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Practices

Basic Biographic Details

Dunn & Findlay
Architectural practice
Year Only
1894
Year Only
1905
James Bow Dunn was born in Pollokshields, Glasgow, on 16 January 1861, the son of David Dunn and his wife Margaret Robertson Thomson; an earlier son of the same name had been born on 12 December 1859 but had not survived. His family moved to Edinburgh, where he was sent to George Heriot's School. In 1876 he was articled to James Campbell Walker and attended Heriot-Watt College, followed by travel in France, Belgium and Holland. From Walker's office he found a place in the Burgh Engineers Office c.1885 and conducted a small private practice on his own account from 1887. In that year he competed for Edinburgh Public Library under the pseudonym 'Triumphant Democracy' and came into some prominence when he was placed second to George Washington Browne by the assessor, Alfred Waterhouse. In May of the following year Dunn won the competition for the Library of the Society of Solicitors to the Supreme Courts of Scotland under the pseudonym 'Wisdom, Health and Beauty', the assessor in this case being John James Burnet. This win enabled him to set up business on his own account.

In 1894 Dunn took into partnership James Leslie Findlay, born 30 April 1868 and younger son of John Ritchie Findlay, proprietor of the Scotsman. Findlay was educated at Harrow and apprenticed to his father's architect Arthur George Sydney Mitchell. As he never sought membership of the RIBA precise dates are lacking, but he designed Dean Path Buildings for his father in 1885 at the early age of 17, presumably while still in Mitchell's office. The partnership was probably formed for the purpose of building the Scotsman's new buildings (begun 1898) but had got off to an even earlier start with an important competition win for the Adam Smith Memorial and Beveridge Halls and Library in Kirkcaldy in 1894.

Although the partnership prospered principally from commissions from Findlay's father, by 1901 Dunn was advising Robert Stodart Lorimer that 'a small business that you look after yourself with a few fellows is the best.' By that date Dunn was already undertaking commissions in his own name only. The partnership was closed in 1905 although Dunn and Findlay continued to share offices until 1906.

Findlay designed little thereafter apart from his own house, Muirtown in Strathspey, being more interested in fishing, woodworking and the Volunteers. During the First World War he was Lieutenant Colonel commanding the First Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery serving with the 51st Highland Division in France. After he was invalided out of the army he did not resume his architectural career. He died on 19 September 1952, survived by his wife Kathleen Marguerite Richardson of County Antrim, two sons and two daughters.

Dunn was admitted FRIBA on 5 June 1905. His proposers, somewhat surprisingly were all Glaswegian - John Keppie, Thomas Lennox Watson and David Barclay. From 1911 onwards Dunn began to develop a reputation which extended beyond Scotland, acquiring a significant country house practice in Northumberland. He was elected ARSA in 1918 and RSA in 1930, but by then he was in poor health. An operation originally scheduled for the beginning of the year was postponed because of his commitment to George Watson's School and not carried out until August. He died a week later on the 25th of that month. He had one son, Herbert, and two daughters.

Dunn is said to have been a discriminating art collector and acted as advisor to several friends and clients. John Keppie wrote of him that 'like all strong men he was a good hater [sic] and with his frankness of conviction one always knew where Dunn stood'.

Dunn's son Herbert continued the practice as J B Dunn & Partners, and then as J B Dunn & G L Martin, Martin having been his principal assistant for several years.

Addresses

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

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2

AddressTypeDate FromDate ToNotes
94 George Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 1895In year 1896
35 Frederick Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessIn year 1896In year 1903
42 Frederick Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessIn year 1903

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
James Bow DunnPartnerIn year 1894In year 1905
James Leslie FindlayPartnerIn year 1894In year 1905
James Aynsworth LindsaySenior AssistantIn year 1896In year 1900
John DallAssistantIn year 1897In year 1905
James Alexander ArnottPrincipal Assistant1898/05In year 1904
James Inch MorrisonAssistantc. 1898Before 1907
David Alston BeveridgeAssistantc. 1899c. 1902
Donald MacPherson GordonAssistantIn year 1901In year 1903
Robert Thom CurrieAssistantc. 1905In year 1905

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 Designs

BuildingPartnership GPRoleDate FromDate ToTown DistrictIslandCity CountyCountryNotes
Stables at ThornybaukAEdinburghScotlandDate unknown
15 Eglinton CrescentAEdinburghScotlandAlterations? No date. May be Dunn alone or later
Hospital designAScotland
Custom House InnALinlithgowWest LothianScotlandPossibly by Dunn & Findlay
Mansion, 59-61 Inverleith PlaceAIn year 1894In year 1899InverleithEdinburghScotland
252-284 Bonnington RoadAIn year 1894In year 1894EdinburghScotland
SlaughterhouseAIn year 1894In year 1897InnerleithenPeeblesshireScotland
Adam Smith Memorial and Beveridge Halls and LibraryAIn year 1894In year 1899KirkcaldyFifeScotlandWon competition to secure job
Chisholm Trust TenementsAIn year 1894EdinburghScotland
North British Railway HotelCIn year 1895EdinburghScotlandCompetition design
Building at 24-25 Home Street, including National Bank of ScotlandAIn year 1895In year 1896LochrinEdinburghScotlandShops and shop fronts
Union ClubAIn year 1895In year 1896EdinburghScotlandInternal alterations
21 Charlotte SquareAIn year 1895EdinburghScotlandAlterations
14 Picardy PlaceAIn year 1895EdinburghScotlandGround floor frontage
Unidentified House at PerthAIn year 1895PerthPerthshireScotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architectural practice:

Bib ref

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
Royal Scottish AcademyRoyal Scottish Academy 103rd Annual Report, 26 August 19301930pp19-21
Post Office Directories
Braidwood, Niall CDunn and Findlay and The Scotsman Building1988RIBA Dissertation 1988

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this architectural practice:

Period ref

Periodical NamePublisherDate CircEditionNotes
RIBA Journal1930/09/20*Dunn's obituary p711
Builder1930/08/29v139p334 - Dunn's obituary
Scotsman1930/08/26*Dunn
Scotsman1952/09/20*Findlay
RIAS Quarterly193034Dunn's obituary