Basic Biographical Details Name: | Thoms & Wilkie | Designation: | | Born: | June 1901 | Died: | 1975 | Bio Notes: | Patrick Hill Thoms was born in 1873 at Kilmacolm. His father Thomas Smith Thoms came of an old and very influential Angus family of farmers and solicitors. He was educated at Harris Academy, Dundee and articled to Charles & Leslie Ower in 1889, taking classes at Dundee Technical Institute and University College. After completing his apprenticeship he left to become an assistant to Thomas Martin Cappon, latterly managing his Brechin office. During that period he became influenced by William Gillespie Lamond who was a senior assistant in both the Ower and Cappon offices, although the years they spent there do not seem to have significantly overlapped as Lamond joined Cappon's office only when Thoms was leaving to set up practice in his own account in 1898, initially at 18 Commercial Street. In the same year, thanks to Cappon's activities as president of the Dundee Institute of Architects, he was appointed the first part-time lecturer in architecture at Dundee Technical College and School of Art, founding the Dundee School of Architecture.
In June 1901 Thoms went into partnership with a former colleague at Cappon's, William Fleming Wilkie. Born on 24 July 1876 of a landed family, the Wilkies of Mylnefield, Invergowrie, an estate which he ultimately inherited, Wilkie had been articled to Thomas Martin Cappon in 1892 and remained with him as an assistant until 1897. During that period he had taken classes at the Dundee Technical Institute. He had then gone to London as assistant to James Glen Sivewright Gibson, initially during his partnership with Samuel Bridgman Russell, leaving in 1900 to join the LCC Architects Department where he had worked under William Edward Riley and Owen Fleming. He had studied at the RA Schools and the Architectural Association throughout his period in London, until his return to Dundee in 1901 to join Thoms in partnership. The partnership flourished and moved to a larger office at 46 Reform Street in 1904, Wilkie had remodelled Kingoodie House for his own occupation in 1899. Thoms was not then married but lived at Grayburn, Benvie, a fine Arts and Crafts house he had built in 1907 for his father's retirement. Both partners were early recognised as having exceptional ability; Thoms was elected president of the Dundee Institute of Architects in 1904 at the very early age of thirty-one and Wilkie in 1910 when he was thirty-four: both were admitted FRIBA in 1906, Thoms's proposers being Leslie Ower, William Mackison and James Glen Sivewright Gibson and Wilkie's William Alfred Pite, Richard Phené Spiers and Gibson. Although neither had travelled abroad before commencing practice, Thoms had visited Holland, Belgium, Germany and France within the eight years prior to his admittance as Fellow.
Wilkie moved to Alleyne House, St Andrews about 1910 and subsequently about 1921 to Craigower also in St Andrews. An office was opened at 81 North Street there but Wilkie did not need to work and had little taste for post-war practice. Although he is said to have remained nominally a partner until 1930, he withdrew from Thoms & Wilkie's Dundee practice in 1923 and thereafter practised only from Craigower, his house in St Andrews, a move which coincided with the partnership's takeover of the practice of Captain William Walker who had died in that year. Some two years earlier the practice had moved to 21 South Tay Street, where it remained.
When Wilkie retired completely in 1925 Frank Pride was sent to St Andrews to manage the office there, but in 1927 it was closed, the business there passing to Pride. In the same year Thoms took into partnership Donald Ross, who had been his chief assistant since 1920. The name of the firm remained unchanged, however, and in 1934 Ross left to become a partner in the practice of Carver & Symon, which then became Carver Symon & Ross, Thoms taking on his nephew Thomas Hill Thoms as partner in the same year. Thomas Hill Thoms had been born on 21 October 1908 in Invergowrie, Perthshire and educated at Dundee High School and Morrison's Academy in Crieff. He had begun his architectural training with his uncle in 1925, studying at Dundee School of Architecture, and two years later had transferred to the office of Wright & Wylie (soon to become Wylie Wright & Wylie) in Glasgow, continuing his studies at the Glasgow School of Architecture where he qualified in 1932. In the latter year he was awarded the John Keppie scholarship which enabled him to spend two months travelling in Italy, as well as gaining second prize in the Rowand Anderson studentship. He was admitted ARIBA in late 1932, his proposers being his uncle, Charles Geddes Soutar and William Salmond, by which time he had returned to his uncle's practice. Patrick was a member of the Council of the Dundee Institute of Architects c.1930, and Thomas c.1939.
