Basic Biographical Details

Name: David Sturrock
Designation:  
Born: c. 1846
Died: 28 March 1926
Bio Notes: David Sturrock was born at Kilmarnock c. 1846, the second son of John Sturrock, writer and notary public from Galston, and Matilda or Martha Brown. The other members of the family were William (born c. 1844), Margaret (born c. 1852), and Amelia (born c. 1856). Of these Amelia was listed as an architect and was presumably an assistant in the Bruce & Sturrock practice, an extremely early instance of a professional rather than an amateur lady architect.

Sturrock's initial training is unknown but was probably with a Kilmarnock architect, possibly William Railton. In late 1874 or early 1875 John Leck Bruce took him into partnership with the practice title of Bruce & Sturrock. The office was then at 137 West Regent Street where Bruce had commenced practice a year or so earlier. In c. 1876 the practice moved to number 103, and in 1877 or 1878 to number 184. In 1878 the firm was sequestrated.

Bruce was probably a Roman Catholic as from 1878 the practice began receiving smaller commissions from Archbishop Eyre, the larger ones being given almost exclusively to Peter Paul Pugin. There is no recorded work by Bruce & Sturrock after 1883: like so many others it must have suffered lack of business in the severe recession after the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank in 1878. Sturrock thereafter practised independently, retaining a small amount of archdiocesan business, until his retirement at the age of sixty-four late in 1909 or early in 1910. Work in hand was thereafter completed from his house at Newlands. The severe recession in the building trade induced by the Finance Act of 1909 was probably the catalyst for the closure of the practice.

Sturrock married at the late age of fifty-two Eva Janet Manson or Sturrock, a widow, on 28 April 1898 at 334 St Vincent Street (Eva's home). The ceremony was a Unitarian one. Up to the time of his marriage he had commuted from Kilmarnock and later Ayr, but he then set up house at 28 Gray Street, Glasgow, moving out to Newlands c. 1903. He died of asthma and cardiac failure at 63 Buchanan Drive, Cambuslang, on 28 March 1926, the death being reported by his daughter Eva M Sturrock of Bridge Street Hospital, Paisley.

NB: Sturrock should not be confused, as he has been in some sources, with David Woodburn Sturrock, born in 1860; they were first cousins on their father's side (Woodburn was their grandmother's maiden name). David Woodburn Sturrock was articled to David Thomson rather than Bruce & Sturrock.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 9137, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessLate 1873 or early 1874After 1875 
Item 2 of 9103, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1875After 1880 
Item 3 of 9Green House, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate1886 *After 1888 
Item 4 of 9184, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1888 *  
Item 5 of 995, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1888After 1910 
Item 6 of 913, Barnes Terrace, Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 18901898 
Item 7 of 928, Gray Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1898After 1900 
Item 8 of 9Kilrenny, Aylmer Road, Newlands, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate/businessBefore 1904After 1914Initially only house, but also office by 1910
Item 9 of 963, Buchanan Drive, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1926 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

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 1Bruce & SturrockLate 1874 or early 18751883(?)Partner 

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 1Alexander Cosmo Smith Auld19031909Apprentice 

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 121873Design for a villa    Design exhibited
Item 2 of 121874Bath Street UP Church  GlasgowScotland 
Item 3 of 121875Wellington Place Baptist Church  GlasgowScotlandCompetition design - not successful
Item 4 of 121877St John's Free ChurchGourock RenfrewshireScotlandAddition of crown spire
Item 5 of 121878RC Church, School and Presbytery  GlasgowScotland 
Item 6 of 121879RC Schoolhouse, 44 Grant Street and Argyle StreetHelensburgh DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 7 of 121880Crosshouse Established Church and ManseCrosshouse, Kilmarnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 8 of 121881St Aloysius RC Church and PresbyterySpringburn GlasgowScotlandChurch rebuilt
Item 9 of 121882Uddingston RC Chapel School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 10 of 121883Laigh Kirk Mission HallKilmarnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 11 of 121883Port Glasgow RC SchoolPort Glasgow RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 12 of 121893St Margaret's RC ChurchAyr AyrshireScotlandTransepts and sanctuary added

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Post Office Directories     
Item 2 of 2Scotland Census 18811881    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Edinburgh Gazette20 August 1878no.8923 p.638

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 Research by Iain Paterson