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Architects

Basic Biographic Details

Henry Francis Kerr
Architect
Exact Date
Exact Date
02/11/1946
Henry Francis Kerr was born in Edinburgh on 15 February 1855, the son of Andrew Armstrong Kerr, banker, 4 Broughton Place, and was educated at Hunter's School and thereafter at Edinburgh Academy from 1866 to 1871 and at Edinburgh University from 1871 to 1872. In the following year he was articled to Pilkington & Bell, and he remained with Pilkington as a draughtsman until 1878, continuing to attend classes at the University of Edinburgh and the Government School of Design. In 1879 he obtained a place in the office of John Lamb Murray of Biggar where he seems to have remained until commencing practice on his own account in Edinburgh in 1881, initially from his parents' house in Broughton Place. In 1889 he passed the qualifying exam and was admitted ARIBA his proposers being Rowand Anderson, John Slater and Arthur Cates. By this time he had made various sketching tours in Scotland and while in London to Norwich and Newcastle.

Kerr had Fife connections and for many years a second residence at St Colm's, Inverkeithing. He was a prominent antiquary and architectural historian and published extensively in the 'RIAS Quarterly', 'The Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries' and the 'Transactions of the Scottish Ecclesiological Society', and in the 'Book of the Old Edinburgh Club'. He was elected to the Parish Council in 1898, was a member of the Board of Managers of the Royal Edinburgh Asylum and was President of the Edinburgh Architectural Association in 1900.

During World War I Kerr took charge of the practice of Alexander Hunter Crawford and Henry Rochead Williamson and ran it from his home at 12 East Claremont Street: Crawford at this time was in Liverpool overseeing the rebuilding of the Fairfield Biscuit Works and Williamson was on active service. Kerr had previously shared Crawford & Williamson's office at 10 Randolph, perhaps with the intention of merging the practices.

Kerr died at his daughter's house at 12 East Claremont Street, Edinburgh on 2 November 1946 where he had lived after the death of his wife but his daughter also predeceased him.

'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
4 Broughton Place Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate/business
2 London Street Edinburgh ScotlandPrivatePossibly longer
22 East Claremont Street Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate
12 East Claremont Street Edinburgh ScotlandPrivateFrom 1916 until 1922 as office as well. Then office moved to 16 Duke Street. Practised from home again from 1938c
10 Randolph Place Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate/businessSharing office with Crawford & Wlliamson sometime before this date
12 Duke Street Edinburgh ScotlandPrivateWho's who in Archit4ecture 1926 says this was number 16 Duke Street

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
4 Broughton Place Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate/businessc. 1881c. 1884
20 George Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 1885c. 1890Possibly longer
36 Hanover Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 1891c. 1902
56 Hanover Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 1895
62 Hanover Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 1905c. 1913
10 Randolph Place Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate/businessc. 1914c. 1915Sharing office with Crawford & Wlliamson sometime before this date
16 Duke Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 1923c. 1938

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
Pilkington & Bell100142In year 1873c. 1877Apprentice
Frederick Thomas Pilkington200795In year 1877In year 1878Draughtsman
John Lamb Murray201081In year 1879In year 1881Assistant

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
Bailey Scott Murphy201892In year 1892In year 1897Apprentice
Donald MacPherson Gordon201319In year 1895In year 1900Apprentice
Henry Rochead Williamson203565In year 19011903/10Apprentice
John Okell206913In year 1931In year 1935Apprentice
Edward George Louttit404466Apprentice

RIBA Proposers

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

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

ProposerProposer LinkDate ProposedNotes
(Sir) Robert Rowand Anderson2000411889/06/03for Associateship
(Professor) Gerald Baldwin Brown2044851889/06/03for Associateship - as President of the Edinburgh Architectural Association
G Fairbairn2044861889/06/03for Associateship - as Secretary of the Edinburgh Architectural Association

RIBA Proposals

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

RIBA PROPOSALS2 classic

PersonDate ProposedNotes
David Alexander Crombie1911/03/20for Licentiateship
John Dall1911/03/20for 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
Hartree HouseAfter 1879BiggarPeeblesshireScotlandAs assistant to John Lamb Murray
SchoolsAfter 1879LanarkLanarkshireScotlandAs assistant to John Lamb Murray
Culterallers HouseAfter 1879LanarkshireScotlandAs assistant to John Lamb Murray
County Hall and Sheriff Court Houses and County Police Officec. 1882HamiltonLanarkshireScotlandNine bay block to Almada Street (accommodation for Court Officials) as assistant to John Lamb Murray
St Paul's Episcopal ChurchIn year 1883EdinburghScotlandChurch Halls (including 'new church room')
Municipal BuildingsIn year 1887Coupar AngusAngusScotland
George Heriot's School, Broughton StreetIn year 1889EdinburghScotlandConverted school to hall
St Margaret's Episcopal SchoolsAfter 1889EdinburghScotland
War memorialsAfter 1889ScotlandComeptition designs
St Mary's Church HallsAfter 1889EdinburghScotland
Markinch InstituteIn year 1890MarkinchFifeScotlandWon competition and secured job(?)
Simpson Memorial InstituteIn year 1890Upper LargoFifeScotlandUnsuccessful competition design
Students' Settlement (New College Mission)In year 1891EdinburghScotland
Dryburgh Abbey HouseIn year 1892DryburghRoxburghshireScotlandRebuilding after fire
Nicolson Square Methodist ChurchIn year 1893EdinburghScotlandRemodelling of gallery front

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
Scottish Biographies1938E J Thurston (pub.)
PikeEdinburgh and the Lothians at the turn of the 20th century
Who's Who in Architecture1926
Post Office Directories
Edinburgh AcademyEdinburgh Academy Register1982
McKinstry, SamWhat factors influenced the design of Dalziel UF Church, Motherwell1982Open University A 305. K0037636

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical NamePublisherDate CircEditionNotes
RIBA Journal1947/01/29v54p203 - obituary
Builder1946/11/15*Obituary
Scotsman1946/11/04*p6 - obituary
Architect and Building News1946/11*Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this person:

Arc ref classic

Archive NameSourceSource Cat NoBuilding IdItem NameNotes
Henry Francis Kerr Press Cuttings BookRIAS Collection, NMRS, RCAHMS200717