Basic Biographical Details

Name: Thomson Sandilands & MacLeod
Designation:  
Born: April 1914
Died: 1950s
Bio Notes: After the death of Robert Douglas Sandilands on 10 December 1913, John Thomson entered into a partnership in April of the following year with Alexander Hood MacLeod. MacLeod had been born at Shore Street, Anstruther on 27 February 1889, the son of Pittenweem master fishcurer John MacLeod and Elizabeth Watson from Cellardyke, and had commenced his apprenticeship with a local Anstruther joiner before entering Thomson & Sandilands's office at the very early age of twelve, presumably as the office boy. It was not until 1910 that he enrolled in the Glasgow School of Architecture at Glasgow School of Art under Professors Bourdon, Gourlay and McGibbon. His initial period as a partner was brief as he was called up in February 1915 and not released until 1919 when he resumed partnership with Thomson.

The new partnership of Thomson Sandilands & MacLeod never engaged in large-scale competition work as it had done during Sandilands's lifetime. Initially it was based mainly on church work and private clients, mostly old ones retained from the earlier years of the practice, but from 1928 onwards it had a substantial warehouse clientele in the Glassford Street, Wilson Street and Candleriggs area. Thomson retired in 1931 having suffered a serious stroke, and died on 14 August 1933.

The practice continued under the same name. Only when Thomson retired did MacLeod seek membership of the RIBA. He was admitted on 24 February 1932, his proposers being Andrew Graham Henderson, John Watson and David Salmond. When MacLeod died of coronary thrombosis at Anstruther on 31 December 1941 the practice was inherited by his chief assistant James Barr Brown Boyd. Boyd was born on 25 March 1899 at Kilmarnock but it is not yet known where he trained.

In the 1950s the practice was absorbed by the unrelated Thomson McCrea & Sanders, but apart from a few large competition perspectives, only the drawings for clients still current passed into their possession. Boyd then became an architect with the Corporation of Glasgow. He died in retirement on 22 March 1967.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1248, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1932 *  

* 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 6Neil Burke MoirApril 19141916Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6John ThomsonApril 19141931Partner 
Item 3 of 6Alexander Hood MacLeodApril 19141950sPartnerWith the exception of war service 1915-1919.
Item 4 of 6Archibald Macintosh Doakc. 19361938Assistant 
Item 5 of 6James Barr Brown Boyd31 December 19411950sPartnerSole partner
Item 6 of 6James Barr Brown BoydBefore 194131 December 1941Chief Assistant 

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 221915New Bridgegate Church  GlasgowScotlandHall
Item 2 of 221922New Bridgegate Church  GlasgowScotlandChurch
Item 3 of 221925Mosspark Parish ChurchMosspark GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 221925Premises for Ralston & McKell  GlasgowScotlandBuilding reinforced with steel and attic added
Item 5 of 221926Queen's Park Higher Grade School  GlasgowScotlandRevised scheme; not completed
Item 6 of 221928Warehouse for John Glen & Co  GlasgowScotland 
Item 7 of 221929Premises for W D Todd & Son  GlasgowScotlandDrawings dated - reconstruction
Item 8 of 221931British Linen BankMerrylee GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 221931Warehouse, Ingram Street and Hutcheson Street  GlasgowScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 10 of 221934Premises for Bremner & Co  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 11 of 221934Premises of Glen & Davidson  GlasgowScotlandAlterations - though the HS List seems to suggest it was a new building. New warehouse at this date.
Item 12 of 221934Young Women's Christian Association  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 13 of 221935Garage, Washington Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 14 of 221935Warehouse and offices for A Link, warehouseman & hosier  GlasgowScotland 
Item 15 of 221936188-196 Hope Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 16 of 221936British Linen BankAyr AyrshireScotland 
Item 17 of 221936Premises for George Glasgow & Co, Paisley  GlasgowScotland 
Item 18 of 221937Portland Arms Public HouseShettleston GlasgowScotland 
Item 19 of 221937Premises for Ralston & McKell  GlasgowScotlandAlterations and new warehouse
Item 20 of 221938Garage and hostel for lorry drivers  GlasgowScotland 
Item 21 of 221939Royal Insurance Company Building  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 22 of 221941Warehouse for Simons Jacobs & Co and extension  GlasgowScotlandReconstruction of 89 Candleriggs and Brunswick Street

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Mireylees, Suzanne2005In the shadow of Gartloch: The life and work of John Thomson & Robert Douglas Sandilands Unpublished PhD thesis, University of St Andrews