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Architects

Basic Biographic Details

George Shaw Aitken
Architect
Year Only
1836
Exact Date
29/08/1921
George Shaw Aitken, the brother of Robert Walker Aitken (qv), was born in London in 1836, the son of Robert Shaw Aitken, silversmith, and Margaret Walker. Following the death of his father, about 1850 he entered the office of John Dick Peddie of Edinburgh as a pupil and on Peddie’s recommendation he was admitted to the Trustees' Academy on 19 April 1852 but left again in July of the same year. He appears to have remained with Peddie as an assistant until 1859. Leaving Edinburgh, G S Aiken briefly found employment with Charles Wilson of Glasgow and Lockwood and Mawson of Bradford. By the early months of 1860 he had arrived in Manchester and was working in the offices of Alfred Waterhouse, recently successful in the major open competition for Manchester Assize Courts.

In 1858 Aitken was one of the founders of the Edinburgh Architectural Association and was elected its first president. He wrote its History and Reminiscences of which a typescript copy with a portrait is preserved in the EAA Library at the RIAS. In December 1860, the Manchester Architectural Association, (open to all with an interest in architecture, including pupils and assistants) was founded, but seemingly generated little interest in the local press. However, the inaugural meeting, held on 17th December 1860 was reported at length in the Builder. Both George Shaw Aitken and Robert Walker Aitken were founder members, G S Aitken becoming its first President.

The 1861 Census shows G S Aitken residing at 7 Marlborough Terrace, in the Chorlton-on-Medlock district of Manchester, together with his mother, Margaret Aitken, his brother Robert Walker Aitken and an unmarried aunt, Ellen Walker. However, by 1864 the brothers were recorded as living at Hassendean Cottage, Monton, near Eccles, but only Robert W Aitken was listed as an architect in the Trades Directory for that year (G S Aitken presumably still employed as an assistant). Their decision to move to this rural location some six miles from Manchester has yet to be explained. In 1866 the brothers jointly designed an Independent Chapel and Schools in Altrincham but the following year Robert Aitken joined W R Corson in partnership in Manchester.

About 1869 G S Aitken returned to Scotland when he joined James Maclaren in Dundee, becoming a partner in 1873. In 1878, the partnership was broken: according to the last partners in the Maclaren firm, William Salmond and Stuart O Barron, the breakup was the result of specifying stone from James Maclaren's Ferrybank estate at Cupar which proved unreliable, and, together with the recession following the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank in that year, severely damaged the practice. Aitken thereafter continued in independent practice in Dundee until 1881 when lack of business caused him to return to Edinburgh. During that period he won some fame by achieving a place in the final ten in the second competition for Glasgow Municipal Buildings in 1881.

In Edinburgh he undertook much literary and lecturing work, publishing the Abbeys of Arbroath, Balmerino and Lindores in 1883. and was appointed lecturer on the History of Architecture at the Heriot Watt College in 1890. From the mid-1890s he formed some sort of co-operative arrangement with the Professor Patrick Geddes, although this resulted in only two significant commissions, one from Lord Rosebery and the other from Geddes's Town and Gown Association. A sketch scheme for the enlargement of The Albert Institute, Dundee, accompanies a report by Geddes to the City Librarian, A. H. Millar, preserved in Dundee Central Library.

George Shaw Aitken was also an accomplished artist and was an exhibitor of water colour drawings at numerous art galleries.

Aitken died at Liberton on 29 August 1921.



'Biography authored by the Dictionary of Scottish Architects Compilation Team.'

Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this person:

Private Addresses

Private Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From CharDate From TypeDate To CharDate To TypeNotes
7 Marlborough Terrace Chorlton-on-Medlock Manchester EnglandPrivateCensus
Hassenden Cottage Monton, near Eccles Lancashire EnglandPrivate/business
1 Viewforth place Dundee ScotlandPrivatePresumably home address when an assistant with James Maclaren
Maryfield Cottage Broughty Ferry Dundee ScotlandPrivateP O Directory
112 Thirlestane Road Edinburgh ScotlandPrivateNone shown after 1910

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
Hassenden Cottage Monton, near Eccles Lancashire EnglandPrivate/business18641867
10 Bank Street Dundee ScotlandBusiness18731878Maclaren and Aitken partnership
Commercial Buildings/87 Commercial Street Dundee ScotlandBusiness18781881Independent practice
49 Queen Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusiness1881 or 1882Independent practice
116 George Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusiness18891890
49 Queen Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusiness18911905
33 Castle Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusiness19061917Last entry in 1917

Employment and Training

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this person (click on an item to view details):

Employers2 classic

NameName LinkDate FromDate ToPositionNotes
Lockwood & Mawson202686In year 1859Assistant ArchitectBradford
Charles Wilson100172In year 1859Assistant ArchitectGlasgow
Alfred Waterhouse200376In year 1860Assistant ArchitectManchester
Aitken and Aitken406124In year 1866Partnerwith his brother, Robert Walker Aitken
Maclaren & Aitken100115In year 1873c. 1879/03Partner
John More Dick Peddie200118c. 1850ApprenticeLater draughtsman
James Maclaren100012c. 1869c. 1873Chief Assistant

Buildings and Designs

This person was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):

Buildings and Designs2 classic

Building NameDate StartedTown, District or VillageIslandCity or CountyCountryNotes
Independent Chapel and SchoolsIn year 1866AltrinchamCheshireEnglandAitken and Aitken
Tenement blockIn year 1869Broughty FerryDundeeScotlandPossibly involved, as chief assistant to James Maclaren
Dundee Town HouseIn year 1871DundeeScotlandThird premiated competition design for extension (City Chambers) - £20 - submitted while in James Maclaren's employment but before formation of partnership
UP ChurchIn year 1872DudhopeDundeeScotlandRedecoration
Offices for Don Brothers BuistIn year 1873DundeeScotlandBegun by Maclaren and completed in partnership
Barnhill Convalescent HomeIn year 1873BarnhillDundeeScotlandBegun by Maclaren, completed in partnership
Broadford Free ChurchIn year 1873BroadfordSkyeInverness-shireScotland
Bearhill HouseAfter 1873BrechinAngusScotlandReconstruction and additions
Improvement Act Tenements, Victoria RoadIn year 1874DundeeScotlandWon competition: Responsible for design
East SchoolIn year 1874Broughty FerryDundeeScotland
West SchoolIn year 1874West FerryDundeeScotland
Clepington Church HallIn year 1874DundeeScotlandCommission for church lost to Alexander Johnston
TighnduinIn year 1874MonifiethAngusScotland
Lindsay Street WorksIn year 1874DundeeScotlandBy Aitken
ChellwoodIn year 1874MonifiethAngusScotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
Who's Who in Architecture1914
Post Office Directories
RCAHMSDundee on Record1992RCAHMSp18
Walker, David WGlasgow Municipal Buildings Competition 1880-18821995Unpublished MA dissertation, University of St Andrews; copy in NMRSGlasgow Municipal Buildings competition designs

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical NamePublisherDate CircEditionNotes
Dundee Advertiser1893/06/29*Letter of clarification on the death of James Maclaren
Architectural Review1921/10v50Obituary
Builder1921/09/09*Biographical information
Builder1959/04/10listed as first pres. of Edinburgh Architectural Association in 'Edinburgh Architectural Assocation: An Excellent Year Book' p679
Builder1860/12/29p842 - First meeting of the Manchester Architectural Association

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this person:

Arc ref classic

Archive NameSourceSource Cat NoBuilding IdItem NameNotes
Edinburgh Dean of GuildEdinburgh City Archives100001
History and Reminiscences of the Edinburgh Architectural AssociationRIAS Collection, NMRS, RCAHMS200040