Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Harry Routledge
Designation:  
Born: 18 November 1932
Died:  
Bio Notes: James Harry Routledge was born on 18 November 1932, From 1950-55 he served his articles in the office of Weddell & Thomson and at the same time attended the part-time course at Glasgow School of Art. In 1955 he moved to Edinburgh and for two years studied fuill-time at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1957 he returned to Glasgow to an assistant post in the office of William Baillie & Sons. The following year he transferred to a similar post with James Taylor who employed him as a draughtsman, mainly working on educational and industrial projects. He remained with Taylor until 1960.

Routledge made two trips abroad during his training, visiting Spain as part of the architectural group in 1955 and making an independent trip to Austria in 1959. He sat parts I and II of the final exam in December of that year and the professional practice exam in November 1960. He was elected ARIBA on 7 February 1961, proposed by James Taylor, Frank Fielden and George Ferguson Smellie Shanks. He was elected ARIAS four years later.

1960-61 was spent as an assistant with the Architect's Department of the Scottish Gas Board in Granton, Edinburgh (though he gives the GAs Board's address in Glasgow for his place of business) and for some months in the latter year he worked with Crudens in Musselburgh. Routledge returned to Glasgow later in 1961 as a senior assistant with Gratton & McLean. In 1963 he joined the practice of William Murdoch Rigg McMenan as associate partner. McMenan died in 1965 and Routledge was thus responsible for all the design and construction work which included schools, shopping centres, housing, banks and industrial commissions. He remained with the McMenan practice for three and a half years.

In 1968 he spent a matter of months as Principal Architect in the commercial department of Glenrothes Development Corporation, working under Mervyn Hughes but later that year moved to the Corporation of Kilmarnock as Deputy Burgh Architect. He was appointed Chief Architect in September 1969. In this post he had full responsibility for all buildings erected in the burgh: housing, commercial centres, industrial buildings, social centres, including health clinics, an abattoir and buildings relating to the new town centre. Hwe also had a range of administrative responsibilities including meeting with clients - for example people who wanted to open a new factory - as well as meetings with Kilmarnock Town Council.

Routledge was elected FRIBA on 7 October 1970, porposed by Merlyn Christopher Hughes (who was chief architect of Glenrothes Development Corporation and who described Routledge as an 'able designer with a flair for imaginative thoguht and the initiative of being able to carry out projects quickly', Thomas Riddell Hughes and Derek Dickson Sutherland.

Routledge moved to Devon before 1979 and was a partner in the Michael Tyrell Routledge Partnership.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 7126, Ralston Avenue, Paisley, Renfrerwshire, ScotlandPrivatec. 1960  
Item 2 of 7Scottish Gas Board/9, George Square, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1961 *  
Item 3 of 724, Buchlyvie Road, Ralston, Paisley, Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivate1961After 1965 
Item 4 of 78, John Dickie Street, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate1968  
Item 5 of 756, Woodlands Grove, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate1968After 1970 
Item 6 of 752, Fore Street, Brixham, Torbay, Devon, EnglandBusiness1979  
Item 7 of 748, Prospect Road, Brixham, Devon, EnglandPrivate1984 *After 1994 

* 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 11Weddell & Thomson19501955Apprentice 
Item 2 of 11William Baillie & Son19571958Assistant 
Item 3 of 11James Taylor19581960Assistant 
Item 4 of 11Scottish Gas Board Architects19601961Assistant 
Item 5 of 11Crudens Ltd1961 Assistant 
Item 6 of 11Gratton & McLean19611963Senior Assistant 
Item 7 of 11William Murdoch Rigg McMenan19631967AssociatePractice title seems to have remained as W Murdoch McMenan even after death of McMenan in 1965.
Item 8 of 11Glenrothes Development Corporation (or Glenrothes New Town Development Corporation)1968 Principal Architect 
Item 9 of 11Kilmarnock Burgh Council Architect's Department19681969Deputy Architect 
Item 10 of 11Kilmarnock Burgh Council Architect's DepartmentSeptember 1969 Chief Architect 
Item 11 of 11Michael Tyrell Routledge Partnership1979 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Frank Fielden7 February 1961For Associateship
Item 2 of 6Thomas Riddell Hughes7 October 1970For Fellowship
Item 3 of 6George Ferguson Smellie Shanks7 February 1961For Associateship
Item 4 of 6Derek Dickson Sutherland7 October 1970For Fellowship
Item 5 of 6James Taylor7 February 1961For Associateship
Item 6 of 6Merlyn Christopher Williams7 October 1970For Fellowship

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 2c. 1961Comprehensive High SchoolCumbernauld LanarkshireScotlandAs assistant with Gratton & McLean
Item 2 of 21972Carpark, ForegateKilmarnock AyrshireScotlandAs Burgh Architect

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6RIBA1961Kalendar 1960-61   
Item 2 of 6RIBA1965The RIBA Kalendar   
Item 3 of 6RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 4 of 6RIBA1979Directory of members   
Item 5 of 6RIBA1984RIBA Directory of members   
Item 6 of 6RIBA1994A Directory of RIBA Members   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers James Harry Routledge: A no21519, F no7250 (Combined Box 181)