Basic Biographical Details

Name: Alexander Adam
Designation:  
Born: 1883
Died: 4 January 1961
Bio Notes: Alexander Adam was born in 1883, the son of James Adam and his wife Joan Don and the younger brother of Matthew Adam, also an architect. He attended Campbell School and Paisley Technical College. He was articled to Charles Davidson of Paisley from 1899 to 1904, and took the Diploma course at the Glasgow School of Architecture, subsequently becoming draughtsman to Messrs Duncan and Copland.

He passed the qualifying exam in London in November 1910 and was admitted ARIBA on 27 March 1911, being James Milne Monro, Thomas Lennox Watson and William Forrest Salmon. His travels prior to that date were limited to England, Scotland and Ireland. On 5 April 1916 he married Elizabeth M Morrison.

He was engaged as assistant lecturer in Architecture and Building Construction at Paisley Technical College in 1911. He remained there until 1927 when he became principal of the Architectural Department at Glasgow School of Art from the session 1927-28. In that capacity he organised the exhibition of Glasgow architecture for the RIBA conference of 1935. Nothing is yet known of his movements thereafter, save that he was with Duncan & Copland in 1930, by then a senior partner (he appears under their address in the RIBA Kalendar of 1930-31).

He retired to Largs and died there at 1 Castelhill Drive on 4 January 1961 of ateriosclerosis and coronary thrombosis.


"Enterprise Scotland 1947." Builder (29 August 1947): p229-32.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 74, Old Smithhills Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivate1901  
Item 2 of 7Churchill House, Paisley, Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1911After 1914 
Item 3 of 7146, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19201922 
Item 4 of 74, Brodie Park Aveniu, Paisley, Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)1923  
Item 5 of 7260, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19231924 
Item 6 of 7160, Hope Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1924 *1941 
Item 7 of 71, Bushes Avenue, Paisley, Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivate1926 *After 1950 

* earliest date known from documented sources.


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 3Charles Davidson18991904Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3A F Duncan & G D Copland1905 or 1906After 1911Assistant 
Item 3 of 3A F Duncan & G D CoplandBefore 1930c. 1940Senior Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3James Milne Monro27 March 1911for Associateship
Item 2 of 3William Forrest Salmon27 March 1911for Associateship
Item 3 of 3Thomas Lennox Watson27 March 1911for Associateship

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 6RIBA1930The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 6RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 6RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 5 of 6Who's Who in Architecture1914    
Item 6 of 6Who's Who in Architecture1926    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Glasgow Herald7 January 1961  Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Additional information from Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v19 no2139