Basic Biographical Details

Name: Maclaren & Aitken
Designation:  
Born: 1873
Died: After March 1879
Bio Notes: Around 1869 James Maclaren took George Shaw Aitken on as his chief assistant in and made him partner in 1873, the practice assuming the name of Maclaren & Aitken, the office then being within the building Maclaren had built for himself at 10 Bank Street.

Aitken had been born in Edinburgh in 1836, the son of Robert Shaw Aitken, a silversmith in Bread Street, and had been articled to John Dick Peddie c. 1850, remaining with him as an assistant until he joined Maclaren. The partnership was briefly very successful but ended soon after March 1879 as a result of disagreements and litigation over the specification of stone from the Ferrybank estate near Cupar, which had been acquired by Maclaren. It was a fine white sandstone but proved unreliable on exposure to the weather. Aitken thereafter practised on his own account in Dundee for a year or two before moving back to Edinburgh and Maclaren continued on his own with his eldest son George Gordon Maclaren, who had been born 26 June 1855 and apprenticed to his father.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 124, Bank Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1873  

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 2George Shaw Aitken1873c. March 1879Partner 
Item 2 of 2James Maclaren1873c. March 1879Partner 

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 34c. 1870Carmyllie Parish Kirk ManseCarmyllie AngusScotlandAddition of bay window - probably (HS)
Item 2 of 341873Barnhill Convalescent HomeBarnhill DundeeScotlandBegun by Maclaren, completed in partnership
Item 3 of 341873Offices for Don Brothers Buist  DundeeScotlandBegun by Maclaren and completed in partnership
Item 4 of 34After 1873Bearhill HouseBrechin AngusScotlandReconstruction and additions
Item 5 of 341874BeechwoodLochee DundeeScotlandIce house
Item 6 of 341874Carmyllie Parish Church  AngusScotlandEnlarged and internally remodelled
Item 7 of 341874ChellwoodMonifieth AngusScotland 
Item 8 of 341874Clepington ChurchHilltown DundeeScotlandCompetition design? Mission chapel according to Gifford built by Maclaren & Aitken at this date.
Item 9 of 341874Clepington Church Hall  DundeeScotlandCommission for church lost to Alexander Johnston
Item 10 of 341874East SchoolBroughty Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 11 of 341874Good Templar HallBroughty Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 12 of 341874Improvement Act Tenements, Victoria Road  DundeeScotlandWon competition: design mainly by Aitken
Item 13 of 341874Lindsay Street Works  DundeeScotlandBy Aitken
Item 14 of 341874North of Scotland Bank  DundeeScotlandReconstruction by Maclaren
Item 15 of 341874TighnduinMonifieth AngusScotland 
Item 16 of 341874West SchoolWest Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 17 of 34c. 1874South SchoolBroughty Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 18 of 341875Balgay Hill Bar  DundeeScotland 
Item 19 of 341875Queen Street UP ChurchBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandMostly by Aitken
Item 20 of 341875St Aidan's ChurchBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandOrgan chamber
Item 21 of 341875Tenements on Rosefield Street  DundeeScotland 
Item 22 of 341876Abbey ChurchArbroath AngusScotlandAlterations including new windows and new vestibule
Item 23 of 341876Colliston Parish ChurchColliston AngusScotlandBroad transepts and gable added
Item 24 of 341876East Free Church ManseBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandBy Maclaren
Item 25 of 341876Tayfield SteadingGlencarse PerthshireScotlandAdditions
Item 26 of 341877Calcutta Buildings  DundeeScotlandMainly by Aitken. Mainly by Aitken. Gifford gives Maclaren as architect.
Item 27 of 341877Ethelstone HouseWest Ferry DundeeScotlandNew house and offices
Item 28 of 341877Northern Assurance Buildings  DundeeScotland 
Item 29 of 341877TircarraBarnhill DundeeScotland 
Item 30 of 341878BallinardBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandAddition?
Item 31 of 341878Boys' Industrial SchoolDownfield DundeeScotland 
Item 32 of 341878Ryehill UP Church  DundeeScotlandBegun in partnership, completed by G S Aitken in independent practice.
Item 33 of 341878Shiell & Small's Chambers  DundeeScotlandRebuilding
Item 34 of 341879CraigowanBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandMainly by Aitken

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Dundee Yearbook1893   James Maclaren obituary
Item 2 of 2Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Personal information from William Salmond, William Patrick, James McIntosh Patrick, Ann Patrick, Stuart O Barron, Peter Young and Ian Gordon Lindsay.