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Basic Biographic Details

Herbert Mayer Barker
Architect
Exact Date
Exact Date
04/02/1942
Herbert Mayer Barker was born in Aberdeen on 23 February 1877, son of Henry Martyn Barker, MA LLD. He was articled to Alexander Marshall Mackenzie from 1897 to 1901, studying at Gray's School of Art and reading Mechanics under David Reunet, and in the latter year he moved to Glasgow as assistant to Donald A Matheson, Engineer-in-Chief to the Caledonian Railway Company, continuing his studies at the Royal Technical College there. It is believed that he also studied at some point at Glasgow High School. He went to London in 1903 as assistant in the office of Niven & Wigglesworth, where he worked on several country houses among other projects, and subsequently spent a short time working for Walter Tapper before moving to British Columbia in 1908. There he spent two years carrying out survey works for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad in the upper reaches of the Skene River, and construction surveys at Prince Rupert. In 1910 he spent six months working for R J Macdonald of Vancouver as assistant before commencing practice there on his own account in December of the same year. He was admitted LRIBA on 24 June 1912, his proposers being Henry Blackadder, Herbert Hardy Wigglesworth and David Barclay Niven. At that time he was still in Vancouver, working at 85 Hutchinson Building, 429 Pender Street and living at 'Zantua' in the north of the city, and had undertaken several projects in collaboration with A Campbell Hope as well as working independently. In the same year, he married Nora Marten, daughter of W T Marten.

He returned to Scotland in 1914 and presumably served in the war before returning to practice in 1919 as Housing Architect to the Scottish Board of Health. In 1921 he recommenced independent practice in Glasgow. He was a member of Council in the Scottish National Party in 1935, and was chairman of the Scottish National Club from 1937. He was elected FRIBA on 22 April 1941, his proposers being Colin Sinclair, Gavin Lennox and Joseph Weekes. At that time he was practising from 121 West Regent Street, Glasgow, his home being 'Kilrenny Cottage', Bearsden. He died on 2 April 1942 at 7 Duntocher Road, Bearsden of broncho-pneumonia.

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
Zantua North Vancouver British Columbia CanadaPrivate
160 Hope Street Glasgow ScotlandPrivate
Kilrenny Cottage Bearsden Glasgow ScotlandPrivate

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
85 Hutchinson Building/429 Pender Street Vancouver British Columbia CanadaBusiness1912
4 Terrace Street Glasgow ScotlandBusiness19191920
121 West Regent Street Glasgow ScotlandBusiness19351942

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
Alexander Marshall Mackenzie100244In year 1897In year 1901Apprentice
Caledonian Railway Company Architect's and Engineer's Department200764In year 1901In year 1903AssistantUnder Donald A Matheson, Engineer-in-Chief
Niven & Wigglesworth100248In year 1903In year 1907Assistant
(Sir) Walter John Tapper204327In year 1907In year 1908Assistant
Robert John Macdonald204328In year 1908c. 1908/12Assistant
Department of Health for Scotland (Scottish Board of Health; later Scottish Development Department)202045In year 1919In year 1921ArchitectHousing Architect

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this person for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

ProposerProposer LinkDate ProposedNotes
Herbert Hardy Wigglesworth1002461912/06/24for Licentiateship
Henry Blackadder2017541912/06/24for Licentiateship
David Barclay Niven1002471912/06/24for Licentiateship
(Dr) Colin Sinclair2000651942/04/22for Fellowship
Joseph Weekes2014971942/04/22for Fellowship
Gavin Lennox2019161942/04/22for Fellowship

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
Greyfriars ChurchIn year 1901AberdeenScotlandAs assistant to Alexander Marshall Mackenzie
Glasgow Central StationIn year 1901GlasgowScotlandAs assistant to Donald A Matheson in Caledonian Railway Company Engineer's Office
Wemyss Bay Railway StationIn year 1903Wemyss BayRenfrewshireScotlandStation and pier - as assistant to Donald A Matheson in Caledonian Railway Company Engineer's Office
19-21 Hatton GardenAfter 1903LondonEnglandAs assistant to Niven & Wigglesworth
54 Harley StreetAfter 1903LondonEnglandAs assistant to Niven & Wigglesworth
North Vancouver Masonic Association Lodge RoomsAfter 1910North VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
House for Mr W A StoneAfter 1910VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
House for Patrick PhilipsAfter 1910VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
Two houses and one apartment house for Messrs McLachlan & GoodwinAfter 1910VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
House for Major A E SnyderAfter 1910VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
House for Mr J E MacraeAfter 1910North VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
Houses for the McAlpine Construction CompanyAfter 1910North VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
House for Mr A H ScrivenAfter 1910North VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
House for Mr T S NyeAfter 1910North VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
King Street SchoolAfter 1910North VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanadaAlterations

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
Who's Who in Architecture1926
British Architectural Library, RIBADirectory of British Architects 1834-19142001
Scottish Biographies1938E J Thurston (pub.)
Post Office Directories

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this person:

Arc ref classic

Archive NameSourceSource Cat NoBuilding IdItem NameNotes
RIBA Biographical FilesBritish Architectural Library, RIBA100004
RIBA Nomination PapersRIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum100005L v23 no1845; F no3818 (box 29)
RIBA Drawings CollectionRIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum200010