Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Nimmo & Partners
Designation:  
Born: 1956
Died:  
Bio Notes: William Nimmo studied for the degree of BArch at the University of Strathclyde. He was elected ARIBA in 1954. He set up business on his own account in Wishaw and invited Jean Welsh to join him as a partner, the practice then becoming William Nimmo & Partners. In 1969 the practice moved to Glasgow and two years later the Wishaw office closed. In 1973 James Robertson was assumed into partnership followed by John Carswell in 1975 and by a number of other partners in the late 1980s. David Nimmo, son of William Nimmo, was assumed into partnership in 1993.

David Nimmo writes:
'My father was interested in architecture, and certainly had strong views, but he was probably more passionate about business, project management (he was a natural leader) and quality of construction. While he won the silver medal at Glasgow School of Art, he regarded others as more able designers, and consequently encouraged them to get on with it while he looked for work and ran the practice. These included, within the office, initially Jean Welsh, Jimmy Robertson (who had an outstanding natural design talent and over the key years did most of the conceptual design work within the practice), Iain C Anderson and Alastair MacGregor. What most people will not be aware of is that both Geoffrey Jarvis and Ivor Richards joined WNP as associates, after the dissolution of Boys Jarvis, and the death of Sir Leslie Martin respectively. They did a significant amount of distinguished work, particularly in London. Notable examples included 135-6 Leadenhall Street (immediately next to Lutyens' Midland Bank) with a new Portland stone facade designed by Geoffrey, and Capel House, New Broad Street, which contained interiors by CFA Voysey, and featured a very sophisticated rear facade, facing the George Dance designed church of All Hallows on the Wall. Ivor Richards led the design of that building. A number of well known architects and characters of the profession also passed through the office in their early years, including Tom Elder, Andrew Merrylees, Andrew Neil, Bill Murdoch, John A Russell and Craig Casci.

At its peak around 1990, the practice employed some 135 people, and had offices in Glasgow adn London, with major site offices at CSB Faslane and Britannic House, London. My father initially retired in 1996, when he was 67 and by 2002 had ceased to spend any time in the practice, as he felt that the client contacts of his tiem had themselves retired or moved on.'

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 5Main Street, Wishaw, Lanarkshire, ScotlandBusiness19561971 
Item 2 of 5132, West Nile Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19691970 
Item 3 of 5Commercial Bank Chambers/3, Stewarton Street, Wishaw, Lanarkshire, ScotlandBusiness1970 *  
Item 4 of 515, Queen's Crescent, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1971  
Item 5 of 57, Fitzroy Place, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessc. 1976  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

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 15Ivor Richards  AssociateJoined the practice after the death of Sir Leslie Martin
Item 2 of 15Thomas ('Tom') Elder  Assistant 
Item 3 of 15Andrew Merrylees  Assistant 
Item 4 of 15William ('Bill') Murdoch  Assistant 
Item 5 of 15John A Russell  Assistant 
Item 6 of 15Andrew Neil  Assistant 
Item 7 of 15Craig Casci  Assistant 
Item 8 of 15(Miss) Jean Gordon Welsh1956After 1994Partner 
Item 9 of 15William ('Bill') Nimmo19561996Partner 
Item 10 of 15William ('Bill') MurdochLate 1960s or 1970sBefore 1987 briefly
Item 11 of 15James (Jimmy') Robertson1973 Partner 
Item 12 of 15John Carswell1975After 1994Partner 
Item 13 of 15Robert Alastair McGregor1984 Architect 
Item 14 of 15William Geoffrey Jarvis1987 AssociateAfter the dissolution of Boys Jarvis
Item 15 of 15David Nimmo1993 Partner 

