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 AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Carlton House, Blythswood Square, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1948 | 1953 | | | 26, Blythswood Square, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1950 * | | | | Swans Buildings, Hamilton Street, Greenock, Scotland | Business | 1951 | | | | 33, Hamilton Street, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Business | 1953 * | | | | 3, Woodside Plance, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1954 * | | | | 9, Woodside Place, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1957 * | After 1970 | | | 18, Woodside Terrace, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | After 1957 | After 1983 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
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 | | | Wester Cleddens Primary School | Bishopbriggs | | Dunbartonshire/Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1948 | Housing, Campbell Street | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1948 | Lowther Terrace | Kelvinside | | Glasgow | Scotland | Linking blocks to form Old People's Home | | 1948 | Muirhead & Company, 200 Sauchiehall Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions and alterations | | 1948 | New Buildings | Greenock | | | Scotland | New buildings in front of Greenock Academy | | 1949 | 1 Broomloan Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Architects for scheme of reconstruction and buildings. Firm written as J B Wright & Kirkwood. | | 1950 | Catholic Primary School in connection with the Balornock, Barmulloch and Robroyston schemes | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As J B Wright & Kirkwood | | 1950 | Cranstonhill Chemical Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | To prepare for the alterations and additions | | 1950 | Primary School, Glasgow | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Written as JB Wright & Kirkwood (FF) | | 1951 | 35-39 Gordon Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | To prepare plans for enlargement and alterations | | 1951 | Factory, Cavendish Road | Eglington Toll | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1951 | Premises for New Safety Containers Ltd, Newhall Street | Bridgeton | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1951 | Public School, Larkfield | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1951 | Public School, South-West Area | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1951 | Warehouses for House of Fraser, Argyll and Jamaica Streets | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Will B Wright & Kirkwood | | 1952 | Retail warehouse, Glasgow | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Prepared plans for new retail warehouse | | 16 January 1953 | Premises of F MacDonald Ltd, Woodside Crescent | | | Glasgow | Scotland | p145 | | 27 February 1953 | School, Barmulloch (Site 9) | Barmulloch | | Glasgow | Scotland | To prepare plans for new school | | 19 June 1953 | Premises of LMSP Ltd | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | Plans prepared for new buildings | | 3 July 1953 | Western Necropolis, Crematorium | Maryhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extensions | | 15 January 1954 | 242-256 Buchanan Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 7 November 1958 | Drumchapel Secondary School | Drumchapel | | Glasgow | Scotland | per Builder p773 | | Early 1950s | St Margaret's Church | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | Late 1950s | Office Block for Royal Scottish Automobile Club, West Campbell St & West Regent St | | | Glasgow | Scotland | May have drawn up designs for this building |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 4 March 1949 | | | p288 | | Builder | 20 January 1950 | | | p119 | | Builder | 1 December 1950 | | | p582 | | Builder | 28 April 1950 | | | p570 | | Builder | 5 October 1951 | | | p468 | | Builder | 16 November 1951 | | | p697 | | Builder | 16 February 1951 | | | p259 | | Builder | 1 June 1951 | | | p803 | | Builder | 8 June 1951 | | | p837 | | Builder | 17 August 1951 | | | p231 | | Builder | 16 May 1952 | | | p756 | | Builder | 16 January 1953 | | | p145 | | Builder | 27 February 1953 | | | p360 | | Builder | 6 March 1953 | | | p400 | | Builder | 19 June 1953 | | | p969 | | Builder | 3 July 1953 | | | p40 | | Builder | 28 August 1953 | | | p333 | | Builder | 15 January 1954 | | | p161 |
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