Basic Biographical Details

Name: Sam Bunton
Designation:  
Born: 5 January 1908
Died: 20 December 1974
Bio Notes: Sam Bunton was born on 5 January 1908, the son of Samuel Bunton, a conciliation officer with the Ministry of Labour, and his wife Margaret Mann. He was articled to James Jackson Wilson of Glasgow on 16 January 1922. He commenced practice as a principal on 1 August 1930 at 219 St Vincent Street. In 1934 he married Robina Brown Ker. In the 1930s Bunton was an able Art Deco designer. By 1941 Bunton had moved to 235 Bath Street; in that year he was admitted LRIBA on 18 November, his proposers being John Wilson, George Brown Deas and Jack Antonio Coia.

His work consisted largely of housing schemes, for which he designed the sewers, services and road layouts as well as the buildings; his clients for these included the Scottish Special Housing Association and Kilsyth and Dumbarton Town Councils. He was also involved in the design and alteration of hospitals, industrial buildings, sports buildings, hotels, licensed premises and some small private houses, as well as numerous air-raid shelters (many of which were for Glasgow Corporation), and was in charge of war damage repair for the burghs of Clydebank (from March 1941) and Dumbarton (appointed Reconstruction Architect in a Clydeside Area). He was also Town Planning Consultant for Clydebank from October 1941. Before and during the Second World War, he conducted research into alternative methods of construction, including plastics, and he carried out experimental work in co-operation with Metropolitan Vickers of Manchester.

By about 1950 Bunton was operating as Sam Bunton & Associates.

Sam Bunton died from a cerebral thrombosis at 21 Albyn Place, Aberdeen, on 19 December 1974. He was survived by his wife, Robina Brown Ker.

Bunton, Sam. "War Damage Repair: The Discharge of Departmental Responsibility." The Builder (4 July 1941): p4-?
Bunton, Sam. "Design for Safer Housing in A "Target" Area." The Builder (4 July 1941): p11-?
Bunton, Sam. "Building Plastics: A Scottish Development." The Builder (24 October 1941): p368-69
Bunton, Sam (1952) "Crosswall Construction. A method of achieving more and cheaper housing without reducing existing public health standards of rooms" in The Builder, March 28, 481-487

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1292, High Street, Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, ScotlandPrivate 1975 
Item 2 of 12219, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1930Before 1941Appears ot be at this address and 235 Bath Street at the same time
Item 3 of 1226B, Renfield street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19341935Appears to be at this address and 219 St Vincent Street at the same time
Item 4 of 1236, Aviemore Road, Mosspark, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate19351936 
Item 5 of 1226A, Renfield Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1939 *  
Item 6 of 12235, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1939After 1943 
Item 7 of 12Aviemore, Stanley Drive, Brookfield, Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivate1941 *  
Item 8 of 12Clydebank Town Planning Department, Janetta Street, Clydebank, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1943 *  
Item 9 of 1287, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1947 *  
Item 10 of 1235, Darnley Gardens, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate19591960 
Item 11 of 12161, Terregles Avenue, Pollokshields, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate19641965 
Item 12 of 1215, Lynedoch Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate(?)c. 1970  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 2James Jackson Wilson16 January 1922Before 1930Apprentice 
Item 2 of 2Sam Bunton & AssociatesBefore 1947 Partner 

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 10Alexander Green19331935Assistant 
Item 2 of 10James Hastie MacLeod19361939Chief Assistant 
Item 3 of 10Duncan McCulloch (junior)19371939Senior Assistant 
Item 4 of 10David Watson Jackson19371942Apprentice 
Item 5 of 10George Annand19381939Assistant 
Item 6 of 10David FergusonDecember 1938 Senior Assistant 
Item 7 of 10Allan Barrowman Wilson19391940Assistant 
Item 8 of 10Duncan McCulloch (junior)1939After 1943Chief Assistant 
Item 9 of 10Richard Alan Webber1941After 1943 'Associate'
Item 10 of 10Kenneth Murray FraserJune 1941After 1950Senior AssistantLatterly deputy chief assistant

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Jack Antonio Coia18 November 1941for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3George Brown Deas18 November 1941for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3John Wilson18 November 1941for Licentiateship

