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Practices

Basic Biographic Details

J & R S Ingram
Architectural practice: Engineer
Circa (Year)
1868
Date Not Known
James Ingram was born in Kilmarnock in 1799 (christened 16 August) the son of Andrew Ingram and his wife Janet McMillan. He set up practice in Kilmarnock c.1830: prior to that he had married Mary Samson on 1 October at Sorn. In the mid-1860s he took his fourth son William (born c.1831) into partnership and set up a branch office in Glasgow at 154 West Regent Street. Another son, Robert Samson Ingram, born 5 May 1841 was sent to London to gain wider experience. He seems to have studied under Professor Thomas Leverton Donaldson (who had Ayrshire connections at Williamshaw) at University College as he proposed him for Associate membership of the RIBA on 26 March 1866 (lapsed c.1883). At that date Robert's address was 1 Westminster Chambers, indicating that he was an assistant of Charles Barry Junior who was one of the signatories to his nomination paper. By 1868 he had joined William at West Regent Street and been taken into partnership as W & R S Ingram, but subsequently Robert Samson moved to Kilmarnock to join his father, the Kilmarnock practice becoming J & R S Ingram, presumably leaving William to practice on his own in Glasgow.

James Ingram commenced practice as a neo-classical and late Georgian Gothic designer. By the time he built Irvine Town Hall in 1859 his classical architecture had become an attenuated Italianate. With his Corn Exchange at Kilmarnock in 1862-63 it reached new levels of Italian Renaissance sophistication, but whether that relates to his son William of whose training nothing is known, or more probably to his son Robert is unclear: the latter was then in London as an assistant to Charles Barry Junior. James's later work was probably mainly designed by Robert.

James died on 27 July 1879 at Kilmarnock leaving moveable estate of £730 14s 9d. The practice was restyled W & R S Ingram by August, although some jobs were being carried out under the name of J & R S Ingram in the 1880s.

Addresses

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

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2

AddressTypeDate FromDate ToNotes
114 King Street Kilmarnock Ayrshire ScotlandBusinessBefore 1882After 1888

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 IngramSenior PartnerAfter 18681878 or 1879
Robert Samson IngramPartnerAfter 18681878 or 1879
John WatsonAssistantIn year 1875In year 1876
William Forrest ValentineApprenticec. 1900c. 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
14 London RoadA?After 1868Before 1879KilmarnockAyrshireScotlandRemodelling? - attribution by Craig McLelland, South Ayrshire Council.
Woodstock CottageALate 1860sKilmarnockAyrshireScotlandHS attribution; HS gives date of 1865 but if attribution is correct, the date must be slightly later (the partnership was not formed until between 1866 and 1868)
Commercial building, John Finnie StreetAArchitectural practiceIn year 1873In year 1874KilmarnockAyrshireScotland
Operetta HouseAIn year 1874In year 1875KilmarnockAyrshireScotland
Garallan SchoolAArchitectural practiceIn year 1874In year 1876SkaresAyrshireScotland
Hurlford Parish Church and manseAIn year 1874In year 1875HurlfordAyrshireScotland
St Margaret'sAIn year 1875JohnstoneRenfrewshireScotland
Bargeddie Parish Church, Manse and HallArchitectural practiceIn year 1875In year 1876BargeddieLanarkshireScotland
New Cumnock Primary SchoolAArchitectural practiceIn year 1875New CumnockAyrshireScotland
Office building, West George StreetAc. 1875KilmarnockAyrshireScotlandHS attribution
Symington SchoolAArchitectural practiceIn year 1876In year 1877SymingtonAyrshireScotland
Smith's Building, John Finnie StreetAIn year 1876KilmarnockAyrshireScotlandHS attribution
RC School, East Shaw StreetAIn year 1877GreenockRenfrewshireScotland?
Grange Free ChurchAArchitectural practiceIn year 1877In year 1879KilmarnockAyrshireScotland
Chapel behind Wellpark House (formerly St Peter's Seminary)AIn year 1877PartickGlasgowScotland

References