Basic Biographical Details Name: | Wilson & Wilson | Designation: | | Born: | 1937 | Died: | | Bio Notes: | Henry (Harry) Wilson was born on 27 March 1880 and 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.
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 but was a nephew of Strang and had been articled to him in July 1907 and remained there until November 1915. During this period he had taken classes in architecture at Falkirk School of Art & Science and then at Glasgow School of Architecture and the Royal Technical College where he had won the Whitelaw Medallion for Junior Design in 1913 and been placed second in Senior Design in 1915. In the period 1910-14 he had sketched and made measured drawings in various places in the central belt of Scotland. He had then moved to become assistant to Charles Menart, thereafter to the office of Peter Macgregor Chalmers and to that of James Miller. At the end of the war he had been admitted ARIBA under the war exemption scheme and after becoming chief assistant to his uncle in 1919, had been taken into partnership.
In 1940, by which time both Wilsons were Fellows of the Stirling Society of Architects and Robert was serving on its Council, 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. A further partner, Robert Mather Godfrey, was taken on in April 1956.
Robert Wilson died in October 1965; Henry had died some years earlier. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 169, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland | | | | From 1940-1943 branch office at Grangemouth. | | 39, Vicar Street, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Business | 1938 | After 1950(?) | Builder (3 Oct 1952, 488) lists address here in 1952 | | 2, Charing Cross, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Business | 1940 | After 1943 | | | Station House, Denny, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Business | 1970 | | Branch office | | Station Road, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Business | 1970 * | | | | Arnot Grange, Maggie Woods Loan, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Private/business | Before 1979(?) | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils* earliest date known from documented sources.
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 | | | Commercial garage | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Grangemouth Town Hall | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Reconstruction and additions | | 1938 | Falkirk Ice Rink | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | Before 1938(?) | Housing scheme(s) for West Lothian County Council | | | West Lothian | Scotland | Henry Wilson responsible, either under Wilson & Tait (if pre-1938) or Wilson & Wilson (if post-1938) | | 1939 | Church hall | Westquarter | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1939 | Four blocks of housing | Haggs | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1942 | Large Prisoner-of-War Camp | | | Stirlingshire? | Scotland | | | 1951 | Garage, Workshops and Offices, Cochrane and High Streets | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 3 October 1952 | Shopping Centre, Beancross | Grangemouth | | | Scotland | New shopping centre | | 10 October 1952 | Premises of James Garshores & Sons, Maxwell Place | Falkirk | | | Scotland | To prepare plans for restoration and additions - also acting as quantity surveyors | | 1955 | Housing Estate, Airfield | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Bowhouse Church of Scotland | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Denny & Dunipace Town Centre redevelopment | Denny|Dunipace | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Denny Old Parish Church | Denny | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Repair works | | After 1956 | Falkirk Royal Infirmary | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | New kitchen, pharmacy and stores block, and alterations to boiler house, mortuary and post-mortem accommodation | | After 1956 | Five advance factories for Burgh of Denny & Dunipace | Denny|Dunipace | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Foundry buildings and offices | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Grangemouth Town Hall | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Further extensions | | After 1956 | House for J Wotherspoon | | | | Scotland | | | After 1956 | House for R Campbell | | | | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Housing schemes for Burgh of Denny & Dunipace | Denny|Dunipace | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Housing schemes for West Lothian County Council | | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Housing works for Bridge of Allan | Bridge of Allan | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Larbert Old Church | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Repairs | | After 1956 | St Michael's Parish Church | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | Restoration, repair, redecoration and lighting | | After 1956 | Territorial and Auxiliary Forces drill hall | Denny | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Territorial and Auxiliary Forces drill hall | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Territorial and Auxiliary Forces drill hall | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Territorial Army centre, Bog Road | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1956 | Territorial Army centre, Forthside | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 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 | | | 1962 | Airfield 6 housing scheme | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1963 | Airfield 9 housing scheme | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1963 | Bowhouse 1st housing scheme | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1963 | Cafeteria and tennis changing rooms | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1964 | Bowhouse 3rd housing scheme | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1964 | Bowhouse 4th housing scheme | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1964 | Bowhouse Community Centre | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1964 | Sports stadium grandstand, Kersiebank Avenue | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1965 | Grangemouth Stadium | Grangemouth | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1965 | Nine advance factories | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1966 | Bowhouse 6th housing scheme | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1966 | Development of flats over shops | Denny | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1966 | Factory for Whitegates Knitwear, South Lumley Street | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1966 | Small shopping centre of 6 shops and 12 houses | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1967 | Factories for G B Plastics Ltd | | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1967 | Grangemouth Swimming Pool and Sports complex | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1967 | Wholesale warehouse for Renton's of Falkirk | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | Before 1968 | Falkirk Royal Infirmary | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Accident and Emergency Block, Outpatient Block and X-ray & Records Department | | 1975 | Christ the King RC Church | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Bailey, Rebecca M | 1996 | Scottish architects' papers: a source book | | Edinburgh: The Rutland Press | p117 | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | | | RIBA | 1981 | Directory of Practices 1981 | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 2 February 1951 | | | p186 | | Builder | 3 October 1952 | | | p488 | | Builder | 10 October 1952 | | | p528-529 | | Builder | 28 January 1955 | | | p196 |
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