Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Archibald Park Jack | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 25 February 1912 | Died: | 28 May 1996 | Bio Notes: | William Archibald Park Jack was born on 25 January 1912, the son of Archibald Jack, flesher, and his wife Janet Park Ewing. He was educated at Hillhead High School where he achieved distinction on the rugby field. He was articled to James Maclaren Honeyman, sole partner of John B Wilson, Son & Honeyman, in 1928, attending classes at Glasgow School of Architecture. He studied full-time at the School from 1930 to 1933, winning the John B Wilson Prize, the John T Gilchrist Scholarship and the Incorporation Prize in his first, second and third years respectively, as well as gaining the Whitelaw Silver Medal. On leaving the School he found employment as an assistant to James Carrick of Ayr, moving a year later to London to the office of Lanchester & Lodge which enabled him to study at the Architectural Association. During these first years of employment, he made summer visits to France, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany.
He returned to Honeyman's office in 1936 and was made a partner in 1937, but the practice went into abeyance during the Second World War, Jack serving as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve from 1940 until 1946 when the partnership resumed. The following year Jack's brother-in-law George William Robertson (born 1902) became a partner, the firm thereafter becoming Honeyman, Jack & Robertson. During the ensuing years the practice was involved mainly in factory work and in further jobs for the Ministry of Works. Presumably due to the disruption of the war, Jack did not pass the RIBA final exam until July 1949, and was admitted ARIBA on 29 November that year, his proposers being Henry Vaughan Lanchester, Andrew Graham Henderson and Basil Spence. At that time the firm's office was at 92 Bath Street, Glasgow. By 1953, when he was elected FRIBA, the practice had expanded to incorporate an Oban branch. Further branches were subsequently established in Kelso, Edinburgh and Stirling where Jack lived.
Jack was active in public and professional life, serving on the Council of Industrial Design Scottish Committee beginning in 1958, the Building Standards Advisory Committee in 1959, becoming president of the Glasgow Institute of Architects, the Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce (1972-73), Chairman of the Central region of St John's Ambulance Association, chairman of the Council of the St John's Association of Scotland from 1974-79, Lord Dean of Guild in Glasgow (1979-81), a Knight of the Order of St John and a General Trustee of the Church of Scotland. For ten years (c.1969-79) he was a member of the Historic Buildings Council, the object of his appointment being to obtain "a balanced view": apart from his early study of Mackintosh's work his interest in historic buildings as such was relatively slight. In the Queen's Honours List in 1974 he was made CBE. In 1984 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Stirling.
Although not tall, Jack was a big well-built man, straightforward and confident in manner. His recreational interests were horse-racing and golf. On his retirement he moved from Stirling to The Links in St Andrews to be near the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, of which he was a member.
He died at Craigmount Nursing Home, St Andrews on 28 May 1996, his wife, Dorothy Mary Wallace, having predeceased him four years earlier.
Publications:
Co-author with Raymond McGrath of 'The Work of the Late Charles Rennie Mackintosh', in 'The Twentieth-Century House', 1938 | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | Moncrieff House, The Links, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland | Private | | 1996 | |  | Jenard, Essex Drive, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1939 * | After 1948 | |  | 15, South Road, Busby, Lanarkshire, Scotland | Private | 1949 * | | |  | 92, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1949 | After 1953 | Main office of Honeyman & Jack |  | Parkly, Clarendon Place, Stirling, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Private | 1953 * | | |  | Argyll Square, Oban, Argyll, Scotland | Business | Before 1953 | | Second office of Honeyman & Jack |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis architect 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 |  | 1932 | Williamwood Church | Clarkston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1937(?) | Houses, Mains Estate | Giffnock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1937 | Newton Mearns Church | Newton Mearns | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1939 | House | Giffnock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1947 | Canteen | Bridgeton | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1947 | E K Cole Limited (EKCO) Factory | Rutherglen | | | Scotland | |  | 1947 | Factory for Mavor & Coulson | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1947 | Savings Bank of Glasgow | Scotstoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1947 | Savings Bank of Glasgow | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1948 | Church of Scotland, Glendinning and Avenel Roads | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1948 | Factory for Messrs Greenlees Ltd | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1948 | Storage Buildings, Dalsholm Paper Co Ltd | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1949 | Deanston Distillery | Deanston | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1950 | Church of Scotland Hall-Church, Hawick Street and Bell Drive | Yoker | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1950 | Hall Church, Hillhead | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1950 | Permanent primary school | Priesthill | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1950 | St Matthew's Church | Knightswood | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1951 | Private theatre | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1952 | High Carntyne Parish Church halls | High Carntyne | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1952 | Hutton Castle, Barns Farm | Duns | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Additions? alterations? |  | 1953 | Area headquarters and accountancy offices for National Dock Labour Board Nominees Ltd, Queen's Dock | Finnieston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1955 | Cadder Primary School | Cadder | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1955 | St Agnes School | Cadder | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1955 | St Mark's Church | Maryhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1957 | 298 dwellings, south of Roystonhill, Royston Redevelopment Area | Royston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1958 | Broom Parish Church | Newton Mearns | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Dunblane United Associate Church Hall | Dunblane | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Conversion to Leighton House |  | 1960s | Scottish Churches House | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Conversion of 18th and 19th century cottages to church house with dining room and library |  | 1961 | King's Theatre | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Restoration |  | 1961 | Swimming Baths | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | FRIBA, assessor of architectural design competition |  | 1962 | House | Wemyss Bay | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Restoration |  | 1962 | Private housing | | | | Scotland | |  | 1962 | Victoria Drive Higher Grade School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1964 | Church of the Holy Rude | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Renovation and choir stalls.. Consultant. |  | 1964 | Hartfield School | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Extension |  | 1964 | Ladywell Housing Estate | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1964 | Scottish Industries Exhibition 1964 | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Exhibition stands |  | 1965 | Anderston Kelvingrove Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Dates differ from those given in 'Buildings of Scotland' and Glendinning. |  | 1965 | Hillhead Church | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1967 | Arthurlie Parish Church | Barrhead | | Renfrewshire | | |  | 1968 | 94 flats in five blocks, Roystonhill II, Royston Redevelopment Area | Royston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1975 | Sauchieburn House | Sauchie | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1978 | Union Club | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | Renovation and alterations. As consultant. |  | 1979 | Westpark Church Halls | Deanston | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | Early 1980s | Crawford's Arcade | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Restoration - may not be involved |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Bailey, Rebecca M | 1996 | Scottish architects' papers: a source book | | Edinburgh: The Rutland Press | pp143-144 |  | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |  | RIBA | 1948 | The RIBA Kalendar 1948-1949 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |  | RIBA | 1954 | RIBA Kalendar 1953-54 | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Builder | 28 March 1958 | | | 'CoID Scottish Committee Changes' p611 |  | Builder | 28 August 1959 | | | 'Building Standards: Scottish Committee Appointed' p113 |  | Builder | 10 June 1960 | | | 'Scottish Advisory Committee' p1106 |  | Herald, The | 30 May 1996 | | | Obituary |  | RIAS Chartered Architect | August 1996 | v7, no6 | | Death notice |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | | |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no10991 (stored with F4830, combined box 38); F no4830 (combined box 38) |
Images © All rights reserved. RIAS Quarterly no43 Summer 1933 |