Basic Biographical Details

Name: George James Walker
Designation:  
Born: 1837 or 1838
Died: 20 February 1914
Bio Notes: George James Walker was born in 1835 or 1836, the son of Robert Walker, farmer and his Margaret Gordon. Nothing is known of his training or early career. He was a distant relative of David Walker who was in partnership with the Aberdeen architect, civil engineer and garden designer James Forbes Beattie in the 1820s and 1830s. George James Walker formed a second Duncan & Walker partnership with Beattie's son, James Alexander Beattie after Beattie senior's death in 1877. It is probable that they inherited the practice of James Forbes Beattie. They adopted the practice title of Walker & Beattie.

George James Walker was the seventh-generation owner of Portlethen farm and was a fine breeder and judge of Aberdeen-Angus cattle and a crack shot, representing Scotland on more than one occasion.

In 1879 he was appointed Assistant Commissioner for Ireland under the Royal Commission to inquire into the cause of the agricultural depression in that country.

In about 1888 or 1889 (not 1913 as Muriel Barnett writes), the partnership was dissolved, both architects continuing to work independently. In 1891, Walker merged his practice with the essentially similar one of Thomas Duncan, perhaps the better to compete with Jenkins & Marr, another firm specialising in agricultural business which was also formed from the merger of two separate rural practices. The Duncan element has its origin in the architect, civil engineer and surveyor A I Ironside of Kinloch, St Fergus who commenced practice some time before 1858 when he designed Lunderton steading. It is unclear how William Ironside who rebuilt Tullochvenus house in 1872 is related to A I Ironside. Some time before 1888 the Ironside practice was either taken over by, or merged with, that of Thomas Duncan, and became based in Aberdeen. In 1888 or 1889 Duncan then merged his practice with Walker & Beattie the name becoming Walker & Duncan.

Thomas Duncan died in 1892. His place in the practice seems to have been taken by William Dalton Ironside. George James Walker continued in partnership with Ironside although the name Walker & Duncan was retained. Walker died of bowel cancer on 20 February 1914, survived by his wife, Margaret Wilson. Ironside died in 1915 and the practice was continued by Walker's son, Colonel Robert W Walker, until he retired in 1947. The practice was finally closed in 1957.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate/business   
Item 2 of 2Hillside House, Porthlethen, Aberdeenshire, ScotlandPrivate   

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 2Walker & Beattie18771888 or 1889Partner 
Item 2 of 2Walker & Duncan18911914Partner 

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 1Charles John MacLean Mackintosh1888 or 18891891Chief Assistant 

