Basic Biographical Details

Name: W J Taylor & Co
Designation:  
Born: Before 1932(?)
Died:  
Bio Notes: William John Taylor was born in 1892 or 1893 and was articled to William Laidlaw Carruthers of Inverness in March 1910, remaining with him for nine months as assistant after completing his apprenticeship. He served in the armed forces during the First World War, and on his demobilisation in 1919 began attending the Aberdeen School of Architecture, where he received his Diploma the following year and was awarded the Byrne Scholarship of £75 having been placed first in his year. This enabled him to extend his studies at the School, gaining his Post-Graduate Certificate in 1921. In July that year he commenced practice in Inverness, in partnership with William Laidlaw Carruthers' son R Carruthers Ballantyne, the practice being known as Carruthers Ballantyne & Taylor.

Taylor was admitted FRIBA in late 1928, his proposers being John Hinton Gall, John Alexander Ogg Allan and Arthur Hay Livingstone Mackinnon. At that time the practice address was 28 Queen's Gate, Inverness and he was living at Craigneish, Old Edinburgh Road in the same town.

____ Cox, of whom no details are known, had joined the partnership by the mid-1930s, the firm becoming Carruthers Ballantyne, Cox & Taylor. The practice built some of the best early modern houses in Scotland. No information is yet available on Cox, the key figures in the office being Donald Fowler and William Allen. Ballantyne himself is said to have been ill-at-ease building these modern houses, probably for technical as much as aesthetic reasons, although he did design at least one himself.

The partnership had split by 1936, Taylor continuing in the existing offices at 28 Queens Gate as W J Taylor & Co until at least 1940, and Ballantyne & Cox practising separately elsewhere in Inverness.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 128, Queen's Gate, Inverness, Inverness-shire, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1940After 1950 

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 2William John TaylorBefore 1932After 1941Partner 
Item 2 of 2Morris Anderson1965 * Architect 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

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 21931Picture House  AberdeenScotland 
Item 2 of 21932Super-cinema, shops and tearoomsPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Architect and Building News1932Jul-Dec p90