Basic Biographical Details Name: | Thomson, McCrea & Sanders | Designation: | | Born: | 1952 | Died: | | Bio Notes: | James Taylor Thomson was born in Edinburgh 1887 or early 1888, the son of Andrew Lindsay Thomson, commercial traveller and Alice Rennie Taylor, and was educated at the Royal High School. He was articled to George Lennox Beattie c.1903. At the end of his articles he joned Robert Stodart Lorimer's office as an assistant. He emigrated to the USA in 1912 and for eight years worked with Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue in New York. In the 1920s he returned to Scotland for medical treatment. He originally intended to return to New York but decided to establish his own practice as architect and civil engineer, joining Burnet Son & Dick part-time at Burnet's invitation to take over the detailing of Glasgow University Chapel. There he fell foul of Norman Dick over the time taken and left, Dick thereafter supervising the detailing himself. Fortunately Thomson's personal practice picked up very quickly to become a serious threat to Dick's. In 1927 he won the competition for St John's Renfield Church, and it was there that he married Wilhelmina Coutts Malcolm on 3 June 1931. Thomas Smith Tait gave him a major share of the Glasgow Empire Exhibition of 1938, from which Dick was excluded. From 1936 to 1937 Taylor Thomson was assisted by William McCrea who appears to have been taken into partnership around that time under the title of James Taylor Thomson & Partner, his name being acknowledged in the practice title as Thomson & McCrea by c. 1942.
William McCrea was born on 4 February 1896 and was articled to David Forbes Smith of Kirkcaldy from 1912 and attended Heriot-Watt College in Edinburgh and the Glasgow School of Architecture where he undertook the full diploma course and was awarded the Diploma of the School. At some point thereafter he spent two periods of three months studying in northern France. In 1920 he entered the office of James Miller followed by a spell in the office of John Burnet, Son & DickHe was admitted ARIBA sometime before 1930. He joined James Taylor Thomson as chief assistant in 1936 and claimed in his FRIBA nomination papers to have commenced independent practice in Glasgow in 1937, but this was presumably as partner to Thomson prior to his name being acknowledged in the practice title. He was elected FRIBA on 22 September 1942, his proposers being Professor William James Smith, Charles Geddes Soutar and Thomas Johnston Beveridge.
William Hamilton Sanders was assumed into the partnership in 1952. He had been born on 22 January 1914 and had studied at Glasgow School of Architecture from September 1933. He had joined the James Taylor Thomson & Partner as assistant in June 1937, and in October the following year he graduated BSc from Glasgow University. He had been admitted ARIBA on 6 March 1939, his proposers being Gavin Lennox, William James Smith and Joseph Weekes. He had remained with the Thomson practice thereafter.
McCrea was active in public life. He was President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects from 1953-54, and was elected President of the RIAS in 1955, having previously sat on the Council for seventeen years in various capacities, as well as serving on the Council and Executive Committee of the RIBA.
James Taylor Thomson was also active in public life. He was vice president of the Glasgow Institute of Architects, Deacon of the Incorporation of Masons and president of Glasgow Art Club.
Thomson died of cancer at 156 Hyndland Road, Glasgow on 15 March 1953, aged sixty-five, after a long period of poor health. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 212, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1952 | After 1957 | | | Market Square House, Obsdale Road, Alness, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland | Business | 1975 | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
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 | | 1952 | Titwood Established Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Taken down and re-erected at Meiklerig Crescent as St James's Pollok | | 23 January 1953 | Premises of Donaldson & Filer Ltd, Cogan Street | Pollokshaws | | Glasgow | Scotland | To prepare plans for new offices | | 3 April 1953 | Premises of Donaldson & Filer Ltd, Cogan Street | Pollokshaws | | Glasgow | Scotland | To prepare plans for extensions | | 26 June 1953 | School, Meiklerig Crescent | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extensions, alterations, and additions | | 1954 | Montrose Old Church | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Carried out the alterations which the earlier form of the practice had planned. | | 1955 | South Parish Church | Bearsden | | Dunbartonshire/Glasgow | Scotland | | | Before 1955 | Houses at Kippen | Kippen | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | Before 1955 | Houses, Bowling | Bowling | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | Before 1955 | Houses, Milngavie | Milngavie | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | Before 1955 | Scottish Control Station of Central Electricity | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1957 | Premises of Mavor & Coulson, Swanston Street | Dalmarnock | | Glasgow | Scotland | Canteen and baths ('J. Taylor Thomson, McCrea & Sanders, 212 Bath St, WC2' per Builder p294) | | 11 January 1957 | Offices, Harmony Row | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | Builder p121 | | 29 March 1957 | Hall | Cathcart | | Glasgow | Scotland | per Builder, p614 | | 1958 | Lenzie Academy | Lenzie | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1963 | Glasgow University, Zoology Field Station | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1964 | Bonded stores, blending, bottling hall | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1964 | Television studios | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1965 | Indoor bowling green | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1965 | Old people's home | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1966 | Garage for McHarg, Rennie & Lindsay | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1966 | Geriatric Hospital, Blawarthill | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | | 1967 | Hampden Park Football Ground | Mount Florida | | Glasgow | Scotland | West terracing covering, grass, TV boxes, dressing rooms. Cost £180,000, | | 1967 or 1968 | Celtic Football Ground | Parkhead | | Glasgow | Scotland | East terracing covering | | 1968 | Glasgow University, television studio | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1968 | Holyrood RC School | Polmadie | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extensions | | 1969 | Children's Home | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1969 | McGhee's Bakery | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1969 | North Park House | Kelvinside | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension | | 1969 | Youth Centre for Church of Scotland | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1973 | Lenzie Academy | Lenzie | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Extension | | 1974 | Boclair Academy | Bearsden | | Glasgow/Dunbartonshire | Scotland | With Robert Sutherland as County Architect | | 1985 | Old People's Home, Ward | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Conservatory and ward added for old people's home. | | 1987 | Bonhill Parish Church | Bonhill | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Interior alterations (removal of gallery for 2-storey hall); sanctuary created in N and new galleries S & E. Vestibule and stair in S extension. | | 1990 | Coatbridge workshops, Coatdyke | Coatbridge | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesPeriodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 23 January 1953 | | | p177 | | Builder | 13 February 1953 | | | p292 | | Builder | 3 April 1953 | | | p549 | | Builder | 26 June 1953 | | | p1004 |
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