Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Macintyre Henry | Designation: | | Born: | 1852 | Died: | 18 September 1929 | Bio Notes: | James Macintyre Henry was born in Dunkeld in 1852, the fourth son of the large family of William Henry, innkeeper, and his wife Isabella. He had Atholl estate connections. He was articled to Andrew Heiton of Perth in 1866 and remained with him until 1872, but thereafter moved to Edinburgh, having secured a place in the office of David Bryce, then engaged on Blair Castle for the Seventh Duke. After Bryce's death he moved to the office of Charles Hay, perhaps with a view to partnership, and carried out at least one small job on his own before formally setting up practice on his own account in 1883. His travels prior to that date had included a month in France, a month in Italy and visits to ecclesiastical and secular buildings of importance in Scotland and England.
Henry's conservative temperament is best expressed in the words of Thomas Forbes Maclennan: 'His practice was varied, subject to considerable fluctuations and not without its worries, but he rarely was flustered and never in a hurry. He had a sound knowledge of materials and methods of construction but was slow to adopt new materials or new methods. He had not the knack of persuading a client to spend more money, but rather a flair for finding means to reduce cost… he could rarely be persuaded to write a letter offering his services even if he had the plans in the office of the building which had been destroyed by fire or which was otherwise the subject of a building project.' These qualities seem to have endeared him to some clients, particularly Sir James Gibson Craig of Riccarton: the result of the competition for Midlothian County Buildings was overturned and the commission given to him although the design he had sent in had been ranked fourth by the assessor, Walter Wood Robertson.
In 1905 Henry took Thomas Forbes Maclennan into partnership, Maclennan having been largely responsible (according to John Ross McKay's obituary) for the design of the Midlothian County Buildings. Maclennan (born 1873) had been educated at George Watson's College, Heriot-Watt College and the School of Art, and had served his articles with Leadbetter & Fairley before joining Henry in 1894. He passed the qualifying exam in 1902 and although no London classes are mentioned in his nomination papers, he was able to call on the London architects John Slater and Edward Augustus Gruning, together with Richard Phene Spiers, head of the RA Schools, as proposers when he was admitted ARIBA on 2 March 1903. In 1907 he married Euphemia Anderson, daughter of John Cathles, Secretary of the North British Railway Company, a match which probably brought useful connections. He took a rather more active part in public life than Henry. He joined the Queen's Edinburgh Rifles in 1890, was President of the Edinburgh Architectural Association 1914-18, and during the First World War he served on the Architects' War Committee and volunteered for service as sub-lieutenant in a Royal Engineers Signal Company in 1917. After the war he was one of the founders of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, of which he was later president.
Henry's role from the time of the commencement of his partnership with Maclennan seems to have been more as practice manager. He was Dean of Guild from 1912 to 1917. He died on 18 September 1929, leaving very substantial moveable estate of £19,075 7s 0d. Maclennan thereafter ran the practice with junior partners, including J C Cunningham and his own daughter, Mrs E L Westwater. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 5, Wilton Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | | | Perhaps at time of death | | 4, Charlotte Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1881 | c. 1883 | | | 13, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1884 | c. 1896 | | | 7, South Charlotte Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1897 | c. 1929 | From about 1905 in partnership with McLennan | | 15, Moston Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | Before 1901 | c. 1909 | From about 1905 in partnership with McLennan | | 47, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1910 | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1878 | Portobello Old Parish Church | Portobello | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Addition | | 1884 | Tigh-an-Rudha | Ardrishaig | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1885 | House near Oban | Oban | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1885 | Towerbank School | Portobello | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Original school | | 1886 | Beachborough | Portobello | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Addition of billaird room | | 1887 | Dunkeld Cathedral Manse | Dunkeld | | Perthshire | Scotland | Reconstruction and enlargement | | 1887 | Innerleithen Parish Church | Innerleithen | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | Addition of chancel and pulpit | | 1887 | Innerleithen Parish Church Hall | Innerleithen | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1888 | Bruar Lodge | Glen Bruar | | Perthshire | Scotland | Addition | | 1888 | New Palace Hotel and shops below | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstructed from existing houses | | 1889 | St Michael's Parish Church | Inveresk | | Midlothian | Scotland | Interior refitting (including pulpit) and additions including projecting stair and organ bays: won in limited competition | | 1889 | St Michael's Parish Church Hall | Inveresk | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1891 | Balmoral Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Internal remodelling including dining room, subsequently absorbed by New Club, but survived demolition of club | | 1891 | Midfield | Rosewell | | Midlothian | Scotland | Entrance gates and lodge | | 1896 | House at North Berwick for Mrs E Jenkinson | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1896 | New Royal British Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1896 | Oranmore House | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1896 | Royal Hotel and cinema | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1896 | Tantallon Golf Clubhouse | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1897 | Main Point House, West Port | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Conversion to bar | | 1897 | Swimming baths | South Queensferry | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1898 | Bemersyde | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New