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 45 Westwood Parish ChurchEast Kilbride  Scotland 
Item 2 of 451952Carnwadric Church and Hall  GlasgowScotland 
Item 3 of 451956Barlanark Greyfriars Church  GlasgowScotlandMay also be responsible to 1968-70 addtions
Item 4 of 451961Motherwell and Wishaw Civic CentreMotherwell LanarkshireScotlandCompetition design - placed second
Item 5 of 451962North British Locomotive Company OfficesSpringburn GlasgowScotlandConversion of offices to College of Engineering
Item 6 of 451964Church of Scotland Halls, Ryehill Road  GlasgowScotlandExtension to hall
Item 7 of 451964(?)Garrian HotelMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 
Item 8 of 451965Industrial buildings for United GlassBaillieston GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 451968Golden Circle HotelBathgate West LothianScotlandOriginal design and extension
Item 10 of 451968Hendersons Department Store  GlasgowScotland 
Item 11 of 451970Block of buildings, 29-31 St Andrew Square for the Norwich Union  EdinburghScotland 
Item 12 of 451971Community CentreArmadale West LothianScotland 
Item 13 of 451972Braeval DistilleryChapeltown of Glenlivet MorayshireScotland 
Item 14 of 451973116-128 High StreetPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 15 of 451973Scottish Television Studio and OfficesCowcaddens GlasgowScotland 
Item 16 of 451975Community CentreWhitburn West LothianScotland 
Item 17 of 451975Distillery at Alt A BhainneGlenrinnes, Dufftown BanffshireScotland 
Item 18 of 45c. 1975Community CentreCarnwadric GlasgowScotland 
Item 19 of 45c. 1975Hotel for Centre Hotels (Cranston) Ltd  LiverpoolEngland 
Item 20 of 45c. 1975Hotel for Centre Hotels (Cranston) Ltd  GlasgowScotland 
Item 21 of 45c. 1975Marshall's chicken processing factoryCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 22 of 45c. 1975Primary schoolKirkliston West LothianScotland 
Item 23 of 45c. 1975Regional Police HeadquartersClydebank DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 24 of 45c. 1975Warehouses for House of Fraser, Argyll and Jamaica Streets  GlasgowScotlandReconstruction
Item 25 of 451976Rament Lodge Court  GlasgowScotland 
Item 26 of 451979Deans Community SchoolLivingston West LothianScotland 
Item 27 of 451980sCraigforth House, office buildings  StirlingshireScotlandFurther office buildings
Item 28 of 451980s(?)Royal Naval BaseFaslane Renfrewshire/DunbartonshireScotland£400m refit
Item 29 of 45Before 1981BenRiach Glenlivet DistilleryGlenlivet BanffshireScotlandNew building?
Item 30 of 45Before 1981Marshall's chicken processing factoryNewbridge West LothianScotland 
Item 31 of 45Before 1981Recreational centre and canteen for BP ChemicalsGrangemouth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 32 of 45Before 1981Recreational centre and canteen for BP Chemicals  HullEngland 
Item 33 of 45Before 1981Tesco superstoreKilmarnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 34 of 45Before 1981Tesco superstorePaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 35 of 451982Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, Renfrew Street  GlasgowScotlandExecutive architects.
Item 36 of 451983Clydebank Business Park, Radio Clyde BuildingClydebank DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 37 of 451985St John's Shopping CentrePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 38 of 451986Car park Perth PerthshireScotland 
Item 39 of 45After 1987135-136 Leadenhall Street  LondonEnglandNew Portland stone facade - with Geoffrey Jarvis as associate in chrge
Item 40 of 45Mid 1980sEmerson Chambers  Newcastle-upon-TyneEnglandWith Geoffrey Jarvis as project architect - as consultant for William Nimmo & Partners
Item 41 of 45Mid 1980sLeewood HouseLanark LanarkshireScotlandExtensions with Geoffrey Jarvis as consultant architect for William Nimmo & Partners
Item 42 of 451991Lanarkshire Coalmasters's Rescue CentreCoatbridge LanarkshireScotlandConversion to Fountain Business Centre
Item 43 of 451998David Dale HouseBlantyre LanarkshireScotland 
Item 44 of 45Early 1990sClyde Maritime Scheme  GlasgowScotlandRegeneration of dock area and return of the Glenlee, a Clyde-built sailing vessel. Vessel returned but other proposals not executed.
Item 45 of 45After 2000Capel House  LondonEnglandAlterations with Ivor Richards as associate in charge

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp146
Item 2 of 2RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970