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 175 Crathes CastleCrathes Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotlandGarden layout - date unknown
Item 2 of 175 Five houses, Hartington Road  AberdeenScotlandDate unknown
Item 3 of 175 Hillside Cottages  KincardineshireScotlandDate unknown
Item 4 of 175 Newtonhill VillageNewtonhill KincardineshireScotlandUnspecified work - date unknown
Item 5 of 175 Northern Agriculture & Lime Co Ltd premsies  AberdeenScotlandDate not recorded in NMRS Architects File
Item 6 of 175 Tullos Home Farm  AberdeenshireScotlandProposed improvement - date unknown
Item 7 of 1751877Tilquhillie Farmstead  KincardineshireScotlandFarm buildings
Item 8 of 17518789 Queen's Road  AberdeenScotlandHS attribution
Item 9 of 1751879Charlestown Estate, Lochside Steading  KincardineshireScotland 
Item 10 of 1751880Upperton of Findon  KincardineshireScotland 
Item 11 of 1751881Chirness Estate, Pyper's croft and North Sacach  AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 12 of 1751882Tilquhillie Farmstead  KincardineshireScotlandFarm buildings
Item 13 of 1751883Arbeadie feuing  KincardineshireScotlandFeuing plan
Item 14 of 1751884Ballogie Home Farm, including gamekeeper's bothy and kennels  AberdeenshireScotlandKennels
Item 15 of 175c. 1884Two dwelling houses, St Swithin Street  AberdeenScotland 
Item 16 of 1751885Ardee House  KincardineshireScotlandGarden layout
Item 17 of 1751885Barclayhill  KincardineshireScotland 
Item 18 of 1751885Mill of Findon  KincardineshireScotlandAlterations to steading and mill
Item 19 of 1751886Gillybrands FarmGillybrands Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotland 
Item 20 of 1751888Ballogie Home Farm, including gamekeeper's bothy and kennels  AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations and cottages
Item 21 of 1751888Newtonhill EstateNewtonhill Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotland'Work on estate'
Item 22 of 1751888Portlethen Public HallPortlethen KincardineshireScotland 
Item 23 of 1751888Springhill Farm  AberdeenshireScotlandAdditions
Item 24 of 1751889Cammachmore Estate, Backburn  KincardineshireScotland 
Item 25 of 1751889Cammachmore estate, Cobblebeards SteadingCammachmore KincardineshireScotlandAlterations? New build?
Item 26 of 1751889Cookney, farm buildingsCookney KincardineshireScotland 
Item 27 of 1751889Mains of PortlethenPortlethen KincardineshireScotland 
Item 28 of 1751889Stocket Farm South  AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations to house and steading
Item 29 of 1751889Tillymorgan Farm  AberdeenshireScotlandFarm buildings
Item 30 of 1751889Westfield farm steading  AberdeenshireScotlandAdditions
Item 31 of 1751889Westhill Mains  AberdeenshireScotlandAdditions
Item 32 of 1751891Cammachmore estate, Cobblebeards SteadingCammachmore KincardineshireScotlandAlterations?
Item 33 of 1751891(?)Cammachmore HotelCammachmore KincardineshireScotland 
Item 34 of 1751891Charlestown estate, various steading and farm buildingsCammachmore KincardineshireScotland 
Item 35 of 1751891Premises of Alexander Hadden & Sons  AberdeenScotlandAdditions
Item 36 of 1751891Union Grove Baptist Church  AberdeenScotland 
Item 37 of 1751892Claylands (Kirkville)Skene AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations
Item 38 of 1751892Findon, farm buildings and other buildingsFindon KincardineshireScotlandAlterations to farm buildings and other buildings
Item 39 of 1751892Four houses for J Green, carpenter  AberdeenScotland 
Item 40 of 1751892Four houses for Masson & AdamsTorry AberdeenScotland 
Item 41 of 1751892House for Arthur Hunter  AberdeenScotland 
Item 42 of 1751892House for W Murray  AberdeenScotland 
Item 43 of 1751892Newtonhill EstateNewtonhill Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotland'Work on estate'
Item 44 of 1751892Quiddies Mill and farmsteadMilton of Cullerlie KincardineshireScotlandAlterations to steading and mill
Item 45 of 1751892Tooley Farm  AberdeenshireScotlandFarm buildings
Item 46 of 1751893Badentoy, steadingBadentoy AberdeenshireScotlandAdditions to farm buildings
Item 47 of 1751893Clark Brothers Office  AberdeenScotland 
Item 48 of 1751893Four houses for J Green  AberdeenScotland 
Item 49 of 1751893Hattonburn FarmHattonburn KincardineshireScotlandAdditions
Item 50 of 1751893House for Alex Hood  AberdeenScotland 
Item 51 of 1751893House for J Green  AberdeenScotland 
Item 52 of 1751893House for John Grant and G MacdonaldTorry AberdeenScotland 
Item 53 of 1751893House for John Ross  AberdeenScotland 
Item 54 of 1751893Houses for J GreenTorry AberdeenScotland 
Item 55 of 1751893Houses in Gladstone Place  AberdeenScotland 
Item 56 of 1751893North Hirn, farmsteadHirn KincardineshireScotlandAlterations
Item 57 of 1751893Tillymorgan Farm  AberdeenshireScotlandFarm buildings
