Basic Biographical Details

Name: Babtie & Bonn
Designation:  
Born: 1897
Died: 1906
Bio Notes: John Taylor Babtie was born in Dumbarton on 18 October 1867, the son of John Babtie and Janet McLeod. He was articled to Sir William R Copland from 1885 to 1890, thereafter becoming an assistant with Formans & McCall from 1894 to 1897. He commenced independent practice at 25 Castle Street, Dumbarton in 1895 and in 1897 took into partnership Carl Roderique Louis Menni Bonn.

Bonn - the usual style of his name was Carl R Bonn - was nine years older, born in 1858 and the son of Dr Louis Menni Bonn, described as a professor of languages, and his wife Ernestine Cristina Dorotea Malmberg. Except that his family was based at Brighton and Taunton after it moved from Germany to Britain, nothing is yet known of his background and training.

In the same year that the partnership had been formed, it moved to 180 Hope Street, Glasgow. The following year Alexander Alban Hamilton Scott was appointed architect to the firm, which specialised mainly in bridge and reservoir work. The practice moved to 188 West Regent Street in 1905.

Bonn died suddenly near Mount Pleasant Farm, Kilpatrick on 19 October 1906. He was survived by his wife Florence Louise Carpenter and left moveable estate of £1,202 16s with a subsequent eke of £1,236 1s 8d, presumably represented by fees due at the time of his death. Babtie then merged his practice with the partnership of William Barbour Shaw and Hugh James Morton, the practice title becoming Babtie, Shaw & Morton. Shaw and Morton were just under a year younger than Babtie, both being born in September 1868. Scott left the firm in the following year, 1907.

Babtie died at Braehead, Bishopton on 8 August 1940, survived by his wife Elizabeth Morton Garvie. He left moveable estate of £35,193 12s.

NB: The practice is incorrectly referred to as Babtie & Bone, or as Babtie, Bone & Scott, in some sources.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 325, Castle Street, Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, ScotlandBusiness18971897 
Item 2 of 3180, Hope Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness18971905Presumably the address of Babtie & Bonn as A A H Scott gives this as his business address at the time
Item 3 of 3188, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19051906 

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 3John Taylor Babtie18971906Partner 
Item 2 of 3Carl Roderique Louise Menni Bonn18971906Partner 
Item 3 of 3Alexander Alban Hamilton Scott (or Archibald Alban Hamilton Scott, or Augustine Alban Hamilton Scott)18981906Architect 

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 111898Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901Kelvingrove GlasgowScotlandCompetition design - unplaced
Item 2 of 11After 1898BankLong Eaton NottinghamshireEngland 
Item 3 of 11After 1898Country House, InverlevenDumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 4 of 11After 1898House and Offices of the Keith Family and widening of Cadzow BridgeHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 5 of 11After 1898Parish ManseDumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 6 of 11After 1898Public LibraryLong Eaton DerbyshireEngland 
Item 7 of 11After 1898Residential block for Dumbarton Heritable Property SyndicateDumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 8 of 111900Helensburgh Drill HallHelensburgh DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 9 of 111901Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901, footbridge over the River KelvinKelvingrove GlasgowScotland 
Item 10 of 111902Sydney Harbour Bridges  SydneyAustraliaUnexecuted proposals
Item 11 of 111906Ayr Pavilion, Low GreenAyr AyrshireScotlandUnsuccessful competition design

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Babtie1995Babtie 1895-1995: A Century of Achievement Glasgow 

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v20 no1574 (Alexander Alban Hamilton Scott)