | Isle of Wight | Hampshire | England | | | c. 1909 | Halcyon Club | | | London | England | Interiors | | 1910 | Wern Fawr | Harlech | | Gwynedd | Wales | Further work | | 1910 | Wern Fawr | Harlech | | Gwynedd | Wales | Music room block | | c. 1910 | Shop for Waterer & Dickens | Bromley | | London? | England | | | c. 1911 | 50 Victoria Road | Kensington | | London | England | Alterations | | 1914 | 32 Holland Park | | | London | England | Interiors | | 1914 | Shop for Wellington & Ward | | | London | England | | | 1916 | Gretna Tavern | Carlisle | | Cumberland | England | Conversion of former post office to tavern. With Harry Redfern | | 1916 | Lion and Lamb Tavern | | | Cumberland | England | With Harry Redfern | | 1916 | The Globe Tavern | Longtown | | Cumberland | England | With Harry Redfern | | c. 1916 | Studio interior work for Malcolm Arbuthnot | | | London | England | | | 1919 | St Peter's Episcopal Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Reredos | | 1919 | The Log Hut, Spade Oak Reach | Bourne End | | Buckinghamshire | England | | | 1920 | Bank of England | | | London | England | Garden layout | | 1921 | 12 Little Stanhope Street | | | London | England | Interior decoration | | 1921 | Terrace of four houses | Shepherd's Bush | | London | England | | | 1921 | The Leys | Elstree | | Hertfordshire | England | Lodge and gates | | 1922 | Church of All Saints | Borehamwood | | Hertfordshire | England | | | c. 1922 | Parish Hall | Borehamwood | | Hertfordshire | England | | | 1923 | Chateau des Enfants | | | Cap d'Antibes | France | Interiors | | 1923 | The Leys | Elstree | | Hertfordshire | England | New wing | | 1925 | 34 Ladbrooke Road | | | London | England | Minor alterations | | 1927 | St Anne's Church | Derby | | Derbyshire | England | Reredos | | 1929 | The Old Vicarage | Letheringham | | Suffolk | England | Reconstruction | | 1931 | Chapel of St George | | | Cap d'Antibes | France | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Allan, I | 1985 | George Walton at Harlech | | Journal of the Merioneth Historical and Record Society, v10, p77-84 | | | Beauty's Awakening | | Beauty's Awakening: The Centenary Exhibition of the Art Workers' Guild | | Brighton Museum September -November 1984, Royal Pavilion Brighton | | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | | | Carruthers, Annette | 2013 | The Arts and Crafts Movement in Scotland: a history | | | pp76-89 | | Jones, David | 1991 | George Walton's revival of Scottish furniture types | | Scotland and Europe architecture and design 1850-1940, ed J Frew and D Jones, p59-66 | | | Moon, Karen | 1980 | George Walton & Co: work for commercial organisations: The Rowntree firms | no 5 | The Journal of the Decorative Arts Society | | | Moon, Karen | 1993 | George Walton, Designer and Architect | | | | | Pevsner, N | | Studies in architecture and design | | | v2, p176-188 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 15 December 1933 | | | | | RIBA Journal | 3 April 1939 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Article by N. Pevsner pp537-548 | | The Studio | 1906 | | | p33 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L v21 no1652 |
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