Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Salmon & Son | Designation: | | Born: | 1872 | Died: | November 1903 | Bio Notes: | James Salmon was born in Glasgow on 11 October 1805, the son of John Salmon, a weaver and merchant at Bonhill, Dunbartonshire and his wife Margaret Jackson. He practised in Glasgow from c.1825 and worked in partnership with Robert Black, architect to the Union Bank, from 1843 to c.1854. He married Helen Russell (1817-81) in Edinburgh on 19 March 1837. Of their sons, the younger, James (b. 19 June 1853), trained as an accountant and settled in Australia in 1882, returning only briefly to visit the family in 1887. The elder, William Forrest Salmon, was born in 1843 and sent to the office of James Smith in or about 1857 to train as an architect. There he became acquainted with William Leiper, William Scott Morton and the decorative artist James Moyr Smith, then engaged on the lavish interior work of Overtoun, Dumbarton. On completing his articles Forrest followed Scott Morton to London, securing a place in the office of George Gilbert Scott. He returned to Glasgow in or about 1866 and became a partner in the firm in 1867 or 1868 along with James Ritchie who had been a senior assistant in the office since at least 1862, the practice name becoming Salmon Son & Ritchie. This partnership was dissolved in 1872, the practice name now becoming James Salmon & Son.
In 1868 James Salmon became first President of the newly founded Glasgow Institute of Architects, Alexander Thomson being his Vice-President, and together with his son Forrest was admitted FRIBA on 4 December 1876. They were amongst the first recruits in Charles Barry Junior and John Honeyman's campaign to extend the Scottish membership, their third proposer being Thomas Leverton Donaldson who had Ayrshire connections.
In the meantime, on 12 June 1872 William Forrest Salmon had married Jessie Alexander (b. 1843) at Dalry House, Edinburgh, the home of William Scott Morton who had married Jessie's elder sister Elizabeth (Eliza) in 1867. Jessie died suddenly in Edinburgh on 5 January 1887, while staying with the Scott Mortons. She left two sons - James, born on 13 April 1873 at 12 Seton Terrace, Glasgow, and Hugh, born 16 November 1874. James was initially educated privately and sent to Glasgow High School in September 1883, remaining there until 1888 when he joined the family firm for two years.
The Salmons attracted notable pupils in James Marjoribanks MacLaren and George Washington Browne. Like Leiper, Forrest retained his links with London which were greatly strengthened by the Scott Mortons who expanded their business first to the capital and then in 1889 to New York. These links brought the Salmons into an even wider artistic circle, Forrest's sister Helen Russell Salmon marrying the Yorkshire-born animal painter Tom Hunt, and among their many friends was the London Swedish architectural draughtsman Axel Haig who had accompanied Forrest on his first visit to Italy.
James Salmon (Senior) died on 5 June 1888 when walking home after giving one of his celebrated after-dinner speeches: he also had some reputation as a poet, having written a long pastoral comedy, 'Gowandean', which was illustrated by his friend Sir Daniel Macnee. He left moveable estate of £2,559 19s. 11d.. William Forrest Salmon thereafter continued the practice under the same name.
In 1890 James (Junior) was sent to Leiper's office to complete his apprenticeship, attending the classes at Glasgow School of Art for the unusually extended period of seven years, 1889-95. He left Leiper's office in 1894 at the end of his articles. Leiper's influence on Salmon was to remain marked in both commercial and domestic work. As a twenty-first birthday present Forrest sent him on a Grand Tour of the continent which is partly chronicled in watercolours in the Salmon collection at NMRS made between April and July of that year.
James Junior returned to the family firm in March 1895. By that time, John Gaff Gillespie (b. 1870) was in charge of most of the design work. Gillespie had been articled to James Milne Monro c. 1884, concurrently attending classes at Glasgow School of Art, and had won the Glasgow Institute of Architects prize in 1889 jointly with Charles Rennie Mackintosh. This brought him to the notice of Forrest Salmon who engaged him in 1891. Like Mackintosh at Honeyman & Keppie, Gillespie was given design responsibility very early, notably at the free Flemish Renaissance Scottish Temperance League building in 1893 and the West of Scotland Convalescent Seaside Homes at Dunoon in 1895. In that same year, Gillespie was taken into partnership, the everyday work of the practice having grown as a result of Forrest having secured some of the business of the British Linen Bank, whose architects were usually J M Dick Peddie & Washington Browne.