house? | | 1898 | Café Royal | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Interiors for Charles Clark | | 1898 | Dunkeld House | | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1898 | Middleton House | Gorebridge (near) | | Midlothian | Scotland | Additions and interiors for Edward Moss; new stable court, sewage scheme and electric lighting. Linking blocks to end pavilions raised and balustraded steps added. | | 1898 | Millhills House | Crieff | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1898 | Stables | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1899 | Midlothian County Council Buildings | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Placed fourth in competition but was selected for the job | | 1899 | Rutherford & Co's Public Bar, 3 Drummond Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | c. 1900 | Middleton Hall | Uphall | | West Lothian | Scotland | Largely reconstructed? This may in fact refer to Middleton House, nr Gorebridge | | 1901 | Business Premises, Rose Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1901 | Dwelling House, Gordon Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1901 | Gibson Craig Memorial Hall | Currie | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1902 | Haddon's Court | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | North side | | 1903 | Blair Castle | Blair Atholl | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903 | Villa, 99 Colinton Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1904 | Blair Castle | Blair Atholl | | Perthshire | Scotland | Roofing of well house court and charter room | | 1904 | Post office buildings | Penicuik | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1905 | Blair Castle | Blair Atholl | | Perthshire | Scotland | Addition to south wing | | 1905 | School at New Elgin | New Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition entry | | 1906 | Lockerbie House | | | | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1906 | Main Point House, West Port | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additional storey at canted bay | | 1906 | Royal Blind Asylum | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Proposed additions of two storeys, not carried out but does appear to have done some extensions and reconstruction | | 1906 | Scottish Horse HQ and Public Hall | Blair Atholl | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1907 | Birmingham Council House extension and Art Galleries | | | Birmingham | England | Competition design for extension - not successful | | 1907 | Blair Castle | Blair Atholl | | Perthshire | Scotland | Proposed addition to library | | 1907 | Newington Free Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Refronting | | 1907 | Newington UF Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New front and chancel | | 1907 | St Andrews Parish Church | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Tower and porch added | | 1908 | Blair Castle | Blair Atholl | | Perthshire | Scotland | New porch to wing; armoury | | 1908 | Perth Town Hall | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Competition design placed third by J J Burnet | | 1909 | Balnacraig House and Lodge | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Billiard room | | 1909 | Millhills House | Crieff | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions and remodelling; steading | | 1911 | Corner site with shops, High Street | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1911 | Free Church | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Added transepts | | 1911 | Meal Mills | Bonnington | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Rebuilding after fire | | 1912 | Edinburgh Royal Lunatic Asylum | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Nurses home, new quadrangular pavilion | | 1912 | Lochbuie House | | Mull | | Scotland | Alterations | | 1913 | Birnam Hotel | Birnam | | Perthshire | Scotland | Rebuilding after fire | | 1914 | Chesterknowes | | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1914 | Haddon's Court | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | East side | | 1914 | Wester Riddell | Lilliesleaf | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1915 | Glenegadale House | Inverleith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1915 | Mary Murray Hospital | Prestonpans | | East Lothian | Scotland | Additions | | 1916 | Scottish Veterans Garden City, Earl Haig Gardens | Trinity | | Edinburgh | Scotland | 1st and 3rd phases | | 1916 | Scottish Veterans' Garden Cities Association Settlement, Kitchener Crescent | Longniddry | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1919 | Lawers | Comrie | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations for Captain Rockey | | 1920 | Welfare buildings and hosiery factory for Munro & Co Ltd | Restalrig | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extension to factory and new welfare buildings | | 1921 | Chamber of Commerce | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations, furnishing and decoration | | 1921 | Orchill | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Restoration after fire | | 1922 | Premises for John Croall & Sons | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations? | | 1923 | Café Royal | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | American bar at NW corner | | 1923 | New Grange Works | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extension | | Before 1923 | Dyeworks | Slateford | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions | | Before 1923 | Gas Meter Works | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Before 1923 | Gas Meter Works | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Before 1923 | Skinworks | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1925 | Millhills House | Crieff | | Perthshire | Scotland | Garden works | | 1928 | House for Miss Margaret White | Greenbank | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1928 | Roxburghe Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Shopfront | | 1929 | Open Air Swimming Pool | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1923 | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 4 October 1929 | | | Obituary | | RIAS Quarterly | 1929 | Autumn/Winter | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | p77 Tribute by T F Maclennan | | RIBA Journal | 23 November 1929 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary, p67 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F v14 p77 no895 (microfilm reel 11) |
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