Item 58 of 1751893Torry feuingTorry AberdeenScotlandFeuing plan
Item 59 of 1751893Two houses for George Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 60 of 1751893Two houses for J Green  AberdeenScotland 
Item 61 of 1751894Blervie Mills  KincardineshireScotlandImprovements
Item 62 of 1751894Cookney, farm buildingsCookney KincardineshireScotlandAdditions?
Item 63 of 1751894Four houses, Mile End Avenue  AberdeenScotland 
Item 64 of 1751894Hilton Lands feuing  AberdeenScotland 
Item 65 of 1751894House for Adam Buchan  AberdeenScotland 
Item 66 of 1751894House for J Green  AberdeenScotland 
Item 67 of 1751894Muchalls CastleMuchalls KincardineshireScotlandProposed addition and new stable
Item 68 of 1751894Ten houses, Mid Stocket Road  AberdeenScotland 
Item 69 of 1751894Two houses for George Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 70 of 1751894Two houses for J Green  AberdeenScotland 
Item 71 of 1751894Two houses for J Green  AberdeenScotland 
Item 72 of 1751895Druggan Farm  KincardineshireScotlandAlterations
Item 73 of 1751895House for William Ironside  AberdeenScotland 
Item 74 of 1751895Jessiebank feuing  AberdeenScotlandFeuing plan
Item 75 of 1751895Muchalls Estate, farm buildingsMuchalls KincardineshireScotland 
Item 76 of 1751895Rubislaw feuing plan  AberdeenScotlandFeuing plan
Item 77 of 1751895Two houses for G Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 78 of 1751896Carlogie Cottage and stableCarlogie AberdeenshireScotlandStable
Item 79 of 1751896Dwellinghouse, King Street  AberdeenScotland 
Item 80 of 1751896Five houses for C Maitland  AberdeenScotland 
Item 81 of 1751896Four houses for George Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 82 of 1751896Gillybrands FarmGillybrands Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotlandNew farm buildings?
Item 83 of 1751896House for Gammie  AberdeenScotland 
Item 84 of 1751896House for R S Cooks  AberdeenScotland 
Item 85 of 1751896Houses for Hugh McDonald  AberdeenScotland 
Item 86 of 1751896Portlethen MansePortlethen KincardineshireScotlandProposed improvements
Item 87 of 1751896Premises for Gammie  AberdeenScotland 
Item 88 of 1751896Steading at Little SauchenCorsindae AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 89 of 1751896Three houses for Gammie  AberdeenScotland 
Item 90 of 1751896Three houses for George Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 91 of 1751897Burnside and Rosehill feuing  AberdeenScotland 
Item 92 of 1751897Dwelling house in the south side of Blenheim Place  AberdeenScotland 
Item 93 of 1751897Four houses for J GreenWoodside AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 94 of 1751897House and shops for City Property Association  AberdeenScotland 
Item 95 of 1751897House and shops for City Property Association  AberdeenScotland 
Item 96 of 1751897House and shops, Belmont Street  AberdeenScotland 
Item 97 of 1751897House and shops, George Street  AberdeenScotland 
Item 98 of 1751897House for Maitland  AberdeenScotland 
Item 99 of 1751897House for W Duncan  AberdeenScotland 
Item 100 of 1751897Houses and shops for City Property Association  AberdeenScotland 
Item 101 of 1751897Houses for Masson & ChristieTorry AberdeenScotland 
Item 102 of 1751897Nigg Public HallNigg KincardineshireScotland 
Item 103 of 1751897Potarch Bridge InnPotarch AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations
Item 104 of 1751897Six houses for J Petrie  AberdeenScotland 
Item 105 of 1751897Stranathro VillageStranathro (now Muchalls) Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotlandImprovements to village
Item 106 of 1751897Two houses, Desswood Place  AberdeenScotland 
Item 107 of 1751898Cattle MartEllon AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 108 of 1751898Fourteen houses for G Duguid  AberdeenScotland 
Item 109 of 1751898House, Milk Shop, Stable and Coachhouse for A Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 110 of 1751898Houses for Hammermen  AberdeenScotland 
Item 111 of 1751898Houses in Holburn Street  AberdeenScotland 
Item 112 of 1751898Seven houses between Orchard Street and Spittal  AberdeenScotland 
Item 113 of 1751898Seven houses for I EmslieTorry AberdeenScotland 
Item 114 of 1751898Seventeen houses for A & G Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 115 of 1751898Six houses for G Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 116 of 1751898Two houses for C Maitland  AberdeenScotland 
Item 117 of 1751898Two houses for Walker, Robertson and Cormack  AberdeenScotland 
Item 118 of 1751898Woodside HouseWoodside AberdeenScotlandStables
Item 119 of 1751899Four-bay double villa, Forest Road  AberdeenScotland 
Item 120 of 1751899House for Miss CampbellCammachmore AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 121 of 1751899Kincorth and Craigieshaw feuing  AberdeenScotland 
