Basic Biographical Details Name: | Smart, Stewart & Mitchell | Designation: | | Born: | 1924 | Died: | 1970s | Bio Notes: | The firm of Smart Stewart & Mitchell grew out of the practice of David Smart, born in Alyth in 1824. It is not known where Smart was first apprenticed but 'for many years' he worked in the office of David Bryce. The office legend was that they quarrelled, resulting in Smart leaving to buy William Macdonald Mackenzie's Perth practice from his widow, and that the quarrel was quickly regretted and made up; Bryce presented Smart with a plaster copy of his bust by George McCallum, which was still in the entrance hall of their office in the 1960s.
Smart's early Scots baronial and Italian Renaissance work is indistinguishable from Bryce's. By the late 1870s his public and commercial buildings had become Victorian late classic with French roofs, a development perhaps associated with James Smart, who was either his nephew or his son and was his partner from at least 1887 as D & J Smart. This partnership was dissolved in 1895, probably due to a family disagreement relating to the readmission of John Walker Smart, James's son (born 1872), to the practice. John had been articled to his father in 1888 and had subsequent experience with Kinnear & Peddie in Edinburgh in 1892, with McLuckie & Walker in Stirling in 1893 and with Thomas Martin Cappon in Dundee in 1894. David retained the existing office at 42 Tay Street, Perth and James opened his own office at 28 York Place in the same town with his son as chief assistant, entering into partnership with him in 1900 as James Smart & Son.
On 1 January 1907 David Smart took into partnership his senior assistant Donald Alexander Stewart, born 1876, educated at Sharp's Institution, Perth, and articled to Smart from 1892 to 1896. The firm became known as Smart & Stewart.
Smart retired in or about 1911 at the age of 86 and died in 13 October 1914 at the age of ninety. Stewart continued the practice alone under the same name. In early 1911 he was admitted LRIBA, his proposers being George Penrose Kennedy Young and William Fleming Wilkie. In 1919 he employed Robert Matthew Mitchell as an assistant, taking him into partnership five years later, the firm name becoming Smart Stewart & Mitchell. Mitchell was slightly older, born in 1874 and had been apprenticed in a 'workshop' (presumably a joiner's). He was essentially self-taught, having gained a place in the office of James Graham Fairley in Edinburgh in 1896 without any formal apprenticeship. In 1898 he had moved to the Stirling firm of McLuckie and Walker and in 1901 had commenced practice at 27 King Street, Crieff. Owing to lack of business he had emigrated to Edmonton, Alberta, in 1911, securing admission as LRIBA on 20 July just prior to his departure. Whilst in Edmonton he had been employed first by Roland Walter Lines and then as chief draughtsman and subsequently chief architect to the Edmonton Public School Board. He had returned to Scotland on war service in 1916 and had chosen to remain.
Stewart died in January 1940, Mitchell continuing the practice alone. In 1947 Mitchell took into partnership James Morrison and Harold Carmichael Miller, although the firm name continued as Smart Stewart & Mitchell. Mitchell died on 28 September 1949. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 40, Tay Street, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1929 | 1960s | Firm's address as above in correspondence between 26 September 1961 and 26 May 1970; in correspondence between 21 December 1970 and 24 July 1973, the address is 36 George Street, Perth. | | 36, George Street, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Business | 1970 | After 1973 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
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 | | After 1919 | Auchterarder Parish Church | Auchterarder | | Perthshire | Scotland | New aisle windows | | 1920 or 1930 | Meikleour Hall and Institute | Meikleour Village | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1921 | Auchterarder UF Church Hall | Auchterarder | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1923 | Perth Masonic Temple | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1924 | Gannochy Housing Estate | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1924 | Kincarrathie House, cricket pavilion | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | After 1924(?) | Business block for Messrs Campbell & McLaggan | Perth? | | Perthshire? | Scotland | Unclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell | | After 1924(?) | Business block for Messrs Grove & Sons | Perth? | | Perthshire? | Scotland | Unclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell | | After 1924(?) | Masonic Lodge | Blairgowrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell | | After 1924(?) | Moncrieff Arms Hotel | Bridge of Earn | | Perthshire | Scotland | Reconstruction and additions - unclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell | | After 1924(?) | Sports pavilion | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell | | 1925 | The Filling Station | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1926 | 12-16 St John's Place | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1926 | 8 South St John Place | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Extension | | 1927 | Finlayson Memorial Hall | Auchterarder | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1927 | Hillside House | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1927 | Perth Savings Bank | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Extensions | | 1927 | Royal George Hotel | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Reconstruction | | 1929 | James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum, Gilgal house | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Won competition to secure job | | 1929 | Kinnoull Parish Church | Kinnoull | | Perthshire | Scotland | Interior recast | | 1929 | The Monument | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Art Gallery and Museum addition to south | | 1931 | 10-16 King Edward Street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1931 | Comrie Free Church | Comrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | Furnishings | | 1931 | Shop, St John Street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Remodelling of shop front | | 1932 | Hillside House | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions to the north | | 1933 | Premises of Garvie & Syme | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | New shopfront | | 1934 | 152-156 South Street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1934 | Perth UF Church | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum, staff residences | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | St Finnian's Episcopal Church | Lochgelly | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1938 | Kilspindie Parish Church | Kilspindie | | Perthshire | Scotland | Interior recast | | 1939 | Blairgowrie Golf Club, Rosemount | Blairgowrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1939 | James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum, nurses' home | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1961 | Store and lock-up garages, The Garage, Station Road | Errol | | Perthshire | Scotland | Proposed - not executed | | 1968 | Farm Cottage, Burnfoot Farm | Kinfauns | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1969 | Farm cottage, Mammiesroom Farm | Grange, Errol | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1971 | Bungalow, Chapelhill | St Maddoes | | Perthshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesPeriodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 26 January 1940 | | | Obituary of Stewart | | Municipal Engineering | 25 January 1940 | | | Obituary of Stewart | | RIBA Journal | January 1950 | v57 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p120 - obituary of Robert Matthew Mitchell |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Courtesy of Peter Symon, from family firm archives | Information sent to Dictionary | | Sent September 2016 | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Personal information from J Morrison and H C Miller | | Smart, Stewart & Mitchell, Perth - in 1960s) | Smart, Stewart & Mitchell Practice Drawings | | |
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