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 62After 19301,500 houses (approx) for Scottish Special Housing AssociationCoatbridge LanarkshireScotlandLayout
Item 2 of 62After 19301,960 houses for Scottish Special Housing AssociationKilmarnock AyrshireScotlandLayout and planning
Item 3 of 62After 1930100 houses (approx) at High CraigendsKilsyth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 4 of 62After 1930120 houses at Bow Farm for the Scottish Special Housing AssociationGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 5 of 62After 1930200 houses at CrossletDumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 6 of 62After 1930200 houses for the Scottish Special Housing AssociationJohnstone RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 7 of 62After 1930500 houses at Maukinhill for the Scottish Special Housing AssociationGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 8 of 62After 1930Community CentreKilsyth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 9 of 62After 1930Divisional Control Station for the Glasgow Corporation Lighting DepartmentSpringburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 10 of 62After 1930Dumbarton Combination PoorhouseDumbarton DunbartonshireScotlandStructural alterations - conversion of wards into operating theatres and provision of decontamination facilities
Item 11 of 62After 1930Flats, Charles StreetKilsyth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 12 of 62After 1930Greyhound Totalisator TowerCarntyne GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 62After 1930Greyhound Totalisator TowerWishaw LanarkshireScotland 
Item 14 of 62After 1930Overtoun HouseDumbarton DunbartonshireScotlandPlans for conversion into hospital - seemingly unexecuted
Item 15 of 62After 1930Scheme at High CraigendsKilsyth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 16 of 62c. 1930Experimental concrete houses for the Scottish Special Areas Housing Association   Scotland 
Item 17 of 621933Garage and workshops  GlasgowScotland 
Item 18 of 621936248 houses, BalmallochKilsyth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 19 of 621936Barrwood Housing SchemeKilsyth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 20 of 621937Divisional Control Station for the Glasgow Corporation Lighting DepartmentLangside GlasgowScotland 
Item 21 of 621937The General Wolfe Public Bar  GlasgowScotland 
Item 22 of 621937The Kirk House public bar  GlasgowScotlandRemodelled and enlarged
Item 23 of 62c. 1938The Neuk  GlasgowScotland 
Item 24 of 621939House for a Bee-KeeperSeamill AyrshireScotland 
Item 25 of 62After 1939400 houses (approx) for the AdmiraltyRosyth FifeScotland 
Item 26 of 62After 1939Air raid shelters  GlasgowScotland 
Item 27 of 62After 1939Plans for 2,000 houses for the Air MinistryHillington GlasgowScotlandPlans prepared (unexecuted)
Item 28 of 62After 1939War damage repair to 4,000 houses (approx)Dumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 29 of 62c. 1939Allan Glen's School  GlasgowScotlandPlans for alterations, additions and new buildings, costing c.£100,000; delayed by outbreak of war
Item 30 of 62c. 1939Divisional Control Station for the Glasgow Corporation Lighting DepartmentGovan GlasgowScotlandPlanned? - not started due to outbreak of war
Item 31 of 62c. 1939Sports stadium and ice rink  GlasgowScotlandPlanned? - not started due to outbreak of war
Item 32 of 621940One hundred and eighty houses for SSHA, BrucefieldDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 33 of 621941(?)372 houses at Shortlees for the Scottish Special Housing AssociationKilmarnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 34 of 62c. 1941600 housesDumbarton DunbartonshireScotlandInitiated earlier but delayed due to outbreak of war
Item 35 of 62c. 1941War damage repair to 12,000 houses (approx)Clydebank DunbartonshireScotlandAs Clydebank's Architect and Town Planning Consultant
Item 36 of 621943Housing, Main StreetMoscow AyrshireScotland 
Item 37 of 621943Two unit-built housesWaterside AyrshireScotland 
Item 38 of 621944Clydebank PlanClydebank DunbartonshireScotlandAs town planning consultant
Item 39 of 621944Whitecrook neighbourhood housingClydebank DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 40 of 621947162 cottages, Everard Drive, Milton Housing SchemeMilton GlasgowScotlandSuperintended works.
Item 41 of 621947Smiths (Pork Butchers) Ltd, Shettleston Road  GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 42 of 621948Buildings for Messrs KellyDrumchapel GlasgowScotland 
Item 43 of 621948Moredun HousingMoredun EdinburghScotland 
Item 44 of 621949132 houses, Ashgill Road/Bernaray Street, Milton Housing SchemeMilton GlasgowScotlandDesigned houses for Glasgow Corporation
Item 45 of 621949Barmulloch Housing SchemeBarmulloch GlasgowScotlandDrew up original plan for entire housing scheme in consultation with the staff of Housing Director A G Jury
Item 46 of 62c. 1950188 cottages, Hallhill Road/Kentallen Road, Barlanark Housing SchemeBarlanark GlasgowScotlandDesigned the 2Z house type used for the 188 cottages
Item 47 of 621951Demonstration Eight Storey Flats, ToryglenToryglen GlasgowScotland 
Item 48 of 621951Demonstration "Foam-Slag" Houses, ClydebankClydebank DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 49 of 621952Clydebank Redevelopment HousingClydebank West DunbartonshireScotlandSam Bunton & Associates, consultant architects
Item 50 of 621952Drumchapel Housing Development Unit 2 Housing  GlasgowScotlandDesigned 2000 crosswall dwellings
Item 51 of 621953Melbourne Avenue HousingClydebank DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 52 of 621954Castlemilk Housing, Unit 1Castlemilk GlasgowScotland2-12 Dougrie Terrace - one of Bunton's crosswall blocks (built of precast 'Wilson blocks') by Bunton's contractor friend John Lawrence.
Item 53 of 621954St Cuthbert's RC SchoolHamilton Lanarkshire  
Item 54 of 621957Tormusk Primary School, Hoddam AvenueCastlemilk GlasgowScotland 
Item 55 of 621960Blairdardie South Housing  GlasgowScotland 
Item 56 of 621960Flats, Great Western Road  GlasgowScotland 
Item 57 of 6224 March 1961Multi-storey housing, BalornockBalornock LanarkshireScotlandto develop project in consultation with Corporation's Housing and Works Dept per Builder p585
Item 58 of 621962Red Road HousingBalornock GlasgowScotlandDesign
Item 59 of 621965Mid-rise housing, George Street and Canal Street Redevelopment Stage 2 Phase 1Paisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 60 of 62c. 1946240 Atholl Steel Houses, Robroyston Housing SchemeRobroyston GlasgowScotlandResponsible for design
Item 61 of 62c. 1946260 Atholl Steel Houses, Robroyston Housing SchemeRobroyston GlasgowScotlandResponsible for design
Item 62 of 62c. 1946294 Orlit Flats and Cottages, Robroyston Housing SchemeRobroyston GlasgowScotlandResponsible for design