Thomas Hill Thoms served with the Royal Engineers during the Second World War but was invalided out having obtained the rank of Captain, thereafter returning to the family firm.
Patrick Hill Thoms died on 11 January 1946 leaving estate of £5174 8s 8d, his wife having predeceased him in 1932. Thomas Hill Thoms continued the practice under the same name thereafter, purchasing the fine house his uncle had built for himself - Greywalls, Binrock, Perth Road, Dundee - a quarter of a century later. He was elected FRIBA on 4 April 1950, proposed by John Needham, Graham Conacher Young and John Donald Mills. In 1957 he was elected President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, the youngest man at that date to hold the office.
William Fleming Wilkie died at St Joseph's Nursing Home, Oxford on 23 July 1961, his ashes being interred in Longforgan Churchyard. He was survived by his wife Christine and daughters Elspeth, June and Marguerite. Thomas Hill Thoms died on 10 April 1987. He was survived by his wife Sheila and his two sons and a daughter. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 18, Commercial Street, Dundee, Scotland | Business | 1901 | 1904 | | | 46, Reform Street, Dundee, Scotland | Business | 1904 | 1921 | | | 21, South Tay Street, Dundee, Scotland | Business | 1921 | 1975 | | | 81, North Street, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland | Business | After 1921 | 1927 | Branch office |
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 | | | Angus Folk Museum | Glamis | | Angus | | Conversion | | 1901 | Balruddery House | | | Angus | Scotland | Studio and curling club house | | 1901 | Dunlappie | Edzell | | Angus | Scotland | Took over from Deas - may have been influenced by Deas' work and perhaps adapted from his design | | 1901 | St Paul's Free Church | | | Dundee | Scotland | Alterations; organ case; new doorway to Nethergate | | 1902 | Edzell Parish Church | Edzell | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1902 | Grange Golf Club House | Monifieth | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1902 | Longforgan UF Church | Invergowrie | | Perthshire/Angus | Scotland | Memorial tablet | | 1902 | South UF Church | Kirriemuir | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1903 | Doctor's house | Liff | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1903 | Drumgeith | | | Dundee (near) | Scotland | Complete remodelling of plain late Georgian house | | 1904 | Baldragon | Downfield | | Dundee (near) | Scotland | | | 1904 | Bowling Green Club House | Invergowrie | | Perthshire/Angus | Scotland | | | 1904 | Clepington UF Church | Clepington | | Dundee | Scotland | Placed first in competition but did not secure the job | | 1904 | Cottages, Wortley Place | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1904 | Muirhead of Liff School | Muirhead of Liff | | Angus | Scotland | Addition to old building; new building | | 1904 | Offices, Monifieth Foundry | Monifieth | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1904 | The Hirsel | Ninewells | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1905 | Grayburn House | Benvie | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1905 | Luthriebank | Luthrie | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1905 | Morar | Ninewells | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1905 | Newburgh UF Church | Newburgh | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1906 | Blocks of dwelling houses, Wolseley Street | Clepington | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1906 | Kinpurnie Castle | Newtyle | | Angus | Scotland | Shooting lodge, entrance lodge, stable & garage | | 1906 | Longforgan UF Church | Invergowrie | | Perthshire/Angus | Scotland | Addition of tower and apse | | 1906 | Murrayfield | Pittenweem | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1906 | Nyora | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1907 | County Buildings | Cupar | | Fife | Scotland | Extension to east - won 1907 competition to secure job; work executed 1924-5 | | 1908 | St John's Episcopal Church and Halls | | | Dundee | Scotland | Church refurnished and altered | | 1909 | Lochee Cabinet Factory | Lochee | | Dundee | Scotland | Alterations - new front | | 1910 | Gartmore House | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1910 | The Elms | Longforgan | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1910 | Villa, 1 Hazel Drive | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1910 | Villa, 1 Lawside Road | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1910 | Westerlea, St Colme's, Glomach | Longforgan | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | c. 1910 | Kellyfield House | | | Dundee | Scotland | Reconstruction | | c. 1910 | Lamb's Temperance Hotel | | | Dundee | Scotland | New interiors mainly coffee room | | 1911 | The Boreen | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1912 | Fairmuir Special School | Fairmuir | | Dundee | Scotland | Awarded second place in competition | | 1912 | Grange Cottage | Monifieth | | Angus | Scotland | Extension and remodelling of earlier mill house | | 1912 | Longforgan Parish Church and churchyard | Longforgan | | Perthshire | Scotland | Re-ordering and extension of churchyard with lychgate | | 1912 | Milton House | Monifieth | | Angus | Scotland | Extension and remodelling of earlier mill house known as Grange Cottage to form hotel | | 1912 | Pair of villas, Ashlea and Maywood | Longforgan | | Perthshire | Scotland | Attribution by HS | | 1913 | 4 Farington Street | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1913 | Ferncroft | Barnhill | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1913 | Fleuchar Craig Works, offices | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1913 | Scott Street works | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1915 | Parish Church | Eassie & Nevay | | Angus | Scotland | Alterations to windows at W | | 1915 | The Priory | Crail | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1916 | Drumgarth | | | Dundee, near | Scotland | | | 1916 | Tay Park | | | Dundee | Scotland | New north west wing | | 1919 | Logie Housing Scheme | | | Dundee | Scotland | Designed some areas within Logie. | | 1920 | Bakery at Lytton Street | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | c. 1920 | Cottages at Kingoodie | Kingoodie | | Angus | Scotland | | | c. 1920 | House for Wright | Carnoustie | | Angus | Scotland | | | c. 1920 | Morgan's Hospital | | | Dundee | Scotland | War memorial | | c. 1920 | St Paul's (South Church), War Memorial for 4th Black Watch | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | c. 1920 | The Hermitage, 1 Graham Street | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Attribution by Paul Mitchell | | c. 1920 | Town's Churches, St Mary's Church and church hall | | | Dundee | Scotland | Black Watch war memorial | | 1921 | Abbey Park Housing Estate | Pittenweem | | Fife | Scotland | Completion of job after Walker's death | | 1921 | House for E Macgregor | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1922 | Lochee Bedding Factory | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1922 | Rosemount House | Blairgowrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1922 | Victoria Café and Tea Garden | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1923 | Double villas, Kennedy Gardens and Donaldson Gardens | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1923 | Gordon Lodge | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1923 | Tom Morris House | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | New bathroom wing | | 1923 | West Park | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations | | Before 1923 | Wallacetown Parish Church, war memorial | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1924 | 108 Market Street | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | Shopfront | | 1925 | 16 Wortley Place | Maryfield | | Dundee | Scotland | Reconstruction | | 1925 | Cottage, Priory Acres | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1925 | House, 1 Panmure Place | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1925 | Police sergeant's house, police cells, charge room etc | Cupar | | Fife | Scotland | | | c. 1925 | House for John Tattersall | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | c. 1925 | Semi-detached houses, Hyndford Street | | | Dundee | Scotland | 'Style of' (HS) | | 1926 | Hamewith | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1926 | Harris Academy, Perth Road | | | Dundee | Scotland | Won competition to secure job. (Design by Donald Ross) | | 1926 | House and Garage for P S Low | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1927 | House for Very Reverend Provost A C Don | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1928 | Lochee Cabinet Factory | Lochee | | Dundee | Scotland | Alterations | | 1928 | Milton House | Monifieth | | Angus | Scotland | Further work | | 1928 | The Ridges, Farington Hall estate | | | Dundee | Scotland | With Donald Ross as assistant | | 1928 or 1946(?) | West End Garage | Broughty Ferry | | Dundee | Scotland | May have done the 1928 and/or the 1946 work | | 1929 | Aerated