Basic Biographical Details

Name: Charles Ramsay Gilchrist
Designation:  
Born: 17 September 1858
Died:  
Bio Notes: Charles Ramsay Gilchrist was born on 17 September 1858 and was articled to John Burnet in Glasgow in 1875. On completion of his apprenticeship in 1880 he spent two months abroad, his tour extending as far east as Constantinople. From 1881 to 1884 he assisted in various unspecified offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

In the latter year, suffering from ill health, he emigrated to Australia, where he spent twelve years assisting in Melbourne offices, including two as temporary draughtsman and eight as assistant in the Department of Public Works. Whilst there he assisted the district architect in the erection of Bendigo Law Courts as well as various schools, post offices, prisons, asylums and other works, and became an associate of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects. He left that office on 30 June 1893 due to retrenchments in the public service, but remained in Melbourne until 1897 when he returned to Britain, settling in England and joining the Engineers' Department of the Great Eastern Railway under William Neville Ashbee.

Staff cuts by the G E Railway Board resulted in Gilchrist losing his job, and he commenced practice on his own account in London on 31 January 1910. He was admitted LRIBA early the following year, his proposers being Ashbee, John James Burnet and John Bennie Wilson. His nomination papers contain enthusiastic references from his former employers, William Davidson, Inspector General of Public Works in Melbourne, describing him as 'excellent in every respect, reliable, diligent & painstaking … an accomplished Architect and an exceptionally accurate and skilful draughtsman' and Ashbee stating that he had 'never had a more capable assistant'. The forms also mention that he had published a small portfolio entitled 'Continental Sketches.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Melbourne, AustraliaBusiness1881  
Item 2 of 38, South Hill Park Gardens, Hampstead, London, EnglandPrivate1911 *  
Item 3 of 34-5, Marwick Court, Holborn, London, EnglandBusiness1911 *  

* 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 4John Burnet (senior)18751880Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Victorian Department of Public Works18841886Draughtsmanin Melbourne office
Item 3 of 4Victorian Department of Public Works188630 June 1893Assistantin Melbourne office
Item 4 of 4Great Eastern Railway Company Architects' and Engineers' Departments1897 or 18981909 or early 1910Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3William Neville AshbeeEarly 1911for Fellowship
Item 2 of 3(Sir) John James BurnetEarly 1911for Fellowship
Item 3 of 3John Bennie WilsonEarly 1911for Fellowship

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v11 no626 (microfilm reel 33)