James Junior worked under his father and Gillespie for rather more than two years, being given much of the design responsibility for Mercantile Chambers on Bothwell Street, a huge project in which the Salmons had a financial interest and which was to become their office. He became a partner in 1898, but for the next few years and even beyond the individual design responsibilities of Gillespie and James Junior are not always easy to separate. Their names were not acknowledged in the practice title until November 1903 when the firm became Salmon Son & Gillespie. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | ![Item 1 of 2](images/table_item.gif) | 197, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1888 | After 1893 | Also the address of James Salmon | ![Item 2 of 2](images/table_item.gif) | Mercantile Chambers/53, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | c. 1898 | November 1903 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
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 | ![Item 1 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1862 | St John's Church | Oakshaw, Paisley | | Renfrewshire | | | ![Item 2 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1869 | Greenock Infirmary | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Enlargement | ![Item 3 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1872 | Barony Parochial Asylum | Lenzie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Competition won under practice of Salmon, Son & Ritchie; completed under James Salmon & Son | ![Item 4 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1874 | Dennistoun Free Church | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 5 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1874 | Prestwick Free Church | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Original building | ![Item 6 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1874 | St Andrew's Parish Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Replacement of pews | ![Item 7 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1875 | Camden Street School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 8 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1875 | Crookston Street School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 9 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1875 | Greenside School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 10 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1875 | Lambhill Public School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 11 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1875 | Oatlands School | Oatlands | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 12 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | Before 1876 | Mansion for Mr Clark | Paisley (near) | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | ![Item 13 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1877 | Cranstonhill Bakeries | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Further buildings | ![Item 14 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | June 1877 | Trades House | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Plans for new building submitted for invited competition; subsequently abandoned after failure to reach a decision | ![Item 15 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1879 | New Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 16 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1880 | Glasgow Municipal Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | 1st competition design | ![Item 17 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1881 | Dennistoun School | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 18 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1882 | Trades House | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Entered second competition for new building on the site - not successful | ![Item 19 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1884 | Broomhill House | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions - east wing and end tower with cupola | ![Item 20 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1889 | Allan Glen's School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension - new technical block | ![Item 21 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1889 | Gourlay Street Established Church | Springburn | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 22 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1890 | Dennistoun Estate, sections of Finlay Drive | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 23 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1890 | Offices, West George Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 24 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1891 | Alliance Church | Strone | | Argyll | Scotland | Alterations and additions | ![Item 25 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1891 | Barony Parochial Asylum | Lenzie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Additions - two-storey central block and towers | ![Item 26 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1891 | Old Aisle Cemetery, Monument to Miss Beatrice Clugston | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | ![Item 27 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1891 | Whitehill Street School | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 28 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1891 | Whitevale Bowling Club | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 29 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1892 | Clydebank Municipal Buildings | Clydebank | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | ![Item 30 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1892 | Deaf and Dumb Institute | Langside | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | ![Item 31 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1892 | Gallowhill House | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Additions and extensive internal alterations | ![Item 32 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1892 | Holburn Sausage Factory | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 33 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1892 | Tenements, Shaftsbury Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Addition of toilets | ![Item 34 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1892 | Workshops for George Sellars | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 35 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | c. 1892 | Wilson's Colosseum West End branch | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 36 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1893 | Scottish Temperance League building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Original building | ![Item 37 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1894 | British Linen Bank | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Drawings signed by William Forrest Salmon | ![Item 38 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1894 | Broomhill House | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Addition of west wing | ![Item 39 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1894 | Marine Hotel | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | ![Item 40 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1894 | Office and chimney stalk for Porteous & Crawford | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 41 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1894 | Whitehill Street School | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | Laundry, workshops and gymnasium added | ![Item 42 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | c. 1894 | House, Onslow Drive | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | Hugh Alexander Salmon apparently responsible for design, at end of his apprenticeship | ![Item 43 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1895 | Dennistoun Infant School, drill hall and workshops | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 44 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1895 | Dunoon Hydropathic | Dunoon | | Argyll | Scotland | Extensive new buildings | ![Item 45 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1895 | Higginbotham's Springfield Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 46 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1895 | Nurses' Home | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension | ![Item 47 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1895 | Premises