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Practices

Basic Biographic Details

Babtie & Bonn
Architectural practice: Engineers
Year Only
1897
Year Only
1906
John Taylor Babtie was born in Dumbarton on 18 October 1867, the son of John Babtie and Janet McLeod. He was articled to Sir William R Copland from 1885 to 1890, thereafter becoming an assistant with Formans & McCall from 1894 to 1897. He commenced independent practice at 25 Castle Street, Dumbarton in 1895 and in 1897 took into partnership Carl Roderique Louis Menni Bonn.

Bonn - the usual style of his name was Carl R Bonn - was nine years older, born in 1858 and the son of Dr Louis Menni Bonn, described as a professor of languages, and his wife Ernestine Cristina Dorotea Malmberg. Except that his family was based at Brighton and Taunton after it moved from Germany to Britain, nothing is yet known of his background and training.

In the same year that the partnership had been formed, it moved to 180 Hope Street, Glasgow. The following year Alexander Alban Hamilton Scott was appointed architect to the firm, which specialised mainly in bridge and reservoir work. The practice moved to 188 West Regent Street in 1905.

Bonn died suddenly near Mount Pleasant Farm, Kilpatrick on 19 October 1906. He was survived by his wife Florence Louise Carpenter and left moveable estate of £1,202 16s with a subsequent eke of £1,236 1s 8d, presumably represented by fees due at the time of his death. Babtie then merged his practice with the partnership of William Barbour Shaw and Hugh James Morton, the practice title becoming Babtie, Shaw & Morton. Shaw and Morton were just under a year younger than Babtie, both being born in September 1868. Scott left the firm in the following year, 1907.

Babtie died at Braehead, Bishopton on 8 August 1940, survived by his wife Elizabeth Morton Garvie. He left moveable estate of £35,193 12s.

NB: The practice is incorrectly referred to as Babtie & Bone, or as Babtie, Bone & Scott, in some sources.

Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architectural practice:

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2

AddressTypeDate FromDate ToNotes
25 Castle Street Dumbarton Dunbartonshire ScotlandBusinessIn year 1897In year 1897
180 Hope Street Glasgow ScotlandBusinessIn year 1897In year 1905Presumably the address of Babtie & Bonn as A A H Scott gives this as his business address at the time
188 West Regent Street Glasgow ScotlandBusinessIn year 1905In year 1906

Partners, Employees and Pupils

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

Employees or Pupils2

NamePositionDate FromDate ToNotes
John Taylor BabtiePartnerIn year 1897In year 1906
Carl Roderique Louise Menni BonnPartnerIn year 1897In year 1906
Alexander Hamilton ScottArchitectIn year 1898In year 1906

Buildings and Designs

This architectural practice was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):

Buildings and Designs2

BuildingPartnership GPRoleDate FromDate ToTown DistrictIslandCity CountyCountryNotes
Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901EIn year 1898KelvingroveGlasgowScotlandCompetition design - unplaced
Parish ManseAAfter 1898Before 1907DumbartonDunbartonshireScotland
Country House, InverlevenAAfter 1898Before 1907DumbartonDunbartonshireScotland
Public LibraryAAfter 1898Before 1907Long EatonDerbyshireEngland
BankAAfter 1898Before 1907Long EatonNottinghamshireEngland
House and Offices of the Keith Family and widening of Cadzow BridgeAAfter 1898Before 1907HamiltonLanarkshireScotland
Residential block for Dumbarton Heritable Property SyndicateAAfter 1898Before 1907DumbartonDunbartonshireScotland
Helensburgh Drill HallAIn year 1900HelensburghDunbartonshireScotland
Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901, footbridge over the River KelvinAIn year 1901KelvingroveGlasgowScotland
Sydney Harbour BridgesAIn year 1902SydneyAustraliaUnexecuted proposals
Ayr Pavilion, Low GreenBIn year 1906AyrAyrshireScotlandUnsuccessful competition design

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architectural practice:

Bib ref

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
BabtieBabtie 1895-1995: A Century of Achievement1995Glasgow

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architectural practice:

Arc ref

Archive NameSourceSource Cat NoBuildingItem NameNotes
RIBA Nomination PapersRIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumL v20 no1574 (Alexander Alban Hamilton Scott)