Water Factory and Office | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1929 | British and Argentine Meat Company Limited Premises | Hawkhill | | Dundee | Scotland | Alterations | | 1929 | Grey Walls | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1929 | House at Rosemount | Blairgowrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1929 | Rosemount House | Blairgowrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | Grieve's house | | 1929 | St David's in the North Church of Scotland | | | Dundee | Scotland | Superseded scheme by Todd & Miller | | 1930 | Bellfield Street RC School | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1930 | Panmure Villa | Broughty Ferry | | Dundee | Scotland | Alterations | | c. 1930 | St Roque's garage | | | Dundee | Scotland | Reconstruction and extension | | 1932 | South Mills (or South Mill) | | | Dundee | Scotland | Alterations | | 1933 | Garage, Shaftsbury Road | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1933 | Sunningdale | Stannergate, West Ferry | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1934 | Draffen's Department Store extension, Nethergate | | | Dundee | Scotland | New block on Nethergate and other work following a fire at the original site | | After 1934 | House for Stirling Draffen | Longforgan | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1936 | Bruce Hotel | Carnoustie | | Angus | Scotland | Alterations | | 1936 | House, Marchfield Road | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1937 | House for Very Reverend Provost A C Don | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1937 | Lincroft | Blairgowrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Tay Ropeworks | | | Dundee | Scotland | Alterations | | 1938 | Cottages at the Grange | Monifieth | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1939 | St Margaret's Episcopal Church and hall | Lochee | | Dundee | Scotland | Hall added. Gifford gives 1948-49. | | 1945 | Bruce Hotel | Carnoustie | | Angus | Scotland | Alterations | | 1947 | Housing schemes for Carnoustie Town Council | Carnoustie | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1947 | Housing schemes for Perthshire County Council | | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1948 | St Margaret's Episcopal Church and hall | Lochee | | Dundee | Scotland | Sugden's design completed to a different and curtailed design. | | 1949 | Garden Works | | | Dundee | Scotland | Large extension | | 1957(?) | Dundee High School | | | Dundee | Scotland | Interior remodelling. Per Builder p654 | | 19 April 1957 | Klean Wear Services, Ltd, Factory | | | Dundee | Scotland | per Builder p752 | | 1958 | St John's RC High School | Dudhope | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1959 | Camperdown Church and Hall | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1961 | Menzieshill Parish Church | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1967 | Dundee Technical College, Kydd Building | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1969 | Dundee High School, gymnasium block | | | Dundee | Scotland | Brick extension to W | | 1969 | George Morton's Bond | | | Dundee | Scotland | Further work | | 1969 | Lochee Cabinet Factory | Lochee | | Dundee | Scotland | Further alterations - also later | | Late 1960s | Chalmers Ardler Church | Ardler | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1970 | Whitfield Parish Church and Hall | Whitfield | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1972 | Dundee College Gardyne Road Campus | Broughty Ferry | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1973 | St Andrew's Church | | | Dundee | | Halls joined to church at E | | Early 1970s(?) | Ashludie House | Monifieth | | Angus | Scotland | Geriatric and Rehabilitation Unit | | Early 1970s | Dundee College of Education | West Ferry | | Dundee | Scotland | | | Early 1970s(?) | Dundee Technical Institute | | | Dundee | Scotland | Extension | | Early 1970s(?) | Kirkcaldy Burgh Infectious Diseases Hospital | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Geriatric Unit/Day Hospital | | Early 1970s | Morrison's Academy | Crieff | | Perthshire | Scotland | Addition of boarding houses | | Early 1970s | University of Dundee, Chemistry, Sports and Botanical Buildings | | | Dundee | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Municipal Annual | 1964 | Scottish Municipal Annual | 1964-1965 | | | | Pride, Glen L | 1999 | The Kingdom of Fife | 2nd Edition | The Rutland Press | p146, p191 | | RCAHMS | 1992 | Dundee on Record | | RCAHMS | p49 |
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