for D P Menzies | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | ![Item 48 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1895 | Proposed shooting lodge | | | | Scotland | Sketch designs | ![Item 49 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | After 1895(?) | House for Archibald Walker | Lenzie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Possibly responsible (see Notes) | ![Item 50 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | After 1895(?) | Interior work for R Hunter Craig MP | | | | Scotland | Exact date not known, therefore it is not clear whether it was done under James Salmon & Son or Salmon Son & Gillespie | ![Item 51 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1896 | Deaf and Dumb Institute | Langside | | Glasgow | Scotland | Earn Cottage and Boys' Home and alterations to rear classrooms | ![Item 52 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1896 | Glasgow School of Art | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design | ![Item 53 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1896 | Scheme for villa | | | | | | ![Item 54 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1896 | Tenements, Rose Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Addition of toilet accommodation | ![Item 55 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1897 | 22 Park Circus | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interiors - internal alterations, including billiard room (1905) | ![Item 56 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1897 | British Linen Bank | Govan Cross | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 57 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1897 | Glasgow Rubber Works | North Kelvinside | | Glasgow | Scotland | Addition | ![Item 58 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1897 | Mercantile Chambers | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 59 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1897 | Post Office | Govan Cross | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 60 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1898 | Bakery for J & B Stevenson | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Van shed and stables | ![Item 61 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1898 | Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901 | Kelvingrove | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - unplaced | ![Item 62 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1898 | Gowandean | Lochgoilhead | | Argyll | Scotland | Alterations and additions | ![Item 63 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1898 | Higginbotham's Springfield Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions | ![Item 64 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1898 | Rowantreehill | Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | ![Item 65 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1898 | St Andrew's Free Church Hall | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 66 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1898 | St Vincent Chambers | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 67 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1898 | Village Hall | Lochgoilhead | | Argyll | Scotland | | ![Item 68 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1899 | British Linen Bank and Tenement | Hutchesontown | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 69 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1899 | Glasgow Savings Bank | Anderston Cross | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 70 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1899 | Shop, Union Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations to shop and basement foundation | ![Item 71 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1899 | Tenements, Charlotte Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Toilet additions | ![Item 72 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1899 | Tenements, High Street and Duke Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - unsuccessful | ![Item 73 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1900 | Eastern District Hospital | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | ![Item 74 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1900 | House, 12 University Gardens | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 75 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1900 | Offices, West Regent Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and conversion to tearooms and restaurant | ![Item 76 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1900 | Semi-detached block of houses | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 77 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1900 | Singer Manufacturing Company Works | Kilbowie | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Alterations to offices | ![Item 78 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | c. 1900 | Municipal Offices and bank | Oban? | | Argyll? | Scotland | Sketch design | ![Item 79 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | Late 1900 or early 1901 | Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - unsuccessful | ![Item 80 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1901 | Art Nouveau archway | | | | | | ![Item 81 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1901 | Deaf and Dumb Institute | Langside | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations to Earn Cottage and Boys' Home | ![Item 82 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1901 | Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901, electric fire and clock overmantel | Kelvingrove Park | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 83 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1901 | Lloyd Morris Memorial Church | Oatlands | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 84 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1901 | Marine Hotel | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Addition, forming L Plan | ![Item 85 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1901 | Shop, Union Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations to shopfront | ![Item 86 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1901 | Tenements, Dale Street | Bridgeton | | Glasgow | Scotland | Toilet additions | ![Item 87 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | c. 1901 | Newlands Bowling Club, clubhouse | Landside | | Glasgow | Scotland | | ![Item 88 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1902 | 14-15 (or 13 and 14) Woodlands Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension and internal remodelling | ![Item 89 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1902 | Barony Parochial Asylum | Lenzie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Design for a village asylum - not built | ![Item 90 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1902 | Barony Parochial Asylum | Lenzie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Nurses' quarters and pathological unit | ![Item 91 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1902 | British Linen Bank Head Office | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations, additional floors and corner dome | ![Item 92 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1902 | Carnegie Public Library | Rutherglen | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Competition entry - unsuccessful | ![Item 93 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1902 | Newton Park School | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Competition entry - unsuccessful | ![Item 94 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1902 | Three large office blocks | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Proposals only | ![Item 95 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1902 | Whitehill Street School | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | Three storey classroom extension | ![Item 96 of 96](images/table_item.gif) | 1903 | British Linen Bank | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | ![Item 1 of 3](images/table_item.gif) | Walker, David M | 1966 | Salmon, Son, Grandson and Gillespie | | Scottish Art Review, vol. X, no. 3, pp. 17-29 | | ![Item 2 of 3](images/table_item.gif) | Walker, David W | 1995 | The Salmon Collection | | Unpublished: copy in NMRS | DSA text is adapted from this source | ![Item 3 of 3](images/table_item.gif) | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p23 |
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