Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Taylor Thomson | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 28 April 1886 | Died: | 15 March 1953 | Bio Notes: | James Taylor Thomson was born in Edinburgh in 1887 or early 1888, the son of Andrew Lindsay Thomson, commercial traveller and Alice Rennie Taylor, and was educated at the Royal High School. He was articled to George Lennox Beattie about 1903 and at the end of his articles became an assistant to Robert Stodart Lorimer in whose office he became friends with James Smith Richardson, John Ross McKay, James Robb and Hardie Phillip. Outwith Lorimer's office he also became a close friend of John Wilson.
In 1912 he emigrated to the USA and for eight years worked in the practice of Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue in New York. In the 1920s he returned to Scotland for medical treatment. Initially he intended to return to the USA but decided to establish his own practice as architect and civil engineer in Glasgow, joining Burnet Son & Dick part-time at Burnet's invitation to take over the detailing of Glasgow University Chapel. There he fell foul of Norman Dick over the time taken to detail the project and left, Dick supervising the drawings himself. Fortunately Thomson's personal practice picked up very quickly to become a serious threat to Dick's. In 1927 he won the competition for St John's Renfield Church, and it was there that he married Wilhelmina Coutts Malcolm on 3 June 1931. Thomas Smith Tait gave him a major share of the Glasgow Empire Exhibition of 1938, from which Dick was excluded. From 1936 to 1937 Taylor Thomson was assisted by William McCrea who appears to have been taken into partnership around that time under the title of James Taylor Thomson & Partner, his name being acknowledged in the practice title as Thomson & McCrea by c. 1942.
In his later years Thomson was vice-president of the Glasgow Institute of Architects, Deacon of the Incorporation of Masons and president of Glasgow Art Club. Outwith the office his interests were snooker and fishing. He died of cancer at 156 Hyndland Road, Glasgow on 15 March 1953, aged sixty-five, after a long period of poor health. He was survived by his wife. His practice was continued by McCrea and William Hamilton Sanders, who had been taken into partnership the previous year as Thomson, McCrea & Sanders. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1887 | c. 1908 | Place of birth |  | New York, New York, United States of America | Private/business | 1912 | Before 1924 | |  | 4, Jane Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1924 * | July 1926 | Builder 6 August 1926 p198 - removal |  | 212, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | August 1926 | 1953 | Builder 6 August 1926 p198 - new office |  | 18, Highburgh Road, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1931 * | | |  | 156, Hyndland Road, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1953 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or Pupils
Buildings and DesignsThis architect 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 |  | c. 1923 | University of Glasgow, War Memorial Chapel and Arts Building | Gilmorehill | | Glasgow | Scotland | In charge of detailing of chapel |  | 1925 | Metropolitan Vickers Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before November 1926 | Head Office of the Clyde Valley Electrical Power Company | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1927 | Falls of Clyde, Bonnington Power Station | Lanark | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Completed by Winter 1927 |  | 1927 | Muirend Savings Bank | Cathcart | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1927 | St John's and Renfield UF Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Won in competition |  | 1928 | Cowlairs Co-operative Society shop | Robroyston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1930 | Former New Possil School Gymnasium | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1930 | Possil New School | Possil | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1930 or 1931 | High Carntyne Parish Church | Carntyne | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1931 | Office and garage for Cowlairs Co-operative Society | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1931 | Two warehouses, Wilson Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1931 | Warehouse, Candleriggs, for Messrs Black | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1933 | Garage for McHarg, Rennie & Lindsay | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1933 | Moore's Hotel | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1934 | Bank of Scotland, Calton district | Calton | | Glasgow | Scotland | In conjunction with James Miller? |  | 1934 | Millerston Church of Scotland | Millerston | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions |  | 1936 | Glasgow Empire Exhibition, masterplan | Bellahouston | | Glasgow | Scotland | In independent practice, working in conjunction with Tait |  | 1937 | Cowlairs Creamery | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1937 | Factory for Donaldson & Files Ltd | Pollokshaws | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1937 | Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Church of Scotland | Bellahouston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1937 | Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Concert Hall and Tea Pavilion | Bellahouston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1937 | Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Palace of Industries West | Bellahouston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1937 | Tulloch Factory | Bridgeton Cross | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Church of Scotland halls | Dalmarnock | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Factory and Warehouse | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1938 | The Nipp Bar | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1939 | Beechwood | Muirend | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1939 | Blowarthill Church of Scotland | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1939 | Premises for Donaldson & Faber | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1942 | House for Professor the Rev GHC MacGregor | Milngavie | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1942 | Factory for John Tullis & Co | Tullibody | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1942 | Factory for John Tullis & Sons | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension |  | Before 1942 | Lamlash School | Lamlash | Bute | Bute | Scotland | |  | Before 1942 | Yorkshire Insurance Company offices, St Vincent Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Completion |  | c. 1942(?) | Cowlairs Co-operative Society Department store | Cowlairs | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1947 | Gilmore & Aitken Premises | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension |  | 1947 | Ivanhoe Hotel | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1948 | 43 Wellington Street and 41 Waterloo Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1948 | Currie Limited Premises | | | Glasgow | Scotland | additions and alterations |  | 1948 | Her Majesty's Theatre, Gorbals Street | Gorbals | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1948 | House | Kippen | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1948 | New Church Halls Mecklarig Avenue | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1948 | Premises 83-91 Forth Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions and alterations |  | 1948 | Residence? Dalkeith Avenue | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1949 | Barony Parish Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Organ case |  | 1951 | Titwood Established Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Taken down and re-erected at Meiklerig Crescent as St James's Pollok |  | 1953 | Montrose Old Church | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Plans in hand for alterations |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | McKean, Charles | 1987 | The Scottish Thirties: An Architectural Introduction | | Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press | |  | Post Office Directories | | | | | |  | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Builder | 6 August 1926 | | | P198. Notice of removal from 4 Jane St, Blythswood Sq to 212 Bath St. Glasgow |  | Scotsman | 17 March 1953 | | | Obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Personal information from John Watson; further information from research by Iain Paterson |
Images © All rights reserved. Scottish Architect and Builder’s Journal 1938 |