Basic Biographical Details

Name: John Stewart
Designation:  
Born: 18 October 1876
Died: 5 November 1945
Bio Notes: John Stewart was born on 28 October 1876, the son of John Stewart, forrester and his wife Margaret Fraser. He was articled to Charles Stewart Still Johnston in Edinburgh in June 1893, from which he studied at the Heriot-Watt College and the School of Art. He commenced independent practice at the early age of twenty-two in the County Council offices in Lanark, where he must have had some connection (a James A Stewart was working for the Carnwath Estates in the 1890s and was probably related), and he seems to have remained there until he volunteered for war service in 1914. For a time at least from 1898 he was in partnership with John Traill with an office at 38 High Street, Lanark. On 19 August 1903 John Stewart married Margaret Isabella Henry in Turriff, Aberdeenshire. They had four children, three sons and a daughter.

During the First World War he joined the 4th (Reserve) Battalion (Reserve) of the Royal Scots Fusiliers as Captain, probably having served previously with the Lanarkshire Yeomanry. He served in France in 1916 and was promoted to Major in July 1917 and was awarded the Victory medal and the Terriirotial Decoration for his services. .

In 1920 Stewart was appointed architect to Lanarkshire Education Authority and subsequently County Architect. He was admitted FRIBA in 1931, his proposers being Ninian Macwhannel, Andrew Balfour and William Hunter McNab. At that date he still had offices at 38 High Street, Lanark and also at 20 (or 32-36?) Albert Street, Motherwell (the offices of the County Architect), his home address being Whitehouse, Lanark. He may be the Stewart who was in partnership with Frederick William Meston, who had worked as an assistant in the County Education Authority, from 1926 to 1931, but this may have been his son John Henry Fraser Stewart. His other son William Ferguson Stewart also became an architect and his third son a civil engineer. Stewart senior also held the post of Consultant Architect for the Counties of Moray and Nairn. He was awarded the MBE on 3 June 1932 for his work for the Education Authority.

Stewart senior died from pulmonary tuberculosis and cardiac failure on 5 November 1945.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Whitehouse, Crawfordjohn, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1890 *1931 
Item 2 of 338, High Street, Lanark, Lanarkshire, ScotlandBusiness1898After 1931(?) 
Item 3 of 320, Albert Street, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, ScotlandBusiness1931 *  

* 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 5Lanarkshire County Architect's Department18981914Assistant(?) 
Item 2 of 5Traill & StewartAfter 1898Before 1914Partner 
Item 3 of 5Lanarkshire Education Authority Architect's Department1920 Chief Architect 
Item 4 of 5Lanarkshire County Architect's DepartmentAfter 1920 Chief ArchitectCounty Architect
Item 5 of 5Meston & Stewart1926(?)1931(?)Partner(?)Uncertain which Stewart was the partner in this practice

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 Henry Fraser Stewart19201921Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3James Garroway Cullen19341939Apprenticein Lanarkshire County Architect's Office
Item 3 of 3James Garroway Cullen19391941Assistantin Lanarkshire County Architect's Office

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Andrew BalfourLate 1930for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 6Andrew Balfour1931for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6Thomas Harold HughesLate 1930for Licentiateship
Item 4 of 6Ninian MacwhannellLate 1930for Licentiateship
Item 5 of 6Ninian Macwhannell1931for Fellowship
Item 6 of 6William Hunter McNab1931for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 2James Garroway Cullen16 December 1941for Associateship
Item 2 of 2John Henry Fraser Stewart2 December 1935For 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 32 Clarkston Primary SchoolAirdrie LanarkshireScotlandDate unknown
Item 2 of 32 Shooting LodgeHyndfordlea LanarkshireScotland 
Item 3 of 32c. 1898Christ Episcopal Church HallLanark LanarkshireScotland 
Item 4 of 32c. 1900Glengonnar HouseAbington LanarkshireScotlandHouse
Item 5 of 321902Leadhills SchoolLeadhill LanarkshireScotland 
Item 6 of 321904Carstairs Junction SchoolCarstairs LanarkshireScotland 
Item 7 of 321905Glengonnar HouseAbington LanarkshireScotlandWorkshop for Lady Colebrook
Item 8 of 321912Lindsay InstituteLanark LanarkshireScotland 
Item 9 of 32Before 1919Lamington House  LanarkshireScotlandAlterations and restoration
Item 10 of 32After 1920Knowetop Special SchoolMotherwell LanarkshireScotlandAs County Ediucation Architect
Item 11 of 321925Drumpark Special SchoolBargeddie LanarkshireScotland 
Item 12 of 321926Health InstituteCambuslang LanarkshireScotland 
Item 13 of 321930SchoolHamilton LanarkshireScotlandAs County Architect
Item 14 of 32Before 1930WhitehouseLanark LanarkshireScotland 
Item 15 of 321931Dalton Special SchoolCambuslang LanarkshireScotland 
Item 16 of 321931Flats, MuiryhallCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 17 of 321931JP Court House and OfficesHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 18 of 321931St Bridget's Primary SchoolBaillieston GlasgowScotland 
Item 19 of 32Before 1931Shooting LodgeHyndford LanarkshireScotland 
Item 20 of 321932St Mary's RC SchoolLanark LanarkshireScotlandAs County Education Architect
Item 21 of 321932Victoria Primary SchoolAirdrie LanarkshireScotland 
Item 22 of 321934British Linen Bank, HamiltonHamilton LanarkshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 23 of 321935Garrowhill Primary SchoolBaillieston GlasgowScotland 
Item 24 of 321935Hairmyres Hospital, nurses homeEast Kibride LanarkshireScotland 
Item 25 of 321935Lanarkshire County Maternity HospitalMotherwell LanarkshireScotlandSelected for job
Item 26 of 321935Nurses Home, Public Health Institute and Library  LanarkshireScotland 
Item 27 of 321936Cambuslang Public Library and officesCambuslang LanarkshireScotland 
Item 28 of 321936RC School Advanced DivisionCambuslang LanarkshireScotland 
Item 29 of 321939Academy SchoolHamilton LanarkshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 30 of 321939Gallowflat Public SchoolRutherglen LanarkshireScotlandNew gymnasium added
Item 31 of 321940Police StationGreengairs LanarkshireScotland 
Item 32 of 321941Airdrie AcademyThrashbush, Airdrie LanarkshireScotlandLanark County Architect responsible for original building here.

References

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 Additional information from descendant Lesley Bousbaine
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no 3557 (box 13); F no 2970 (box 14)