Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Leslie Findlay | Designation: | | Born: | 30 April 1868 | Died: | 19 September 1952 | Bio Notes: | James Leslie Findlay was born on 30 April 1868, the younger son of John Ritchie Findlay, proprietor of the Scotsman. Findlay was educated at Harrow and apprenticed to his father's architect A G Sydney Mitchell. As he never sought membership to 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. In 1894 he was taken into partnership by James Bow Dunn. 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 Lorimer against taking a partner, taking the view 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 1903 although Dunn and Findlay continued to share offices until 1906.
Findlay maintained an Edinburgh office at 34 Queen Street until 1915 but 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 trhe First Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery serving with the 51st Highland Division in France. After he was invalidated 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. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 94, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1894 | 1896 | | | 35, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1896 | 1903 | | | 42, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1903 | 1906 | | | 14, Coates Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1904 | 1906 | | | 34, Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1906 | 1915 | | | 10, Eton Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1907 | c. 1919 | Was his office as well from 1915-1919 |
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Arthur George Sydney Mitchell | After 1883 | Before 1894 | Apprentice | | | Dunn & Findlay | 1894 | 1905 | Partner | |
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 | | | 15 Eglinton Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations? No date. May be Dunn alone or later | | | Custom House Inn | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | Possibly by Dunn & Findlay | | | Hospital design | | | | Scotland | | | | Stables at Thornybauk | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Date unknown | | 1893 | 252-284 Bonnington Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1893 | Greyfriars Bar | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Pub-front designed - in collaboration with James Bow Dunn prior to partnership | | 1894 | Adam Smith Memorial and Beveridge Halls and Library | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Won competition to secure job | | 1894 | Chisholm Trust Tenements | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1894 | Mansion, 59-61 Inverleith Place | Inverleith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1894 | Slaughterhouse | Innerleithen | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1895 | 14 Picardy Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Ground floor frontage | | 1895 | 21 Charlotte Square | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1895 | Bellevue Hotel | Dunbar | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1895 | Building at 24-25 Home Street, including National Bank of Scotland | Lochrin | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Shops and shop fronts | | 1895 | Dean Path Buildings | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1895 | Hawthornbank Buildings | Dean Village | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1895 | North British Railway Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Competition design | | 1895 | Unidentified House at Perth | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1895 | Union Club | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Internal alterations | | After 1895 | Fleming Cottage Hospital | Aberlour | | Banffshire | Scotland | | | 1896 | Bungalow for Henry Eley | Milnathort | | Kinross-shire | Scotland | | | 1896 | Dalmahoy House and lodges | Ratho | | Edinburgh | Scotland | North lodge | | 1896 | Deaconess Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extensions? | | 1896 | Double villa, Marmion Road and Clifford Road | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1896 | Eskbank House | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1896 | Gardener's Cottage | Walkerburn | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1896 | Plewlands Estate | Plewlands Estate | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Feuing plan, houses, villas, etc | | 1897 | 41 Drumsheugh Gardens | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1897 | Conservative Club | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1897 | Gordon Parish Church | Gordon | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Gyleburn | Lockerbie | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Menstrie Church halls | Menstrie | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Menstrie Parish Church | Menstrie | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1897 | Perth Co-operative Society Tenements | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenement Block with shops | Tollcross | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenements and Shops | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenements with shops | Tollcross | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenements, corner of Friar Street and Abbot Street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Tenements, Gilmore Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1897 | Villa at Gullane | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1897 | Villa at Gullane | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1898 | Double Villa, Musselburgh | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1898 | Harmeny House and Lodge | Balerno | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1898 | House for A C D Vert | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1898 | Muir Hall of Residence | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Converted from houses | | 1898 | Villas, Murrayfield Gardens | Murrayfield | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1898 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission Halls | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | 105-109 Nicolson Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1899 | 11-13 Douglas Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Attic storey added | | 1899 | 12-14 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1899 | 22, 24, 26, 30 Inverleith Place | Inverleith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Architects commissioned by Sutherland & Sons | | 1899 | Craighouse Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Methodist Central Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Quarryknowe | Joppa | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Rentons, 10-15 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Proposed alterations | | 1899 | Scotsman Buildings | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Scotsman Buildings extension | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | St Mungo's Parish Church Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Late 1800s | Fisherton | Aberlour | | Banffshire | Scotland | Estate office wing | | 1900 | Houses, Abinger Gardens | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1900 | Royal Riding Academy | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1900 | Terraced Villas and shops | Morningside | | Edinburgh | Scotland | 'Continuous villas'. | | 1900 | Villas, East End, Gullane | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1900 | Currie Memorial Public hall | Lilliesleaf | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | ? | | 1901 | 34 Buckingham Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Interior work | | 1901 | Building on South side of High Street | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Dean Parish Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1901 | Hill of Burns | Creetown | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | Additions and alterations | | 1901 | Upholsterer's at Silvermills | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1901 | Victoria Chambers | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1901 | Villa for Messrs D Sutherland and Sons | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | House at Barnton | Barnton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | House for J Michael Brown | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Northfield | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Offices and shop premises, 14-16 Frederick Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1902 | Queen's Club | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Tenement, 198-206 Bruntsfield Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Tenement, 208-226 Bruntsfield Place and 2-10 Merchiston Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Tenements, Spottiswoode Street and Spottiswoode Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Villa for J M Brown | Lundin Links | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1903 | 18 Alva Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903 | 20 Hermitage Drive | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1903 | 24 Ainslie Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903 | Bellenden | Innerleithen | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1903 | Bisset's Hotel | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | Extension | | 1903 | Castle Menzies | Aberfeldy | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903 | Deaconess Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extensions | | 1903 | Houses and Villas, Plewlands Terrace | Plewlands Estate | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Uncertain if involved | | 1903 | Life Association of Scotland, Head Office and Bedford Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Plans - alterations to Bedford Hotel | | 1903 | Tenement block, South Street and Canal Street | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1904 | 53, 55, 57, 59 Home Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations to shop front | | 1904 | Barnhill | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1913 | Kinermony House | Aberlour (near) | | Banffshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Braidwood, Niall C | 1988 | Dunn and Findlay and The Scotsman Building | | RIBA Dissertation 1988 | | | Post Office Directories | | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Scotsman | 20 September 1952 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Conservation recorded in letter to R S Dods. |
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