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Architects

Basic Biographic Details

Thomas Smith Cordiner
Architect
Exact Date
Exact Date
24/11/1965
Thomas Smith Cordiner was born on 13 December 1902, the son of Aubrey Cordiner, restaurateur and his wife Elizabeth Allan. He was articled to James Lindsay of Glasgow in January 1920, studying at Glasgow High School and Glasgow School of Architecture. In April 1925 he left Lindsay to join Wright & Wylie as a draughtsman. He passed the Senior Certificate course at the School of Architecture in June 1927, passed the RIBA qualifying exam in Edinburgh in July 1928, and was admitted ARIBA later that year, without proposers. He remained with the Wylie firm until 1932 when he commenced practice on his own account, and was elected FRIBA on 11 January 1949, proposed by Edward Grigg Wylie, George Ferguson Shanks and Walter Underwood, all of whom were then partners in the Wylie practice. At that time he was practising from 261 West George Street and living at 26 Midlothian Drive, Glasgow.

Cordiner was re-elected president of the Glasgow Institute of Architects on 10 April 1957. He was elected president of the RIAS in 1961.

Cordiner (along with Sam Bunton [400802], was appointed as an architectural consultant to the Direct Labour Dept by Glasgow Corporation to prepare plans for multi-storey flats in 1960.

Cordiner was married to Margaret Violet Gillanders McLean. He died of lung cancer on 24 November 1965 at Mearnskirk Hospital, leaving moveable estate of £53,764 19s 6d. His practice was continued by his son, Thomas O M Cordiner. His brother Albert Dick Cordiner (born 1905) was also an architect.

'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
26 Midlothian Drive Shawlands Glasgow ScotlandPrivate
124 Haggs Road Glasgow ScotlandPrivate

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
261 West George Street Glasgow ScotlandBusinessBefore 19351950
261 West George Street Glasgow, C2 ScotlandBusinessBefore 1949After 1957
Blythswood Chambers West George Street Blythswood Glasgow ScotlandBusiness1951

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
James Lindsay2001321920/011925/04Apprentice
Wright & Wylie2029891925/04In year 1928Draughtsman
Wylie, Wright & Wylie203310In year 1928In year 1932Draughtsman
Thomas Cordiner & Partners401834Partner

Employees or Pupils

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

Employees or Pupils2 classic

NameName LinkDate FromDate ToPositionNotes
Jeffrey Rowbotham4035171941/061943/09Apprentice
Elizabeth Bell Ramsay (née McLaren) 400717In year 1941Apprentice
Peter Lamont Burnside Borthwick400695In year 1943In year 1951Apprentice
James Boyne Watson207013In year 1947After 1954Senior Assistant
Douglas Gordon McKellar Adam403411In year 1951In year 1952Assistant Architect
Peter Lamont Burnside Borthwick400695In year 1954In year 1957Assistant
Richard Rudolphe Chitham De'Ath400597Mid 1945sMid 1945s2 months\' summer work while student
Richard Rudolphe Chitham De'Ath400597Mid 1946sMid 1946s2 months\' summer work while student

RIBA Proposers

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

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

ProposerProposer LinkDate ProposedNotes
Edward Grigg Wylie2007621949/01/11for Fellowship
George Ferguson Smellie Shanks2040551949/01/11for Fellowship
Walter Underwood2040571949/01/11for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

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

RIBA PROPOSALS2 classic

PersonDate ProposedNotes
Peter Lamont Burnside Borthwick1949/11/27for Associateship
Allan Barrowman Wilson1952/10/07For Licentiateship
Richard Rudolphe Chitham De'Ath1953/01for Associateship
Samuel McColl (sometimes misspelt MacColl)1954/02/02for Fellowship
James Boyne Watson1954/03/02For Licentiateship

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
Philips Lighting Hamilton FactoryAfter 1932HamiltonLanarkshireScotland
Factory for Messrs MacLean's Metal Windows LtdAfter 1932CadzowLanarkshireScotland
Terrace of four shops, Old Luss RoadIn year 1935HelensburghDunbartonshireScotlandUnexecuted proposals
St Joseph's CollegeIn year 1936LochwinnochRenfrewshireScotlandConversion of Garthland to college
St Winning's RC ChurchIn year 1937KilwinningGlasgowScotland
Notre Dame (New) Girls' High SchoolIn year 1938DowanhillGlasgowScotlandBuilding work interrupted - resumed after the War
St Joseph's CollegeIn year 1943LochwinnochRenfrewshireScotlandChapel added
Old Bishopton HouseIn year 1945BishoptonRenfrewshireScotlandAddition to north?
St Brendan's RC ChurchIn year 1947KnightswoodGlasgowScotland
Mure Memorial ChurchIn year 1947BailliestonGlasgowScotlandConversion to home for the elderly
Philips Lighting Hamilton FactoryIn year 1947HamiltonLanarkshireScotlandFactory Extension. Cordiner acting for Scottish Industrial Estates Limited
Premises, Duke StreetIn year 1947GlasgowScotland
Church Halls, Kelso StreetIn year 1947GlasgowScotland
New Church Halls Wallacewell RoadIn year 1947GlasgowScotland
Church Halls, Greenrig StreetIn year 1948GlasgowScotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, StefanTower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland1994Yale University Press: New Haven and Londonp243, p244p381, Gazetteer 2
RIBAThe RIBA Kalendar 1939-19401939London: Royal Institute of British Architects
RIBAThe RIBA Kalendar 1950-19511950London: Royal Institute of British Architects
Glendinning, MilesRebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 1997Tuckwell Press Ltdp4 Notre Dame School; Lourdes Schoolp5 Immaculate Conception Church, Glasgowp175-6 Lourdes Schoolp176-7 Notre Dame High School

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical NamePublisherDate CircEditionNotes
Glasgow Herald1965/11/27*obituary - 5d
Builder1953/08/14p264
Builder1952/11/07p688
Builder1953/06/12p933
Builder1951/11/16p697
Builder1952/11/21p768
Builder1953/05/22p812
Builder1950/6/30p889
Builder1952/12/12p892
Builder1950/4/7p472
Builder1957/01/11p121
Builder1951/8/3p166
Builder1957/04/26p775
Builder1952/08/01p180
Builder1952/06/06p865

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this person:

Arc ref classic

Archive NameSourceSource Cat NoBuilding IdItem NameNotes
RIBA Nomination PapersRIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum100005A no4234 (combined box 2); F no4421 (combined box 13)