© All rights reserved. RIAS Quarterly no 47 Autumn 1934 

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Basic Biographical Details

Name: Thomas Oswald White Gratton
Designation: Architect
Born: 26 June 1912
Died: 1989
Bio Notes: Thomas Oswald White Gratton was born on 26 June 1912 and commenced his professional training undertaking 'general building superintendance' with an unidentified building contractor on 24 June 1929, attending evening classes in building construction at Glasgow High School from 15 September that year. He took evening classes at Glasgow School of Art from September 1930 and on 21 October 1931 commenced an apprenticeship in an unspecified architect's office. From the following year he attended day classes at the School of Art whilst continuing his apprenticeship. After completing his five-year apprenticeship he spent time working as an assistant, seemingly in the same office, from 1 November 1935 until 30 January 1936. He obtained his diploma in June the latter year and was admitted ARIBA on 30 November, his proposers being Thomas Harold Hughes, William James Smith and Eric Alexander Sutherland. At that time he was working in the office of William Ross of 189 Pitt Street, Glasgow.

Gratton practised from 93 Douglas Gardens, Glasgow in the late 1930s and he lived in Lenzie. During the second World War he served with the Forces. He was chief architect to the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society (SCWS) in the mid-1940s and entered into partnership with Peter McLean as Gratton & McLean sometime after 1943. His wife Agnes Freeland Gratton (known as Nessie), also became a partner in the firm. In the 1940s Gratton was Chief Architect to the SSHA. Thomas and his wife Agnes Freeland Gratton, also an Associate of the RIBA, both retired from the firm on 30 September 1971, resigned from the RIBA and moved to Estoril, Portugal. The Gratton & McLean office was at 21 Woodside Terrace, Glasgow at the time of their retirement.

He returned to England and died in Worthing, West Sussex in May 1989.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 62, Selbourne Road, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1936 *  
Item 2 of 693, Douglas Gardens, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessLate 1930s *  
Item 3 of 6Aytoun Lodge, Lenzie, Dunbartonshire/Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivateLate 1930s *  
Item 4 of 6113, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1950 *  
Item 5 of 621, Woodside Terrace, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1971 *  
Item 6 of 6Estoril, PortugalPrivate1971  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 2William Ross1936 * Assistant 
Item 2 of 2Gratton & McLean1950s Partner 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Thomas Harold Hughes30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 2 of 3(Professor) William James Smith30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 3 of 3Eric Alexander Sutherland30 November 1936for Associateship

Buildings and Designs

This architect 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 181938Dalmarnock Picture House  GlasgowScotlandPlans to be prepared for alterations.
Item 2 of 181939Royal Bank of Scotland  GlasgowScotland 
Item 3 of 181939St Mary's Established ChurchPartick GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 181940Housing for Lennoxtown Housing AssociationLennoxtown StirlingshireScotland 
Item 5 of 181942St David's ManseKirkintilloch DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 6 of 181947SSHA Housing, Cadder Road  GlasgowScotlandAs Chief Architect to SSHA.
Item 7 of 18194841 Annfield Street  GlasgowScotlandAlterations and Additions
Item 8 of 181948New Workshops 75-85 Forrester Street   GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 181948Red Cross Society, Park Circus  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 10 of 181950Great Glen Hydro Electric Scheme, Invergarry Power StationInvergarry Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 11 of 181950St Martha's Primary School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 12 of 181953Toryglen Parish ChurchKing's Park GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 181954Goldenhill Primary SchoolDuntocher DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 14 of 181957Castlemilk West ChurchCastlemilk GlasgowScotland 
Item 15 of 181958Royal Bank of Scotland Headquarters  EdinburghScotlandAddition of upper storey over the quadrant.
Item 16 of 18c. 1961Comprehensive High SchoolCumbernauld LanarkshireScotland 
Item 17 of 181968Royal Bank of Scotland  GlasgowScotlandInteriors gutted & refitted
Item 18 of 181970Royal Bank of ScotlandAyr AyrshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 2RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect:
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3England and WalesBirths, marriages and deaths  
Item 2 of 3Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Additional research by Iain Paterson
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no6152 (combined box 122)

Images

© All rights reserved. RIAS Quarterly no 47 Autumn 1934 

© All rights reserved. RIAS Quarterly no 47 Autumn 1934