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp11-12, 22, 25, 59, 85, 102-10, 145, 159, 150-1, 177, 185
p161-2 Moredun Housing
Item 2 of 6Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan1994Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Yale University Press: New Haven and Londonp75 George Street, Paisley Stage II
p228 Blairdardie South Housing
Red Road: Cover, p31, p65, p75, p232 Photograph of construction, p233 Photographs of construction and opening, p234, p235; p237, p239, p262, p315, p318, p321, p329, p381, Gazetteer 2
Melbourne Avenue: p82, p380
Drumchapel Unit 2: p154, p397
Item 3 of 6Post Office Directories     
Item 4 of 6RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 5 of 6RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 6 of 6RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 11Architectural ReviewNovember 1967  p343 Red Road
Item 2 of 11Architectural ReviewNovember 1967  p343 Red Road
Item 3 of 11Builder25 April 1941  p408-? [War-Time Development in Scotland]
Item 4 of 11Builder28 March 1952  p481-487, article on 'Crosswall' construction, with example plans
Item 5 of 11Builder19 October 1962  p769-70 Red Road
Item 6 of 11Builder15 March 1963  p568 Red Road
Item 7 of 11Glasgow Herald26 June 1958  'New space-saving building shapes: alternative to 'overspill' presented'
Item 8 of 11International Asbestos Cement ReviewOctober 196644 p21-5 Red Road
Item 9 of 11RIBA JournalFebruary 1967 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp46 Red Road
Item 10 of 11Systems Building and DesignMay 1967  p50-3 Red Road
Item 11 of 11Town and Country Planning7 August 1982  p177-9 'The story of Red Road Flats'

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 no5037 (combined box 52); also Licentiateship paper of Duncan McCulloch: L no5350 (combined box 73)