Basic Biographical Details

Name: Thomas Reid Peacock
Designation:  
Born: 20 May 1866
Died: 10 November 1937
Bio Notes: Thomas Reid Peacock was born on 20 May 1866, the eldest son of Thomas Reid Peacock and Catherine Binnie (or Binny) Webster. They lived in Portobello, Edinburgh. The younger Thomas Reid Peacock was educated at Edinburgh High School. He was articled to George Washington Browne in Edinburgh in 1885, attending classes at Edinburgh School of Architecture and probably also at Heriot-Watt College. He spent his holidays measuring and sketching old buildings, including Melrose, Dryburgh and Sweetheart Abbeys. After completing his apprenticeship in 1890 he spent six years assisting in various Edinburgh offices, including those of Kinnear & Peddie and Robert Rowand Anderson - and appearing to conduct a small private practice from 34 St Andrew Square, before moving to Glasgow in 1896 to join the practice of Robert Turnbull and his son, Thomson & Turnbull, as senior assistant. This was somewhat surprising as Robert Turnbull was then embroiled in sequestration proceedings in respect of his Lenzie properties. Peacock was made junior partner in 1898, the firm then becoming Thomson, Turnbull & Peacock.

In 1901 Campbell Douglas 'found it necessary' to dissolve his partnership with Alexander Morrison, the latter's practice, nut this was quickly dissolved, the practice title returning to Thomson Turnbull & Peacock.

Robert Turnbull died on 21 October 1905. Although the practice then had two sizeable commissions for school at Bluevale and London Road in hand, Robert's death seems to have been the catalyst for Peacock deciding to emigrate to Quebec in the following year. There he joined the office of George-Emile Tanguay as head draughtsman. In 1910 he returned to Glasgow to marry Ena Stewart before commencing independent practice. Some time later he returned to Quebec. He was admitted LRIBA in 1911, his proposers being unknown as most of his papers are lost; and in 1920 was elevated to FRIBA, his proposers this time being James Macintyre Henry, Alexander Lorne Campbell, and Victor Daniel Horsburgh, who wrote in a supporting statement: 'Mr. Peacock first as assistant and laterly [sic] as principal in practice has been to my knowledge responsible for a very large portion of the best work in the city of Quebec in his time.' He was a member of the Province of Quebec Architects' Association and served for a time on its Council.

Peacock was People's Warden at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Quebec. At the time of his death after a short illness on 10 November 1937, he was also President of the Quebec Literary and Historical Society and of the St Andrew's Society.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 434, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessc. 1894 *c. 1896 
Item 2 of 4122, Wellington Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1896After 1901 
Item 3 of 481, St Peter Street, Quebec, CanadaBusiness1920 *  
Item 4 of 476, De Salaberry Street, Quebec, CanadaPrivate1920 *  

* 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 6George Washington Browne18851890Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6Kinnear & PeddieAfter 1890Before 1896Assistant 
Item 3 of 6Wardrop & AndersonAfter 1890Before 1896Assistant 
Item 4 of 6Thomson & Turnbull (or A Thomson & Turnbull)18961898Senior Assistant 
Item 5 of 6Thomson, Turnbull & Peacock1898Late 1905Partner 
Item 6 of 6George-Emile Tanguay19061910Chief Draughtsman 

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 1Robert McDowall Symonds19131916Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Alexander Lorne CampbellMid 1921for Fellowship
Item 2 of 3James Macintyre HenryMid 1921for Fellowship
Item 3 of 3Victor Daniel HorsburghMid 1921for Fellowship

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 101896Inglis Memorial Hall and LibraryEdzell AngusScotlandCompetition design - unsuccessful
Item 2 of 101896Public Hall   Scotland'Proposed'
Item 3 of 101897Bridgeton Central Station and flanking tenementsBridgeton Cross GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 101897Tenements in London Road  GlasgowScotlandAs senior assistant and then partner
Item 5 of 101898Kelvinbridge Artistic Stationery Works  GlasgowScotlandAddition
Item 6 of 101898Villas, Glasgow RoadPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 7 of 101904Gavinburn Board Schools at ClydebankOld Kilpatrick DunbartonshireScotlandAdditions
Item 8 of 101905Double cottagesLenzie DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 9 of 101905London Road School with lodge  GlasgowScotland 
Item 10 of 101906Bluevale SchoolHaghill GlasgowScotlandInitial building?

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Post Office Directories     
Item 2 of 2Williamson, William2011Robert Turnbull IA of Lenzie   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Journal17 October 1938v45London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp1043 - obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Letter from Jean Francois Caron re Peacock 18 January 2001
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v15 no1080; F no1814 (microfilm reel 15)