Basic Biographical Details Name: | Henry ('Harry') Wilson | Designation: | | Born: | 27 March 1880 | Died: | 11 January 1961 | Bio Notes: | Henry ('Harry') Wilson was born on 27 March 1880, the son of Henry Wilson, joiner journeyman, and his wife Ann Davidson. He was articled to George Deas Page of Falkirk in July 1895, attending classes at the Falkirk School of Art and Science. On completion of his apprenticeship in 1900 he moved first to Lerwick as assistant to John Morgan Aitken and then a year later to Glasgow as assistant to R MacLelland (probably a civil engineer), also spending some time in MacLelland's office in Johnstone, Renfrewshire. This move enabled Wilson to study at Glasgow School of Art under Alexander McGibbon.
In 1903 Wilson commenced independent practice in partnership with a slightly older apprentice at Page's, David Alexander Tait (born 1879), the firm being named Wilson & Tait and based in Grangemouth. Both architects were admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, Wilson's house being then at Carnach, Polmont and Tait's at Sunnylea, Ronaldshay Crescent, Grangemouth.
Wilson & Tait appear to have briefly had an office in Edinburgh at 122 George Street from about 1913-15. Presumably this was to to enable them to undertake a particular job in the city but this has not yet been traced. They also had a branch office in Jedburgh in the mid-1930s, presumably to oversee projects there.
Tait retired in 1937. In the same year Henry Wilson merged his practice with that of Strang & Wilson, James Strang also having retired in that year, the combined practice of Wilson & Wilson being now based in Strang's office at 39 Vicar Street, Falkirk. The surviving partner of Strang & Wilson, Robert Wilson, was not related to Henry Wilson and had been articled to an as yet unidentified practice in Falkirk before the First World War. At the end of it he had been admitted ARIBA under the war exemption scheme and had entered into partnership with Strang who was his uncle.
In 1940, by which time both Wilsons were Fellows of the Stirling Society of Architects, the partnership re-opened an office in Grangemouth, but it was closed again in 1943. Henry Wilson was elected FRIBA on 15 June of that year, his proposers being Alexander Nisbet Malcolm, Alastair Marshall McMichael and Eric Sinclair Bell; it must have been in preparation for this that he had been re-elected LRIBA on 17 November the previous year with the same proposers, presumably having allowed his membership to lapse. At this time he was President of the Stirling Society of Architects and was also a member of council of the RIAS. In 1955 Henry Wilson's son Rory was taken into partnership, Henry not retiring until 1960 at the age of 80. Robert Wilson died in October 1965; Henry had died on 11 January 1961 at 11 Park Terrace, Stirling. His wife Janet Ritchie had predeceased him but he was survived by his son. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 6, Cranshaw Drive, Redding, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Private | | 1961 | | | Carnach, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Private | 1911 * | | | | Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Private | 1911 * | | | | 122, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1913 | c. 1915 | | | 39, Vicar Street, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1938 | After 1942 | | | 2, Charing Cross, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1940 | After 1943 | | | Sandy Loan, Laurieston, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Private | Before 1942 | After 1950 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | After 1903 | Business premises for A G Taylor | Polmont|Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1903 | Business premises for P M Urie | Polmont|Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1903 | Licensed premises and billiard rooms for A G Taylor | Polmont|Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1903 | Royal Bank of Scotland | Polmont|Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Reconstruction | | After 1903 | Villa for J P MacKenzie | Polmont|Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1904 | Co-operative bakery, stables, byre, van shed etc | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1906 | Redding and Westquarter Church | Redding | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1908 | Grangemouth High School | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1910 | Grangemouth Parish Church | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | c. 1910 | Grange House, stables and stables cottage | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1919 | 61 High Street | Dunbar | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | After 1919 | Housing scheme(s) for West Lothian County Council | | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1923 | Larbert East Church Hall | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1925 | Two blocks of Flatted Dwellings, The Nurseries | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1929 | Kerse Parish Church Hall | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1930s | Housing scheme for Stirling County Council | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1932 | St Helen's Church of Scotland | High Bonnybridge | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1933 | Silk Factory | Selkirk | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1935 | 25 Callendar Riggs | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1935 | The Knowe | Ancrum | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1936 | Grangemouth Town Hall | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Reconstruction and additions | | c. 1936 | Cairnmount | Jedburgh | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Forthill housing scheme | Jedburgh | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Grangemouth Public Library | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Addition to W | | 1937 | Roadhouse and tearooms, Stirling Road | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1938 | Falkirk Ice Rink | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1939 | Church hall | Westquarter | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1939 | Four blocks of housing | Haggs | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1942 | Large Prisoner-of-War Camp | | | Stirlingshire? | Scotland | | | After 1956(?) | Bowhouse Church of Scotland | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson had departed from the practice | | After 1956(?) | Denny & Dunipace Town Centre redevelopment | Denny|Dunipace | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | Denny Old Parish Church | Denny | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Repairs - may have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | Falkirk Royal Infirmary | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | New kitchen, pharmacy and stores block, and alterations to boiler house, mortuary and post-mortem accommodation - may have been done after Wilson had left practice | | After 1956(?) | Five advance factories for Burgh of Denny & Dunipace | Denny|Dunipace | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | Foundry buildings and offices | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left practice | | After 1956(?) | Grangemouth Town Hall | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Further extensions; may have been after Wilson left firm | | After 1956(?) | House for J Wotherspoon | | | | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | House for R Campbell | | | | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | Housing schemes for Burgh of Denny & Dunipace | Denny|Dunipace | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson had departed from the practice | | After 1956(?) | Housing schemes for West Lothian County Council | | | West Lothian | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson had departed from the practice | | After 1956(?) | Housing works for Bridge of Allan | Bridge of Allan | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson had departed from the practice | | After 1956(?) | Larbert Old Church | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Repairs - may have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | St Michael's Parish Church | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | Restoration, repair, redecoration and lighting - may have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | Territorial and Auxiliary Forces drill hall | Denny | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | Territorial and Auxiliary Forces drill hall | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | Territorial and Auxiliary Forces drill hall | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | Territorial Army centre, Bog Road | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left the practice | | After 1956(?) | Territorial Army centre, Forthside | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | May have been done after Wilson left the practice | | 1958 | Country house for J M Lindsay | | | | Scotland | | | 1959 | Airfield 3 housing scheme | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1961 | Kirk of the Holy Rude | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L v21 no1681; L no5236 (combined box 65); F no3955 (box 30) |
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