Basic Biographical Details

Name: Burnet, Boston & Carruthers
Designation:  
Born: 1901(?)
Died: 1907 or 1908
Bio Notes: Frank Burnet was born in 1846 in Melrose in Roxburghshire, the son of a builder, Francis Burnet, and his wife Janet Learmonth. He was educated at Melrose Parish School and Glasgow School of Art. He learned the business of building with his father, but in 1871 he joined the office of John Carrick, the City Master of Works in Glasgow, dealing with Dean of Guild and the New Buildings Department there and gaining experience of tenement design for the City Improvement Trust and forming contacts which were to be useful later. In or about 1877 he spent a year abroad travelling as far as Egypt and the Holy Land. In 1878 he commenced practice on his own account, his main business being tenements of which the firm built 540 between 1884 and 1906 in Dalmarnock, Parkhead, Alexandra Place, Queen's Park, Battlefield and Woodside, many of them were for himself and other members of the Burnet family. Others were for private clients, often in the licensed trade together with a number of schemes erected under the Artisans Dwelling Act. Their output was exceeded only by J C McKellar who built 640 between 1890 and 1910. Burnet also did considerable work as a valuator and witness in railway and property compensation cases and also as an arbiter and oversman in arbitration cases.

In August 1889 Burnet took into partnership his assistant, William James Boston, born in Tradeston on 9 June 1861 the son of Thomas Boston, artist seal-engraver, but the character of the practice did not significantly change except for a marked growth in industrial clients in the engineering, baking and printing trades. The firm moved rapidly into the premier league in 1897-98, largely as a result of distilling and licensed trade connections, but the actual design work was by then mainly in the hands of James Carruthers who designed in a manner influenced by John James Burnet - to whom Frank was not related - and Burnet's partner John A Campbell; Carruthers had entered the firm as an apprentice in 1886, studied at Glasgow School of Art and subsequently travelled in France, Itlay, Canada and the USA. He was briefly a partner from 1901 until 1908 when a sudden decline in the volume of business seems to have brought about his leaving to set up practice on his own account at 147 Bath Street. The practice then reverted to being Frank Burnet & Boston.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1180, Hope Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19011907 or 1908 

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 7William Riddell Glen19001904Apprentice 
Item 2 of 7Arthur James Stewart19011904Assistant 
Item 3 of 7Gilbert McGarva1901c. 31 October 1907Assistant 
Item 4 of 7Frank Burnet19011907 or 1908Partner 
Item 5 of 7William James Boston19011907 or 1908Partner 
Item 6 of 7James Carruthers19011907 or 1908Partner 
Item 7 of 7Alexander Stewart McGregor1 July 1903October 1908Apprentice 

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 46After 1900RedholmePollokshields/Dumbreck GlasgowScotlandAddition?
Item 2 of 46After 1900Wesleyan Methodist ChurchBarrhead RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 3 of 461901Tenement, Parkhead Cross  GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 461901Warehouse, Dunlop Street and Howard Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 5 of 46After 1901Summerlee Iron Company's Building  GlasgowScotland 
Item 6 of 461902Business Premises, corner of West Nile Street and Drury Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 7 of 461902Coach Works  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 8 of 461902Herriot Hill Printing Works  GlasgowScotlandAdditions on St James Road (£3,500)
Item 9 of 461902Parkholm Bakery  GlasgowScotland 
Item 10 of 461902Paxtons Hotel  GlasgowScotlandDepending on dat, partnership with Carruthers may actually be responsible
Item 11 of 461902Public house and shop with flats over for George Honeyman Farmer  GlasgowScotlandRevised scheme
Item 12 of 461902SmithstoneKilwinning AyrshireScotlandAddition
Item 13 of 461903Bakery for R A Peacock and Son  GlasgowScotland 
Item 14 of 461903City Improvement Trust Buildings, High Street and Bell Street  GlasgowScotlandMansard attic, extensive alterations
Item 15 of 461903Dalmarnock Iron WorksDalmarnock GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 16 of 461903Gordon Chambers  GlasgowScotland 
Item 17 of 461903Herriot Hill Printing Works  GlasgowScotlandFurther additions (£15,000).
Item 18 of 461903Scottish Amicable Building  GlasgowScotlandTop floor added
Item 19 of 461903Tenements, Dumbarton Road, Vine Street and Merkland Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 20 of 461903Tenements, High Street and Duke Street  GlasgowScotlandWon competition to secure job
Item 21 of 461903Union BankDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 22 of 461903Workshops, High Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 23 of 46190416 Buchanan Street  GlasgowScotland4th floor and above added
Item 24 of 46190439 Sherbrooke AvenuePollokshields GlasgowScotland 
Item 25 of 46190488 Renfield Street  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 26 of 461904Campbellfield Twisting Works  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 27 of 461904Glasgow Cabinet Works  GlasgowScotland 
Item 28 of 461904Matheran HousePollokshields GlasgowScotland 
Item 29 of 461904McLellan Art Gallery and warehouse  GlasgowScotlandRemodelling of interior, shopfronts, dome at Rose Street corner
Item 30 of 461905Drill Hall and Headquarters for the Royal Naval Reserve BrigadeGovan GlasgowScotland 
Item 31 of 461905Engineering Works  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 32 of 461905Glasgow Cabinet Works  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 33 of 461905Great George Street/ Kersland Road Tenement  GlasgowScotlandSuperseded by John Nisbet after construction was begun.
Item 34 of 461905HeathbankHelensburgh DunbartonshireScotlandAlterations to house and new coach house
Item 35 of 461905Workshops, High Street  GlasgowScotlandFurther work after fire in 1905.
Item 36 of 46c. 190515-31 Duke Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 37 of 46c. 1905City Improvement Trust tenements  GlasgowScotlandHS attribution
Item 38 of 461906Canning Place Public School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 39 of 461906Dalmarnock Iron WorksDalmarnock GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 40 of 461906Tenements, Dalnair Street and Esmond Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 41 of 461907BrincliffeHelensburgh DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 42 of 461907Fountain in memory of John and Thomas Hamilton, Maxwell ParkMaxwell Park GlasgowScotland 
Item 43 of 461907Hughenden House  GlasgowScotland 
Item 44 of 461907Motor Works  GlasgowScotland 
Item 45 of 461907Two-storey house, Kennedy DriveHelensburgh DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 46 of 461934Watt Memorial SchoolGreenock RenfrewshireScotlandExtension for engineering

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1www.glasgowsculpture.com2005www.glasgowsculpture.com Website of 'Glasgow - City of Scultpure', co-produced by Gary Nisbet and Tim Gardner