Architects

Name:

James Houston

Designation :

Architect

Date of Birth:

Exact Date

Exact DOB:

22/06/1893

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DOB (1st 'Or' Year):

DOB (2nd 'Or' Year):

Date of Death:

Exact Date

Exact DOD:

09/06/1966

Year of Death:

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Bio Notes :

James Houston was born at Kilbirnie on 22 (or 26?) June 1893, the son of James Houston JP and the younger brother of the painter Robert Houston (1891-1942); the painter George Houston RSA (1869-1847) was a relative. James was educated at Spiers School, Beith and was articled to Fryers & Penman of Largs in July 1909. While there he attended evening classes for one year at Kilbirnie, for two years at Kilmarnock, and for two years at the Glasgow School of Architecture, where he remained as a day student under Professors Bourdon and Gourlay for two further years after completing his apprenticeship. He excelled academically, achieving first place in all the classes he attended and winning bronze, silver and gold medals, and towards the end of his studies he assisted Gourlay in the illustration of the latter's book 'The Italian Orders of Architecture' (published 1916).

In 1919, following three years' war service in the Royal Navy, Houston was engaged by Gourlay at the Royal Technical College as chief assistant and lecturer. Having taken the opportunity provided by the academic holidays to tour the cathedrals of England, he commenced practice the following year from the family home at Glenlogan, Kilbirnie, and early in the same year was admitted ARIBA under the war exemption scheme, his proposers being Thomas Lennox Watson, Alexander Nisbet Paterson and John Watson. The support of the Knox family, owners of Stonyholm and Denholm Mills, enabled him to give up teaching and commence full-time practice at Bridgend House, Kilbirnie in 1925. During the early years of his practice Houston was assisted by Hugh Macdonald who stayed with him for two decades, and Gavin McClure who was killed in the Second World War. The firm specialised in modernistic cinema and entertainment buildings.

Houston was elected FRIBA on 3 April 1939, his proposers being William James Smith, Thomas Harold Hughes and David Bateman Hutton. When the Second World War broke out Houston re-enlisted, this time in the Royal Engineers, being commissioned with the rank of captain. After the war Houston remained sole partner until 1956 when his son John B G Houston was taken into partnership. At some point the practice moved to 2 School Wynd, Kilbirnie.

James Houston died on 6 September 1966 at Whitehurst, Kilbirnie. His son continued the practice, from 1976 in partnership with William MacDougall Dunlop.

Publications:

Illustrations for Charles Gourlay's 'The Italian Orders of Architecture' (1916)

Maps for 'The Parish of Kilbirnie' (n.d.)

Bio Notes continued...

Additional Notes

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

Private Addresses2 classic

Address	Class	Date From Char	Date From Type	Date To Char	Date To Type	Notes
Glenlogan Kilbirnie Ayrshire Scotland	Private/business					Private only before 1920; private and business thereafter
Whitehurst Kilbirnie Ayrshire Scotland	Private

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Business Addresses2 classic

Address	Class	Notes
Glenlogan Kilbirnie Ayrshire Scotland	Private/business	Private only before 1920; private and business thereafter
177 West Regent Street Glasgow Scotland	Business
Bridgend House Kilbirnie Ayrshire Scotland	Business	Perhaps with a brief spell in the middle at Whitehurst
113 Douglas Street Glasgow Scotland	Business
147 Bath Street Glasgow Scotland	Business
2 School Wynd Kilbirnie Ayrshire Scotland	Business

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

Employers2 classic

Name	Name Link	Date From	Date To	Position	Notes
Fryers & Penman	200411	1909/07	c. 1913	Apprentice

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

Employees or Pupils2 classic

Name	Name Link	Date From	Date To	Position
Hugh Macdonald	203037	After 1925		Assistant
Gavin McClure	203038	After 1925	In year 1939	Assistant
John B G Houston	203039	In year 1956		Partner

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

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

Proposer	Proposer Link	Date Proposed	Notes
Thomas Lennox Watson	100031	Early 1920s	for Associateship
John Watson	203278	Early 1920s	for Associateship
Alexander Nisbet Paterson	200361	Early 1920s	for Associateship
(Professor) William James Smith	201070	1939/04/03	for Fellowship
David Bateman Hutton	201570	1939/04/03	for Fellowship
Thomas Harold Hughes	201631	1939/04/03	for Fellowship

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

RIBA PROPOSALS2 classic

Person	Date Proposed	Notes
Hugh Harvey	1943/04/13	for Licentiateship

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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 Name	Date Started	Town, District or Village	Island	City or County	Country	Notes
Largs Electric Pavilion	c. 1910	Largs		Ayrshire	Scotland	Too young to be involved?
Dennyholm Mills	In year 1919	Kilbirnie		Ayrshire	Scotland	Bleach house, dye house and stores
Dennyholm Mills	In year 1919	Kilbirnie		Ayrshire	Scotland	Proposed ambluamce room and dispensary
Workers' cottages (W & J Knox)	In year 1919	Kilbirnie		Ayrshire	Scotland
Drumgoyne	c. 1919	Bridge of Weir		Renfrewshire	Scotland	Alterations?
Riverside	c. 1919	Kilbirnie		Ayrshire	Scotland	Alterations
Knoxville	c. 1919	Kilbirnie		Ayrshire	Scotland	Alterations and additions
Post Office	c. 1920	Whiting Bay	Arran	Bute	Scotland	Houston very young if date accurate
Garage for A C Lennox	c. 1920	Whiting Bay	Arran	Bute	Scotland	Garage
Marnock Mill	c. 1920	Kilmarnock		Ayrshire	Scotland	Alterations
Lilybank	c. 1920	Lamlash	Arran	Bute	Scotland	Houston very young!
House for John Hamilton	c. 1920	Whiting Bay	Arran	Bute	Scotland	Houston very young!
Shop and accommodation for James McIntyre	c. 1920	Whiting Bay	Arran	Bute	Scotland
Shop and accommodation for Alex McKelvie	c. 1920	Whiting Bay	Arran	Bute	Scotland
Masonic Hall	c. 1920	Kilbirnie		Ayrshire	Scotland

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The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

Author	Title	Date	Publisher	Notes
McKean, Charles	The Scottish Thirties: An Architectural Introduction	1987	Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press	p194
Close, Robert	Ayrshire and Arran, an Illustrated Architectural Guide	1992	Edinburgh: RIAS	p92
Johnston, W T	Artists of Scotland	2003	Officina Publications CDROM
RIBA	The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931	1930	London: Royal Institute of British Architects
RIBA	The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940	1939	London: Royal Institute of British Architects
RIBA	The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951	1950	London: Royal Institute of British Architects

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The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical Name	Date Circ	Edition	Notes
Scotsman	1989/10/16	*	Article by Neil Cameron
Glasgow Herald	1966/09/07	*	Obituary
Builder	1954/07/16		p118
Builder	1949/12/2		p747

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The following archives hold material relating to this person:

Arc ref classic

Archive Name	Source	Source Cat No	Building Id	Item Name	Notes
RIBA Nomination Papers	RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum	100005			A no2994 (microfilm reel 24); F no3577 (combined box 25)

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Basic Biographic Details

Addresses

Private Addresses

Private Addresses2 classic

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

Employment and Training

Employers2 classic

Employees or Pupils

Employees or Pupils2 classic

RIBA Proposers

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

RIBA Proposals

RIBA PROPOSALS2 classic

Buildings and Designs

Buildings and Designs2 classic

References

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