Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Black
Designation:  
Born: 20 October 1840
Died: 19 November 1921
Bio Notes: William Black was born on 20 October 1840, the son of Alexander Black, civil engineer and architect of Falkirk. He was articled to his father but determined to gain further experience as a civil engineer, and in the earlier 1860s he joined the staff of Joseph Mitchell on the construction of the Highland Railway, spending his first year in the office in Inverness and the other two years as site supervisor of the Aberfeldy branch. Thereafter he spent a further year with James Fairlie Blair on the City of Glasgow Union Railway. These years gave him useful experience as a valuer which became an important aspect of his practice.

Black returned to Falkirk where his father died in 1867, continuing his practice under the title of A & W Black and succeeding him as burgh architect.

Black became a Freemason in 1876, rising to become Provincial Grand Master of Stirlingshire (1904), Depute Grand Z of Scotland and Grand Superintendent of the Stirlingshire Province of Royal Arch Masons in 1906 which must have brought useful contacts.

William Black's work as an architect was mainly in a Free Renaissance manner, his best building being the round-arched Falkirk Town Hall. His other buildings are relatively undistinguished. His son Captain Alexander Black became a partner in 1904. His influence is reflected in the increasingly Edwardian Renaissance and Arts and Crafts character of the firm's work from the mid-1890s onwards.

He died at Wellside on 18 November 1921 and was buried at Camelon Cemetery.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1Falkirk, Stirlingshire, ScotlandPrivate/business1867  

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 3A & W Black1867(?)Before 1921Partner 
Item 2 of 3Highland Railway Architects DepartmentEarly 1860s Assistant 
Item 3 of 3Joseph MitchellEarly 1860s Assistant 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 311876Town hallFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 2 of 311877Scottish National Institution for the Training of Imbecile ChildrenLarbert StirlingshireScotlandLodge and new wing (demolished); alteration to Pilkington's buildings later
Item 3 of 311879Bainsford Free ChurchBainsford, Falkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 4 of 311881Falkirk Infectious Diseases Hospital and SanatoriumFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 5 of 311882Carronshore ChurchCarronshore, Falkirk StirlingshireScotlandReconstruction from school to church
Item 6 of 311882Zetland ParkGrangemouth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 7 of 311884Grangemouth Town HallGrangemouth StirlingshireScotlandWon competition
Item 8 of 311888Grangemouth Public LibraryGrangemouth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 9 of 311889Avonbridge UP ChurchAvonbridge StirlingshireScotland 
Item 10 of 311890Airth Parish ChurchAirth StirlingshireScotlandAlterations to furnishings
Item 11 of 311891Larbert Primary SchoolLarbert StirlingshireScotland 
Item 12 of 311893Laurieston ChurchLaurieston StirlingshireScotland 
Item 13 of 311893Stirling District AsylumLarbert StirlingshireScotlandNew hospital wing - rebuilding of William Stirling III and James Brown of Currie's buildings
Item 14 of 311894Falkirk District Infectious Diseases HospitalFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandMain block
Item 15 of 311895Falkirk and Counties Savings BankFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 16 of 311898Falkirk High SchoolFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 17 of 311898Falkirk Volunteer Drill HallFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 18 of 311900Dobbie HallLarbert StirlingshireScotland 
Item 19 of 311900Victoria Primary SchoolGrahamston StirlingshireScotland 
Item 20 of 311901Masonic HallSlamannan StirlingshireScotland 
Item 21 of 311902Larbert Masonic HallLarbert StirlingshireScotland 
Item 22 of 311903Erskine UF Church, SummerfordFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 23 of 311903Lint Riggs, east sideFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandEnd sections, carried out to David Ronald's design
Item 24 of 311904Smallpox Hospital  StirlingshireScotlandProposed - probably not executed
Item 25 of 311904Stirling County Council OfficeFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 26 of 311906Camelon High SchoolFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 27 of 31190775 High StreetFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 28 of 311907Stirling District AsylumLarbert StirlingshireScotlandNurses' home
Item 29 of 311910Caretaker's HouseFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 30 of 311910Falkirk High SchoolFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandFree-standing block fronting Griffiths Street
Item 31 of 311914Stirling District AsylumLarbert StirlingshireScotlandReception Hospital

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Falkirk Herald6 February 1907   
Item 2 of 2Falkirk Herald19 February 1921  Obituary