Basic Biographical Details

Name: Thomas Smith Shearer
Designation:  
Born:  
Died:  
Bio Notes: Thomas Smith Shearer was a son James Shearer of Dunfermline, variously described as a linen manufacturer and damask pattern designer, and was the younger brother of James Grant Shearer. He took the general art course at Lauder Technical School, Dunfermline from 1904 to 1908, gaining various Kensington Certificates, and studied modelling under R R Goulden MSBS. In 1908 he joined his elder brother's practice as apprentice and he remained there as assistant until March 1913 when he secured a temporary appointment in the office of James Miller in Glasgow before moving to London to work as assistant to Aston Webb. Whilst there he studied at the Westminster Institute, gaining exemption from the RIBA preliminary exam in October. He left Webb's office in December the same year to rejoin his brother's practice in January 1914, and in June that year he passed the final exam. His career was interrupted on the outbreak of war two months later, whereupon he enlisted in the armed forces. He served in Athens and Constantinople, and whilst on active service in December 1914 had a design for a concert hall 'accepted as a Testimony of Study for Final Examination'. He was admitted ARIBA in mid-1920, his proposers being Aston Webb who described him as 'for a time a much valued assistant of mine', together with his son Maurice Everett Webb and Shearer's then employer James Ernest Franck, also of London.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandPrivate 1913 
Item 2 of 275, Limerston Street, Chelsea, London SW, EnglandPrivate1920 *  

* 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 6James Grant Shearer1908c. 1912Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6James Grant Shearerc. 1912March 1913Assistant 
Item 3 of 6James MillerMarch 1913c. March 1913Assistant 
Item 4 of 6Aston Webbc. March 1913December 1913Assistant 
Item 5 of 6James Grant ShearerJanuary 1914August 1914Assistant 
Item 6 of 6James Ernest Franckc. 1919After 1920Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3James Ernest FranckMid 1920for Associateship
Item 2 of 3Aston WebbMid 1920for Associateship
Item 3 of 3Maurice Everett WebbMid 1920for Associateship

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 11914Design for a Concert Hall     

References

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 A no3037 (microfilm reel 24)