Basic Biographical Details
| Name: | William Steven |
| Designation: | |
| Born: | 24 June 1857 |
| Died: | 21 March 1938 |
| Bio Notes: | William Steven was born in Blairgowrie on 24th June 1857, the first son of Thomas Steven, a joiner, and his wife Janet Reid. Thomas Steven’s father and two uncles were ‘County Wrights’ and Thomas started work on his own account in 1849. Thomas Steven’s joinery firm grew and soon was undertaking work throughout the country and in Ireland. The firm also erected a ‘large number of mansions’, the largest being Glenstal Castle near Limerick in Ireland. Other works include Blair Drummond House in 1870, Castleroy, Broughty Ferry, St Mary’s Tower, Birnam and Hallyburton House, Coupar Angus. Thomas was the Chief Magistrate of Blairgowrie from 1878-1887, a JP for the County and Chairman of the Liberal Association besides being an amateur poet. He died in 1906 aged 80. His eldest son William Steven studied at Dundee High School attending the Art School from 1871. William entered the family business which was thereafter named Thomas Steven & Son and gradually took over the running of the firm. After his father’s death William took over the business and, as his obituary in the Scotsman notes, he ‘also acted as an architect, a profession for which he had studied as a young man’. The Dundee Courier also records his moves towards architectural and building contracting work. Steven was for 20 years President of the Blairgowrie Mechanics Institute, his father being one of the founders and its first President. He was a keen singer, an official of the choral society, and member of the South Church choir. He was also known for his knowledge of old Blairgowrie. He lived at Newton Place, Newton Street, Blairgowrie for the latter half of his life and died there on 21 March 1938 aged 80. He never married. |
Private and Business Addresses
| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | |||||
| Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | |
 | Newton Place, Newton Street, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | 1938 | ||
Buildings and Designs
| This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | |||||||
| Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | |
| 1887 | Blairgowrie Methodist Church | Blairgowrie | Perthshire | Scotland | Undertook joinery work on church | |
| 1906 | Drumsheen | Blairgowire | Perthshire | Scotland | The high quality of internal and external joinery marks Steven’s involvement. | |
References
Periodical References
| The following periodicals contain references to this : | |||||
| Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | |
| Scotsman | 23 March 1938 | Obituary | ||
Archive References
| The following archives hold material relating to this : | ||||
| Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | |
| Courtesy of Steven Robb | Information via website | Sent July 2014 | |