Basic Site Details | Name: | Commercial building, 138-140 West George Street | | City or county: | Glasgow | | Country: | Scotland | | Parish: | | | Status: | B listed | | Grid ref: | | | Notes: | MESSRS WILLIAM STIRLING AND SONS NEW WAREHOUSES. - These new warehouses are built on the north side of West George-street; they have a frontage of 62 feet to that street, and a depth of 90 feet. The front portion of the building is three stories high above the street floor (which is raised nearly 4 feet above level of pavement), with a half-sunk basement story, well lighted from area in front. The sale-room is placed on the street floor, behind the front building; it measures 60 feet by 40 feet inside, has a clear ceiling of 23 feet, and is lighted entirely from the roof, the lights being introduced on all sides by glass panels placed in the large cove at junctions of ceiling and walls, and also by two dome-lights in centre of the flat ceiling - an equally diffused light is thus distributed over the whole area of the apartment. A richly ornamented plaster cornice runs round; at start of cove, and the flat ceiling above it is thrown into panels, round the domes, all richly coffered and ornamented.
The front building is occupied as counting-houses and business rooms for the principals of the establishments. These apartments are finished in a much plainer manner, but all in a first-class style. In all parts of the building the arrangements have been carefully studied so as to procure an abundance and equality of light and ventilation. The elevation is modem Italian in style, rich and dignified in appearance, and though containing nothing strikingly novel in its treatment, is, nevertheless, characterised by a pleasing richness and harmony of parts, good proportions, and correctness of detail. The ground floor is rusticated in the Venetian manner, with moulded channels, the quoins round windows and doors being further enriched by a grooved panel on face, in lien of vermiculation. The windows and doors in this story have semi-circled arches, with large ovolo mouldings wrought on outer edge of eyhates and carved keystones.
This floor is divided from the upper two by a plain cornice, the wall above being plain between the windows. There are seven windows in each floor, those of the first floor have rich dressings, of moulded architraves, with outer pilaster under carved trusses on each side supporting the cornice and carved quilloche frieze abutting between trusses. The windows of second or upper floor are made very plain, which enhance the effect of the rich entablature and balustrade above; the frieze has a well designed and finely carved scroll along its whole length, and the cornice is ornamented with dentils and carved modillions. An ornamental railing of a scroll pattern, resembling somewhat the frieze, encloses the front area, and five gas lamps of an ornamental character in unison with the building and the railing are placed in it at regular intervals.
The estimated cost of the whole building is £5,500, the contractors for the various works are—masons, Messrs Watson and Bruce ; joiners, Messrs M'Craw and Kay; slater, Mr John Morrison; plumber, Mr John Rattray; plasterer, Mr James Steel, all of Glasgow. We may add that the modelling of all the ornament has been executed by Mr Steel.
| Alternative Names| The following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | | Name | Current name? | Notes |  | Provincial House | Yes | | | William Stirling's | | |
Building Type Classification| The building is classified under the following categories: | | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Warehouse | | |
Street Addresses| The following street addresses are associated with this building: | | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | 138-140, West George Street | Yes | | | 142, West George Street | | Original address? |
Events| The following date-based events are associated with this building: | | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1859 | 1860 | | |
PeopleDesign 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. | | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | Baird & Thomson | | A | 1859 | 1860 | Completed shortly after Baird's death. | | James Thomson | | A | 1859 | 1860 | | | John Baird 'Primus' (John Baird I) | | A | 1859 | | Completed shortly after Baird's death. |
ReferencesBibliographic References| The following books contain references to this building: | | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Williamson, Riches, Higgs | 1990 | Glasgow (The Buildings of Scotland) | | | p251 |
Periodical References| The following periodicals contain references to this building: | | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Building News | 18 May 1860 | | | p403 |
Archive References| The following archives hold material relating to this building: | | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 33240 | |
|