Basic Biographical Details

Name: J & J Armour
Designation:  
Born: 1 January 1903
Died: 29 April 1949
Bio Notes: No details are yet available of the background and training of the elder John Armour. His son John was born in 1866 and educated at Kilmarnock Academy and Kilmarnock School of Art from 1880 to 1883. He attended the architecture classes at Glasgow School of Art and the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College from 1883 onwards, winning two prizes and a year's scholarship for his drawings and lecture notes, and all the while spending the rest of his time working for his father. During the summer holidays he travelled in France, Germany and Belgium, and every spring and autumn for twelve years attended the School of Art visits to the Cathedral towns of England. He commenced practice as a principal in 1896 and his father took him into partnership along with a brother in 1903, the firm becoming J & J Armour. He was elected LRIBA in early 1911, his proposers being his teacher Alexander McGibbon, Andrew Robertson and James Milne Monro. John Armour senior died in 1915 and the practice was continued by John junior thereafter.

In 1922 Hugh Harvey was taken into partnership, although the practice title remained unchanged as J & J Armour. Harvey had been born in 1878 and articled to John Armour senior in 1893. He had studied at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow under Charles Gourlay, receiving tuition in sanitary engineering from Gilbert Thompson and in civil engineering from Professor Moneur, and had spent his summer holidays sketching and measuring old buildings in England and Scotland. He had remained as assistant after completing his apprenticeship, until being taken into partnership.

John Armour junior was elected FRIBA in 1921, proposed by John Watson, James Lochhead and McGibbon. Harvey was registered as an architect on 19 December 1933 and was admitted LRIBA on 13 April 1943, his proposers being William Cowie, James Houston and John Armour junior. At that time he was still a partner in the Armour firm.

John Armour junior died on 29 April 1949. No details are available of his brother who may have practised in a different capacity.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 143, Bridgegate, Irvine, Ayrshire, ScotlandBusiness1903After 1943 

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 7James Nisbet Gilmore1886c. 1891Apprentice 
Item 2 of 7James Nisbet Gilmorec. 18911900Assistant(?) 
Item 3 of 7John Armour (senior)1 January 19031915Partner 
Item 4 of 7Hugh Harvey1 January 19031922Assistant 
Item 5 of 7John Armour (junior)1 January 19031949Partner 
Item 6 of 7Hugh Harvey1922After 1943Partner 
Item 7 of 7James Paterson Allison19361939Apprentice 

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 201903Lodge Irvine St AndrewIrvine AyrshireScotland 
Item 2 of 201904Cottage for P S KerrWhiting BayArranButeScotland 
Item 3 of 201904Governor's House and County Council PoorhouseIrvine? AyrshireScotland 
Item 4 of 201904Irvine Parish Council OfficesIrvine AyrshireScotland 
Item 5 of 201904Smallpox HospitalKilwinning AyrshireScotland 
Item 6 of 201904Villa for Mrs PatersonIrvine AyrshireScotland 
Item 7 of 201904Winton ArmsStevenston AyrshireScotland 
Item 8 of 201905Episcopal Church HallArdrossan AyrshireScotland 
Item 9 of 201905RC SchoolDalry AyrshireScotland 
Item 10 of 201905Terrace of housesDunlop AyrshireScotland 
Item 11 of 201906Elementary SchoolIrvine AyrshireScotland 
Item 12 of 201907Cemetery and offices (including lodge)Stewarton AyrshireScotlandWon competition and secured job - for lodge and layout?
Item 13 of 201907Dreghorn SchoolDreghorn AyrshireScotland 
Item 14 of 201908Galston Higher Grade SchoolGalston AyrshireScotland 
Item 15 of 201910Memorial Fountain to the Warners of ArdeerStevenston AyrshireScotland 
Item 16 of 201911Kilwinning Parish Church HallsKilwinning AyrshireScotland 
Item 17 of 201911Monkton SchoolMonkton AyrshireScotlandRefacing
Item 18 of 201914Irvine HospitalIrvine AyrshireScotland 
Item 19 of 201922Local Authority housingDreghorn AyrshireScotland 
Item 20 of 201925Knadgerhill CemeteryIrvine AyrshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Close, Robert1992Ayrshire and Arran, an Illustrated Architectural Guide Edinburgh: RIASDreghorn Parish Church Hall, p 63

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA JournalJuly 1949 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp427 Obituary of John junior

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 Additional information from Iain Paterson