Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Watherston
Designation:  
Born:  
Died: 22 November 1895
Bio Notes: William Watherston was a one of the sons John Watherston, builder and his wife Elizabeth Millar. John Watherston & Sons were builders with an important architectural office from at least 1856. John Watherston, the founder of the firm was born on 2 March 1798. Sometime prior to 1830 he married Elizabeth Millar born 1 April 1802. At least two sons were partners in the business, William married to Cilla Johnston, and James, born 11 April 1831, who married Janet Henderson, born 31 January 1843.

Watherston built large parts of Edinburgh's West End speculatively sometimes to designs specified by the Walker and Heriot Trust estates, sometimes to their own. These were undertaken by the sons, John Watherston himself having died on 11 October 1869. The firm was also much sought after for country house work, again sometimes as architect builders. William Watherston died on 22 November 1895, predeceased by his wife who had died on 29 January 1887. James died on 30 September 1907 and was survived by his first wife Janet Henderson who died 10 May 1923. In the late 19th and 20th century the architect partner in the firm was their son Robert Henderson Watherston, born in 1869 and a very accomplished designer, who died in 1923.

Information from gravestones, Dean Cemetery

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1Queensferry Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness   

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 1John Watherston & SonsBefore 1856(?)1895Partner 

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 52 Lauriston House  EdinburghScotlandAlterations - perhaps involved (date unknown
Item 2 of 52c. 185013 Castle Terrace  EdinburghScotlandExecuted Burn's design
Item 3 of 5218564, 5, 6 Melville Crescent  EdinburghScotlandElevations to design by John Lessels. Interiors by Watherston
Item 4 of 521869Grosvenor Crescent  EdinburghScotlandBuilders for nos 7-10 and designed and built interiors of 15-20
Item 5 of 5218717 Charlotte Square  EdinburghScotlandAlterations
Item 6 of 5218721-37 Drumsheugh Gardens  EdinburghScotlandAs builders, to designs of Peddie & Kinnear/Kinnear & Peddie firm
Item 7 of 521872Kilgraston HouseBridge of Earn PerthshireScotlandReconstruction after fire, to designs by David Smart
Item 8 of 521873119 George Street  EdinburghScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 9 of 52187416 Castle Street  EdinburghScotlandAlterations and addition at rear (as builders for James Campbell Walker)
Item 10 of 52187421 Lynedoch Place  EdinburghScotlandAddition
Item 11 of 521874Town House, 10 Heriot Row  EdinburghScotlandAddition of dormers
Item 12 of 521875John Watson's School, gardener's house  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction
Item 13 of 52187615 and 16 Carlton Terrace  EdinburghScotlandAddition
Item 14 of 521876Angle Park Iron ChurchNorth Merchiston EdinburghScotlandExecutant architects? Designed details?
Item 15 of 521876Corner tenement with shops, 1-2 Lynedoch Place and 2-4 Drumsheugh Place  EdinburghScotlandDate of initial drawings - possibly contract drawings
Item 16 of 521876Industrial Schools  EdinburghScotland 
Item 17 of 521876Warrender Park feuing  EdinburghScotlandFeuing plans
Item 18 of 521877Dalry House  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction, including school rooms to south east
Item 19 of 5218782-6 Rothesay Place  EdinburghScotlandExecuted design
Item 20 of 5218786 George Street  EdinburghScotlandAddition
Item 21 of 521878City of Glasgow Bank, 7-8 Hunter Square  EdinburghScotlandAlterations
Item 22 of 521878Free Church Normal School  EdinburghScotlandProposed additions
Item 23 of 52c. 1878Cambo House  FifeScotlandProposed reconstruction of 18th century castellated house after fire - not carried out
Item 24 of 52188018 Rothesay Place  EdinburghScotland 
Item 25 of 521880Corner tenement with shops, 1-2 Lynedoch Place and 2-4 Drumsheugh Place  EdinburghScotlandPossibly building to a Peddie & Kinnear design
Item 26 of 521880Drumsheugh Place  EdinburghScotlandBuilders
Item 27 of 52188127-39 Palmerston Place with 17 Rothesay Place  EdinburghScotlandWith Alexander White
Item 28 of 52188129-33 Hanover Street  EdinburghScotland 
Item 29 of 521881Dolphinton House and lodge  PeeblesshireScotlandProposed additions
Item 30 of 521882Binrock and Lodge  DundeeScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 31 of 521882Bonaly TowerColinton EdinburghScotlandAdditions and alterations and additions to stables
Item 32 of 521882Drummohr HousePrestonpans East LothianScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 33 of 521883Cowdenknowes  BerwickshireScotlandAlterations and additions to house
Item 34 of 521884Cowdenknowes, stables  BerwickshireScotland 
Item 35 of 52After 1884Holy Family RC ChurchBellshill LanarkshireScotlandProposed additions
Item 36 of 5218854, 5, 6 Rothesay Terrace  EdinburghScotland 
Item 37 of 5218857, 8 Rothesay Terrace  EdinburghScotland 
Item 38 of 521885Sunlaws HouseRoxburgh RoxburghshireScotlandAdditions and alterations after fire and probably remodelling of stable
Item 39 of 521886Ancrum HouseAncrum RoxburghshireScotlandPanelling in entrance, inner hall and dining room - after second fire
Item 40 of 521886Dolphinton House and lodge  PeeblesshireScotlandProposed alterations
Item 41 of 521886Pentland VillaWester Coates EdinburghScotland 
Item 42 of 521888Douglas Gardens  EdinburghScotland 
Item 43 of 521888Gallanach HouseOban ArgyllScotlandProposed alterations and additions - not carried out
Item 44 of 521888Moray Free Church, South Back of the Canongate  EdinburghScotlandAlterations?
Item 45 of 52188917 Rothesay Place  EdinburghScotlandDrawings for further work?
Item 46 of 52188918 Rothesay Place  EdinburghScotland 
Item 47 of 521889Sunlaws House Stable RangeRoxburgh RoxburghshireScotlandRemodelling
Item 48 of 521890Cramond Manse  EdinburghScotlandAdditions
Item 49 of 52189241 Manor Place  EdinburghScotlandAlterations
Item 50 of 521892Cunnoquhie House  FifeScotlandAlterations to house and stable offices
Item 51 of 521892Hawthornden CastleLasswade MidlothianScotlandAlterations?
Item 52 of 52Late 1800sGogarbank House  MidlothianScotlandAlterations

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1NMRS NMRS Jubilee: A Guide to the Collections   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Personal information given to DMW by the Watherston firm's principal partner c.1968 (name uncertain).