Basic Biographical Details

Name: Wright & Kirkwood
Designation:  
Born: 1946
Died: 1983(?)
Bio Notes: William John Brockie Wright was born on 4 May 1883. He was articled to William Gardner Rowan from 1900 to 1905 and studied at Glasgow School of Art. In 1906 he became an assistant to Alexander Nisbet Paterson and in 1908 to James Miller with whom he remained until at least 1912 when he was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July in preparation for commencing practice on his own account: he had his own office at 180 Hope Street by 1914.

From c.1946 he was in partnership with James Smith Kirkwood as Wright & Kirkwood. Kirkwood had been born on 22 January 1912, the son of David Kirkwood MP (later Lord Kirkwood), and articled to Clarke & Bell & J H Craigie from 1933 to 1938. He had studied at Glasgow School of Art, taking the certificate course from 1933 to 1935 and the Diploma course from 1935 to 1938, during which he had carried out a study of housing and zinc roofing on the continent in 1937. He had been admitted ARIBA on 5 December 1938, proposed by Thomas Harold Hughes.

The practice appears to have had an additional office in Greenock by 1953. Jobs by the practice tended to be small scale, but they were responsible for schools in Drumchapel and Castlemilk and department store work - almost wholly internal - for Hugh Fraser; most notably the reconstruction of Pettigrew & Stephens after fire damage.

Kirkwood was a JP. He continued the practice under the same name until sometime after 1960. By 1970 the name had changed to Wright Kirkwood & Partners. Wright died on 24 June 1976; Kirkwood at Bearsden on 13 September 1983.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 7Carlton House, Blythswood Square, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19481953 
Item 2 of 726, Blythswood Square, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1950 *  
Item 3 of 7Swans Buildings, Hamilton Street, Greenock, ScotlandBusiness1951  
Item 4 of 733, Hamilton Street, Greenock, Renfrewshire, ScotlandBusiness1953 *  
Item 5 of 73, Woodside Plance, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1954 *  
Item 6 of 79, Woodside Place, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1957 *After 1970 
Item 7 of 718, Woodside Terrace, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessAfter 1957After 1983 

* earliest date known from documented sources.


Employment and Training

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 3William John Brockie Wrightc. 194624 June 1976Partner 
Item 2 of 3James Smith Kirkwoodc. 19461983Partner 
Item 3 of 3Easton Alexander Cummingsc. 1970 Partner 

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 24 Wester Cleddens Primary SchoolBishopbriggs Dunbartonshire/LanarkshireScotland 
Item 2 of 241948Housing, Campbell StreetGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 3 of 241948Lowther TerraceKelvinside GlasgowScotlandLinking blocks to form Old People's Home
Item 4 of 241948Muirhead & Company, 200 Sauchiehall Street  GlasgowScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 5 of 241948New BuildingsGreenock  ScotlandNew buildings in front of Greenock Academy
Item 6 of 2419491 Broomloan Road  GlasgowScotlandArchitects for scheme of reconstruction and buildings. Firm written as J B Wright & Kirkwood.
Item 7 of 241950Catholic Primary School in connection with the Balornock, Barmulloch and Robroyston schemes  GlasgowScotlandAs J B Wright & Kirkwood
Item 8 of 241950Cranstonhill Chemical Works  GlasgowScotlandTo prepare for the alterations and additions
Item 9 of 241950Primary School, Glasgow  GlasgowScotlandWritten as JB Wright & Kirkwood (FF)
Item 10 of 24195135-39 Gordon Street  GlasgowScotlandTo prepare plans for enlargement and alterations
Item 11 of 241951Factory, Cavendish RoadEglington Toll GlasgowScotland 
Item 12 of 241951Premises for New Safety Containers Ltd, Newhall StreetBridgeton GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 241951Public School, LarkfieldGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 14 of 241951Public School, South-West AreaGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 15 of 241951Warehouses for House of Fraser, Argyll and Jamaica Streets  GlasgowScotlandAs Will B Wright & Kirkwood
Item 16 of 241952Retail warehouse, Glasgow  GlasgowScotlandPrepared plans for new retail warehouse
Item 17 of 2416 January 1953Premises of F MacDonald Ltd, Woodside Crescent  GlasgowScotlandp145
Item 18 of 2427 February 1953School, Barmulloch (Site 9)Barmulloch GlasgowScotlandTo prepare plans for new school
Item 19 of 2419 June 1953Premises of LMSP LtdGovan GlasgowScotlandPlans prepared for new buildings
Item 20 of 243 July 1953Western Necropolis, CrematoriumMaryhill GlasgowScotlandExtensions
Item 21 of 2415 January 1954242-256 Buchanan Street  GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 22 of 247 November 1958Drumchapel Secondary SchoolDrumchapel GlasgowScotlandper Builder p773
Item 23 of 24Early 1950sSt Margaret's ChurchGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 24 of 24Late 1950sOffice Block for Royal Scottish Automobile Club, West Campbell St & West Regent St  GlasgowScotlandMay have drawn up designs for this building

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 18Builder4 March 1949  p288
Item 2 of 18Builder20 January 1950  p119
Item 3 of 18Builder1 December 1950  p582
Item 4 of 18Builder28 April 1950  p570
Item 5 of 18Builder5 October 1951  p468
Item 6 of 18Builder16 November 1951  p697
Item 7 of 18Builder16 February 1951  p259
Item 8 of 18Builder1 June 1951  p803
Item 9 of 18Builder8 June 1951  p837
Item 10 of 18Builder17 August 1951  p231
Item 11 of 18Builder16 May 1952  p756
Item 12 of 18Builder16 January 1953  p145
Item 13 of 18Builder27 February 1953  p360
Item 14 of 18Builder6 March 1953  p400
Item 15 of 18Builder19 June 1953  p969
Item 16 of 18Builder3 July 1953  p40
Item 17 of 18Builder28 August 1953  p333
Item 18 of 18Builder15 January 1954  p161