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Basic Site Details

Name: Library for Solicitors to the Supreme Courts of Scotland
City or county: Edinburgh
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: A listed
Grid ref:
Notes: Six local practices invited to compete. Cost: £23,000.

'Who's who in Architecture' (1914) gives George Mackie Watson and John Watson as winners of the first premium; in fact they were runners up and received first premium. George Washington Browne received second premium. Dunn won the competition and received the commission. The competition was initially open only to a short list of invited entrants: it was subsequently opened to further competitors.

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 2Solicitors' BuildingsYes 
Item 2 of 2Solicitors' Library  

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 194-114, CowgateYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 31888 Competition heldCompetition design. James Bow Dunn received commission; McArthy & Watson got 1st premium, Browne got 2nd premium. Sydney Mitchell invited to compete
Item 2 of 318881890  
Item 3 of 31889  Design by Browne exhibited

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 22Alexander Nisbet PatersonArchitect 1888 Competition design - unplaced
Item 2 of 22Archibald MacphersonArchitect 1888 Competition design - unplaced
Item 3 of 22George HendersonArchitect 1888 Competition design - unplaced
Item 4 of 22George Washington BrowneArchitect 1888 Second premiated competition design
Item 5 of 22James Bow DunnArchitect 18881890Secured job but not premiated in competition
Item 6 of 22John KinrossArchitect 1888 Competition design - unplaced
Item 7 of 22John LumsdaineArchitect 1888 Competition design - unplaced
Item 8 of 22John McLachlanArchitect 1888 Competition design - unplaced
Item 9 of 22Thomas Greenshields LeadbetterArchitect 1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Item 10 of 22David McArthyArchitectA1888 First premiated competition design (entered jointly with George Mackie Watson); James Bow Dunn received commission
Item 11 of 22George Mackie WatsonArchitectA1888 First premiated competition design (entered jointly with McArthy & Watson); James Bow Dunn received commission
Item 12 of 22John WatsonArchitectA1888 First premiated competition design (entered jointly with George Mackie Watson); James Bow Dunn received commission
Item 13 of 22McArthy & WatsonArchitectural practiceA1888 First premiated competition design (entered jointly with George Mackie Watson); James Bow Dunn received commission
Item 14 of 22Arthur George Sydney MitchellArchitectB1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Item 15 of 22George WilsonArchitectB1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Item 16 of 22Sydney Mitchell & WilsonArchitectural practiceB1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Item 17 of 22Blanc & GordonArchitectural practiceC1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Item 18 of 22Hippolyte Jean BlancArchitectC1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Item 19 of 22James GordonArchitectC1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Item 20 of 22David MacGibbonArchitectD1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Item 21 of 22MacGibbon & RossArchitectural practiceD1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful
Item 22 of 22Thomas RossArchitectD1888 Competition design (by invitation) - not successful

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Braidwood, Niall C1988Dunn and Findlay and The Scotsman Building RIBA Dissertation 1988pp5-13
Item 2 of 5Harper, Roger H1983Victorian Architectural Competitions: An Index to British and Irish Architectural Competitions… London: Mansell PublishingGives final placing: 1 James Bow Dunn; 2 McArthy & Watson; 3 George Washington Browne
Item 3 of 5RSA1889   789, 790 (Dunn);797, 791 (McArthy & Watson)
Item 4 of 5Scottish Civic Trust1983Historic Buildings at Work: a guide to the historic buildings of Scotland used by Central Government Scottish Civic Trust/Property Services Agency, Department of the Environmentpp94-5
Item 5 of 5Who's Who in Architecture1914   For George Mackie Watson and John Watson - given as winner in this

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 8British Architect13 July 1888   
Item 2 of 8British Architect24 August 1888   
Item 3 of 8BuilderEarly 1888LIV p218
Item 4 of 8BuilderLate 1888LV p30
Item 5 of 8Building News23 March 1888   
Item 6 of 8Building News22 June 1888  Sydney Mitchell design
Item 7 of 8Scotsman7 July 1888   
Item 8 of 8Scottish Leader20 July 1892   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 3Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register28600 
Item 2 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers James Bow Dunn: F v15 p131 no1006 (microfilm reel 11)
Item 3 of 3SSCSederunt Book about design and construction of library  

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