Item 122 of 1751899Mill of Benholm  KincardineshireScotlandAddition
Item 123 of 1751899Three houses for Green  AberdeenScotland 
Item 124 of 1751899Three houses for J Skene  AberdeenScotland 
Item 125 of 1751899Three houses, Spittal  AberdeenScotland 
Item 126 of 1751899Two houses for A C Tait  AberdeenScotland 
Item 127 of 1751900Fettercairn Parish Church and churchyardFettercairn KincardineshireScotlandEast part of churchyard wall rebuilt
Item 128 of 1751900Fintray MillsFintray AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 129 of 1751900Heathcot home farmArdo KincardineshireScotlandAlterations
Item 130 of 1751900House for Robert Sutherland  AberdeenScotland 
Item 131 of 1751900Tenement house for James ChristieTorry AberdeenScotland 
Item 132 of 1751901Carlogie Cottage and stableCarlogie AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations to cottage
Item 133 of 1751901Craigieshaw farmsteadNigg AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations
Item 134 of 1751901Cranhill farmhouseBanchory Devenick KincardineshireScotland 
Item 135 of 1751901House for Robert Stewart  AberdeenScotland 
Item 136 of 1751901House for Robert Sutherland  AberdeenScotland 
Item 137 of 1751901House, Blackdog Croft  AberdeenScotland 
Item 138 of 1751901Mains of CammachmoreCammachmore KincardineshireScotlandAlterations
Item 139 of 1751901Six houses for George Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 140 of 1751901Steading and two cottar housesBelhelvie AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 141 of 1751901Tenement houses for Robert SutherlandTorry AberdeenScotland 
Item 142 of 1751902Ashgrove Road Sale Ring  AberdeenScotland 
Item 143 of 1751902Captain Lauder's premises  AberdeenScotland 
Item 144 of 1751902Fawsyde FarmFawsyde Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotlandAdditions
Item 145 of 1751902Four houses for B Main  AberdeenScotland 
Item 146 of 1751902Seventeen houses for Park  AberdeenScotland 
Item 147 of 1751903Eight houses for G Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 148 of 1751903Four houses for Corbett  AberdeenScotland 
Item 149 of 1751903Tarland Meal MillTarland AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 150 of 1751903William Milne's premises  AberdeenScotland 
Item 151 of 1751904Five houses for Park  AberdeenScotland 
Item 152 of 1751904House for Alex Walker  AberdeenScotland 
Item 153 of 1751904House for Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 154 of 1751904House, shops and dairy for J D Mackie  AberdeenScotland 
Item 155 of 175190580 Bon Accord Street  AberdeenScotlandAddition of mansard roof
Item 156 of 1751905Balnacraig SteadingBalnacraig AberdeenshireScotlandRestoration after fire
Item 157 of 1751905Tenement, Constitution Street  AberdeenScotland 
Item 158 of 17519062,4,6,8 George Street and Upperkirkgate  AberdeenScotlandAlterations to shopfront
Item 159 of 17519063 Golden Square  AberdeenScotlandAlterations
Item 160 of 1751906Pitfichie BridgeMonymusk AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 161 of 1751906Seven houses for J Corbett  AberdeenScotland 
Item 162 of 1751906Tillymorgan Farm  AberdeenshireScotlandFarm buildings
Item 163 of 1751907Netherley EstateNetherley Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotland'Work on estate' (continued by firm until 1923)
Item 164 of 1751908North of Scotland Bank  AberdeenScotlandAlterations
Item 165 of 1751909LibraryDrumoak AberdeenshireScotlandProposed
Item 166 of 1751909Skateraw villageSkateraw (now Newtonhill) Aberdeenshire/KincardineshireScotland'Work in village'
Item 167 of 1751910Culter HousePeterculter AberdeenshireScotlandPlans dated for alterations - addition of north and south wings and restoration after fire
Item 168 of 1751911Upper Mastrick FarmMastrick AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 169 of 1751912Culsalmond ManseKirkton of Culsalmond AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations
Item 170 of 1751912Housedale and walled garden  AberdeenshireScotlandSouth wing addition
Item 171 of 1751912Innes HouseElgin MorayshireScotlandAlterations and additions, including windows at first floor and garages and stables. List description states Walker & Duncan were responsible for the east wing.
Item 172 of 1751913Altries House  KincardineshireScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 173 of 1751913Tarland SchoolTarland AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 174 of 1751913Torphins Auction MarketTorphins AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 175 of 1751914Mains of CraibstoneCraibstone AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Building News27 September 1879  p370 -appointed Assistant Commissioner for Ireland

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1H M Register HouseDeath Register