Basic Biographical Details

Name: James John Gordon
Designation:  
Born: 5 November 1902
Died: 22 July 1964
Bio Notes: James John Gordon was born on 5 November 1902, the son of John Robert Webster Gordon, blacksmith, and his wife Janet Cook. He served his articles in the Edinburgh City Architects Department from September 1918 while at the same time studying part-time at Heriot Watt from 1918 (day and evening classes) and at Edinburgh College of Art from 1919 (morning and evening classes). From 1923 to 1924 he worked as assistant in the office of Dick Peddie & McKay transferring to that of McLaren Soutar & Salmond in Dundee in the latter year where he remained until 1925. He returned to Edinburgh to Jamieson & Arnott and in 1929 secured the post of chief architect to the Commercial Bank of Scotland where he remained until at least 1950 with the exception of his five years of war service.

He was a member of the Edinburgh Architectural Association in 1939-40. At that date he was living at 177 Dalkeith Road.

He was admitted LRIBA in 1947, proposed by John Ross McKay, Leslie Graham Thomson and John Jerdan.

Watson died at the Eastern General Hospital on 22 July 1964 and was buried in Newington Cemetery, Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh. His wife was Suzanne Denise Verdier or Nazarre.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 41, Lower Broomieknowe, Lasswade, Midlothian, ScotlandPrivate 1964 
Item 2 of 4177, Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate(?)c. 1938 *c. 1940 
Item 3 of 416, Golf Course Road, Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, ScotlandPrivate1947  
Item 4 of 414, George Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1950 *  

* 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 1Commercial Bank of Scotland, Architect's Department1950 * Architect 

* earliest date known from documented sources.


RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3John Jerdan14 October 1947For Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3John Ross McKay14 October 1947For Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3Leslie Grahame Thomson (or Leslie Grahame-Thomson; later Leslie Grahame MacDougall)14 October 1947For Licentiateship

References

Bibliographic References

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

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no 6152 (Combined Box 122)
Item 3 of 3Steven RobbInformation from gravestone (per Steven Robb) Sent October 2008