Basic Site Details

Name: Ayr Public Library
Town, district or village: Ayr
City or county: Ayrshire
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: Robert Rowand Anderson was the assessor. See sketch of original design in Greenwood: Public Libraries (1893)

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Library  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 1Main Street Newton on Ayr

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 81891  Competition--Campbell Douglas & Morrison appointed
Item 2 of 818911894Construction 
Item 3 of 81891 Design exhibitedMorris & Hunter design
Item 4 of 81892  Design by Washington Browne exhibited
Item 5 of 81893  Design by Morris & Hunter exhibited
Item 6 of 82 September 1893 Opened 
Item 7 of 819291930AdditionChildren's Library added at rear
Item 8 of 819321934AdditionLecture Theatre added (now Reference Library)

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 22David Woodburn Sturrock  1891 Competition design - placed second
Item 2 of 22George Washington Browne  18911892Design exhibited 1892
Item 3 of 22Alexander Barr Morrison A18911895(?)Won competition and secured job
Item 4 of 22Campbell Douglas A18911895(?)Won competition and secured job
Item 5 of 22Campbell Douglas & Morrison A18911895(?)Won competition and secured job
Item 6 of 22James Archibald Morris B1891 Competition design - unplaced
Item 7 of 22James Kennedy Hunter B1891 Competition design - unplaced
Item 8 of 22Morris & Hunter B1891 Competition design - unplaced
Item 9 of 22David McArthy C1891 Competition design - placed third: apparently initially placed first. Design prepared jointly with George Mackie Watson
Item 10 of 22George Mackie Watson C1891 Competition design - placed third: apparently initially placed first. Design prepared jointly with McArthy & Watson
Item 11 of 22John Watson C1891 Competition design - placed third: apparently initially placed first. Design prepared jointly with George Mackie Watson
Item 12 of 22McArthy & Watson C1891 Competition design - placed third: apparently initially placed first. Design prepared jointly with George Mackie Watson
Item 13 of 22(Sir) John James Burnet D1891 Competition design - not successful
Item 14 of 22Burnet Son & Campbell D1891 Competition design - not successful
Item 15 of 22John Archibald Campbell D1891 Competition design - not successful
Item 16 of 22David Thomson A1895 As apprentice to Campbell Douglas & Morrison
Item 17 of 22Andrew Douglas S19291930Children's Library added at rear
Item 18 of 22Henry Sloan McNair S19291930Children's Library added at rear
Item 19 of 22James K Hunter Architects S19291930Children's Library added at rear
Item 20 of 22Andrew Douglas T19321934Lecture Theatre added (now Reference Library)
Item 21 of 22Henry Sloan McNair T19321934Lecture Theatre added (now Reference Library)
Item 22 of 22James K Hunter Architects T19321934Lecture Theatre added (now Reference Library)

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 10Academy Architecture1891   p56 (exhibit no 1857) ( Morris & Hunter), p75 (Supplement 136) for Burnet design
Item 2 of 10Academy Architecture1895   p68
Item 3 of 10Close, Rob and Riches, Anne2012The Buildings of Scotland: Ayrshire & Arran New Haven and London: Yale University Presspp163-164
Item 4 of 10Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts1892   785 (Morris & Hunter)
Item 5 of 10Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts1895   215 (Campbell Douglas & Sellars)
Item 6 of 10Graves, Algernon1905The Royal Academy of Arts: a complete dictionary of exhibitors and their works…1905-6London: Graves and Bell1891, no 1857 (Morris & Hunter)
Item 7 of 10Harper, Roger H1983Victorian Architectural Competitions: An Index to British and Irish Architectural Competitions… London: Mansell PublishingFor Campbell Douglas & Morrison
Item 8 of 10RSA1892   492 (George Washington Browne design)
Item 9 of 10RSA1893   495 (Morris & Hunter design)
Item 10 of 10Who's Who in Architecture1914   For George Mackie Watson & John Watson entry (given as Ist place)

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Ayrshire Advertiser31 July 1890   
Item 2 of 6BuilderEarly 1891LX pp143 & 151
Item 3 of 6BuilderLate 1891LXI p103i
Item 4 of 6Builder9 September 1893LXV  
Item 5 of 6Building News7 October 1892  Perspective & plan by Campbell Douglas & Morrison
Item 6 of 6RIAS Quarterly1924no 9Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)Watson's obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 2Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register21657 
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers David Thomson: L v10 no556 (microfilm reel 32)