Skip to Main Content

Architects

Basic Biographic Details

Matthew Steele
Architect
Exact Date
Exact Date
12/12/1937
Matthew Steele was born on 19 February 1878 at Corbie Hall, Bo'ness, the son of Alexander Steele (whose family were Spar and Block Makers though Alexander Steele at one point seems to have been a grocer) and Elizabeth Mackie of Kilbirnie. Matthew attended primary school in Bo'ness and transferred in 1891 to George Heriot's School in Edinburgh for his secondary education. He entered an as yet unidentified office in Glasgow in 1893 as an apprentice allowing him to attend classes at the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College between 1896 and 1900, studying under Professor Charles Gourlay. After the completion of the course at the College he entered the City of Glasgow Corporation Telephone Company as a draughtsman and may have come into contact with his counterparts from Scandinavia and Germany as the telephone company sought advice from the municipal companies of Copenhagen, Stockholm and Trondheim before opening its service in 1901. During his time with the telephone company he entered a competition for Thomas Parsons' premises in Oxford Street in London and gained second prize. In 1905 Steele returned to Bo'ness to commence independent practice.

On 28 September the following year he married Margaret Watson Dudgeon Louden, daughter of Robert Louden, builder, at her home, 12 Broughton Place, Edinburgh. The Louden family appear to have had a connection with Bo'ness, John Louden being burgh surveyor. Matthew and Margaret Steele's son Alexander, the future City Architect of Edinburgh, was born three months after their wedding on 20 December at 1 Jane Terrace, Bo'ness. A daughter, Nan, was born later.

Steele rapidly built up a wide range of clients in Bo'ness - perhaps through his connections as a Freemason (his first practice address was the Masonic Hall Buildings at Corbiehall and an early commission was for the new lodge in Stewart Avenue): Dean of Guild records show there was a continual flow of work even during the years of the First World War. Steele's pre-war buildings were designed in an Arts and Crafts or continental early modern manner. His Arts and Crafts style continued into the 1920s but in the 1930s he adopted an Art Deco Moderne manner.

Steele was admitted LRIBA in 1925, having transferred his membership of the Society of Architects to the RIBA at this point without having to go through the normal application procedures. In the 1930s Steele was employed on various Local Authority Housing schemes, some with John Taylor in what was probably an informal partnership. At this time he was also involved as joint sponsor of a scheme for putting a dam across the Forth at South Queensferry to make an inland shipping lake and forming a roadway across the Forth.

Steele died of pneumonia on 12 December 1937 at The Quarry, Carriden, Bo'ness, and was buried in Bo'ness Cemetery.

'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
Clifton Cottage Bo'ness/Borrowstouness West Lothian ScotlandPrivate
1 Jane Terrace Bo'ness/Borrowstouness West Lothian ScotlandPrivate
Kelty Avenue Bo'ness/Borrowstouness West Lothian ScotlandPrivate
The Quarry Grahamsdyke Road, Carriden Bo\'ness/Borrowstouness West Lothian ScotlandPrivate

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
Masonic Hall Buildings/4 Corbiehall CarridenBo'ness/Borrowstouness West Lothian ScotlandBusiness1905After 1925

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
Alexander Steele204755c. 1921Before 1925ApprenticeProbably began training in his father's office, but this is not certain

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
West Lothian Pottery, drying shedIn year 1905Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
Double cottage, 47- 49 Dean RoadIn year 1905Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
Two blocks of four housesIn year 1906Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
CottageIn year 1906Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
Shops and flatsIn year 1907Bo\'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotlandNew shop and flats above
The KnoweIn year 1907Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotlandAdditional servants' quarters and outlook tower
T Ovens & Sons Chemical worksIn year 1907Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotlandLaboratory
Shed and storeIn year 1907Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
Artisan terraced housingIn year 1908Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
Office and flat for Bo'ness Iron CoIn year 1908Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
Tenements, Stewart AvenueIn year 1909Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
Masonic LodgeIn year 1909Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
Seaforth, Linlithgow RoadIn year 1909Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
Cross Keys public houseIn year 1909Bo\'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland
House in the of style of Old GrangeIn year 1909Bo'ness / BorrowstounessWest LothianScotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
Post Office Directories
Emmerson, Roger and Tilmouth, MaryMatt Steele, Architect: A Biography2010Weidenfeld

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical NamePublisherDate CircEditionNotes
Builder1937/12/24*p1147 - obituary
Scotsman1937/12/14*Obituary
Linlithgowshire Gazette1937/12/17*p5 - obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this person:

Arc ref classic

Archive NameSourceSource Cat NoBuilding IdItem NameNotes
Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive materialProfessor David M Walker personal archive100041Information on addresses and family history from research by Iain Paterson and Roger Emmerson
RIBA Nomination PapersRIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum100005L no2810 (microfilm reel 35)