Skip to Main Content

Practices

Basic Biographic Details

James Thomson & Sons
Architectural practice
After (Year)
1867
Date Not Known
James Thomson was born in Airdrie in 1822, the son of a weaving agent who was a town councillor. He was apprenticed as a joiner in 1837, but attended classes in draughtsmanship in Coatbridge, obtaining an unspecified 'diploma' in architecture in Edinburgh in 1846. Shortly thereafter he obtained the commission for New Monkland Poorhouse which inaugurated his career as an architect, his office being in Coatbridge rather than Airdrie in the 'Architect's Engineer's and Building Trades' Directory' of 1868. He was a competent classicist.

Thomson had three sons: John, born 1846, who was articled to his father c.1862, and was for a time an assistant in the office of Alexander Thomson, probably c.1865-67 and continued the Airdrie practice; Peter, born 1849, who practised as a civil engineer and died relatively young in 1895; and Robert Miller Thomson, born 1856 who practised in his own name in Glasgow from 1878 but was apparently still in partnership with his father and elder brother. He had only just made his name as an architect of tall office buildings with Andrew Wilson as his assistant when he died in 1900.

James Thomson died in 1898, and his son John in March 1912. The practice was then at 7 Victoria Place Airdrie and John was living at Largiemeanach, Drumgelloch Street, Airdrie. The Airdrie end of the partnership was continued by John's son James Thomson Junior, born 17 April 1878 and educated at Airdrie Academy, who had been articled to his father and grandfather in 1892, and had attended Glasgow School of Art under William James Anderson and Alexander McGibbon. He was taken into partnership by his father in 1906, and admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects. He is said to have been a skilful painter and etcher. He died on 19 March 1921. The practice was continued by Alexander Houston Thomson who was James Junior's younger brother, born 1 May 1882 and had also been taken into partnership in 1906. He had been articled to his father 1897-1902, during which period he attended Glasgow School of Art and was admitted LRIBA a year after his brother on 24 June 1912. He retired to Arran in the early 1960s; the practice records were destroyed soon afterwards.

'Biography authored by the Dictionary of Scottish Architects Compilation Team.'

Addresses

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

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2

AddressTypeDate FromDate ToNotes
7 Victoria Place Airdrie Lanarkshire ScotlandBusinessBefore 1896After 1912Measurers\' Companion gives East Victoria Place in 1911<br><br>Clarke\'s Directory gives James Thomson & Son (not Sons)

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 ThomsonPartnerAfter 1867In year 1898
John ThomsonPartnerAfter 1867In year 1912
John ScotlandApprenticec. 1875c. 1880
John ScotlandAssistantc. 1880c. 1883
James Thomson (junior)ApprenticeIn year 1892c. 1897
Alexander Houston ThomsonApprentice1897/10/01c. 1902
James Thomson (junior)Assistantc. 1897In year 1906
Alexander Houston ThomsonAssistantc. 19021906/01/01
James Thomson (junior)PartnerIn year 1906In year 1921
Alexander Houston ThomsonPartner1906/01/01After 1960

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
Royal Bank of ScotlandAArchitectural practiceIn year 1874AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
St Margaret's SchoolAIn year 1874AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
Rutherglen Town HallB?In year 1876In year 1877RutherglenLanarkshireScotlandWorked in association with Kennedy and Dalgleish (probably this John Thomson)
FruitfieldAArchitectural practiceIn year 1880AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
Rawyards HouseAArchitectural practiceIn year 1880AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
Ebeneezer Congregational ChurchAIn year 1882AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
Airdrie County BuildingsBArchitectural practiceAfter 1892Before 1906AirdrieLanarkshireScotlandRestoration and alterations on three occasions
Villa for John KennedyAAfter 1892Before 1906AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
Villa for R Adam EsqAAfter 1892Before 1906AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
The Red HouseAArchitectural practiceIn year 1897AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
Ebeneezer Congregational ChurchB?After 1897Before 1906AirdrieLanarkshireScotlandAlterations and decorations
Cottages, farm steading etc, Milnwood estateAAfter 1897Before 1906Airdrie (near)LanarkshireScotland
Cottages, farm steading etc, Wester Moffat estateAAfter 1897Before 1906AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
Cottages, farm steading etc, Cairnhill estateAAfter 1897Before 1906AirdrieLanarkshireScotland
Cottages, farm steading etc, Carnbroe estateAAfter 1897Before 1906Airdrie (near)LanarkshireScotland

References