Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Boyne Watson
Designation:  
Born: 26 September 1910
Died: 20 February 1978
Bio Notes: James Boyne Watson was born on 26 September 1910, the son of David Watson, engineer, and his wife, Jane Boyne. He served his articles in the office of Bryden & Robertson in Glasgow from 1927 to 1932. At the same time he attended classes at Glasgow High School and after a year at Glasgow School of Art taking the Certificate Course and at the Royal technical College. After the completion of his articles, he remained as assistant with the same practice by now Bryden, Robertson & Boyd. In 1934 he moved to a similar post with John McKissack & Son. He was elected ARIAS that year.

He was an Associate of the Glasgow Institute of Architects by 1939-40. In 1940 he left McKissack to work for the CRE in the Glasgow area and from 1941-46 he saw active service with the Royal Engineers.

After the cease of hostilities he briefly returned to the office of John McKissack as an assistant but moved to the Ministry of Works for one year between 1946and 1947, moving in the latter year to a post as senior assistant with Thomas Smith Cordiner. He remained with Cordiner until at least 1954, the year of his election as LRIBA. He was proposed by Cordiner, Ninian Johnston and Jack Coia.

He joined Peter Lamont Burnside Borthwick in partnership in the mid-1960s but both Watson and Borthwick moved to Cordiner Cunningham & Partners as partners about 1970. The practice of Borthwick & Watson was continued by John M W Papworth and Ian M Rae initially and later by Frank Timpson.

Watson died on 20 February 1978, survived by his wife Agnes Jane Lawson Beattie.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2102, Dorchester Avenue, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)1939 *After 1965 
Item 2 of 2Block 1, Flat 7, Undercliff, Wemyss Bsy, Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivate1970 *1978 

* 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 9Bryden & Robertson15 September 192715 March 1932Apprentice 
Item 2 of 9Bryden Robertson & Boyd19321934Assistant 
Item 3 of 9John McKissack & Son19341940Assistant 
Item 4 of 9John McKissack & Son1946 Assistant 
Item 5 of 9H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)19461947Assistant 
Item 6 of 9Thomas Cordiner & Partners1947 Senior Assistant 
Item 7 of 9Thomas Smith Cordiner1947After 1954Senior Assistant 
Item 8 of 9Borthwick & Watsonc. 1967c. 1970Partner 
Item 9 of 9Thomas Cordiner, Cunningham & Partners1970 * Partner 

* 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 3Jack Antonio Coia2 March 1954For Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3Thomas Smith Cordiner2 March 1954For Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3Ninian Rutherford Jamieson Johnston2 March 1954For Licentiateship

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 341960sApproved SchoolShandon DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 2 of 341960sApproved SchoolGartmore Stirlingshire  
Item 3 of 341960sApproved SchoolAirdrie LanarkshireScotland 
Item 4 of 341960sEaglesham ArmsEaglesham RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 5 of 341960sFactory for Scottish Industrial EstatesBlantyre LanarkshireScotland 
Item 6 of 341960sGlasgow and West of Scotland Technical College  GlasgowScotlandAdditions to Royal College (cost £2.5m) - probably the extension scheme mentioned in the Builder (see below).
Item 7 of 341960sHigh Court  GlasgowScotland 
Item 8 of 341960sKenmure Approved SchoolBishopbriggs GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 341960sPhilips Lighting Hamilton FactoryHamilton LanarkshireScotlandNew factory or extension to old factory costing £500,000
Item 10 of 341960sPrivate Housing schemeKilmacolm RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 11 of 341960sPrivate Housing SchemeNeilston RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 12 of 341960sPrivate Housing SchemeBridge of Weir RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 13 of 341960sPrivate Housing Scheme, BerryknowesChrystone LanarkshireScotland 
Item 14 of 341960sScottish Colorfoto FactoryAlexandria DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 15 of 341960sSilver Thread HotelPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 16 of 341960sSt Fergus ChurchPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 17 of 341960sStrathleven Bonded WarehousesDumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 18 of 341960sUnion Bank  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 19 of 341965St Gregory RC ChurchMaryhill GlasgowScotland 
Item 20 of 341966Glasgow School for the DeafMilton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 21 of 341966Licensed premises complex, West George Street  GlasgowScotlandNot sure if involved
Item 22 of 341966Private houseRabat  Malta 
Item 23 of 341967Clydebank Technical CollegeClydebank DunbartonshireScotlandExtension
Item 24 of 341967Glasgow College of Technology  GlasgowScotland 
Item 25 of 341967St Gilda's RC ChurchRoseneath DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 26 of 341970St Stephen's RC ChurchSighthill GlasgowScotland 
Item 27 of 34197215 private residential developmentsWesthill AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 28 of 34197250 acre public parkWesthill AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 29 of 341972Golf course and clubhouseWesthill AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 30 of 341972Industrial estateWesthill AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 31 of 341972Roman Court, flats and townhousesBearsden GlasgowScotland 
Item 32 of 341972Town Shopping CentreWesthill AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 33 of 341972Westhill TownshipWesthill AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 34 of 341975Castle ForbesAlford AberdeenshireScotlandRefurbishment - may not be involved

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 4RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 4RIBA1965The RIBA Kalendar   
Item 4 of 4RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination PapersL6581 (Box 147)