Basic Biographical Details Name: | Herbert Mayer Barker | Designation: | | Born: | 23 February 1877 | Died: | 2 April 1942 | Bio Notes: | Herbert Mayer Barker was born in Aberdeen on 23 February 1877, son of Henry Martyn Barker, MA LLD. He was articled to Alexander Marshall Mackenzie from 1897 to 1901, studying at Gray's School of Art and reading Mechanics under David Reunet, and in the latter year he moved to Glasgow as assistant to Donald A Matheson, Engineer-in-Chief to the Caledonian Railway Company, continuing his studies at the Royal Technical College there. It is believed that he also studied at some point at Glasgow High School. He went to London in 1903 as assistant in the office of Niven & Wigglesworth, where he worked on several country houses among other projects, and subsequently spent a short time working for Walter Tapper before moving to British Columbia in 1908. There he spent two years carrying out survey works for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad in the upper reaches of the Skene River, and construction surveys at Prince Rupert. In 1910 he spent six months working for R J Macdonald of Vancouver as assistant before commencing practice there on his own account in December of the same year. He was admitted LRIBA on 24 June 1912, his proposers being Henry Blackadder, Herbert Hardy Wigglesworth and David Barclay Niven. At that time he was still in Vancouver, working at 85 Hutchinson Building, 429 Pender Street and living at 'Zantua' in the north of the city, and had undertaken several projects in collaboration with A Campbell Hope as well as working independently. In the same year, he married Nora Marten, daughter of W T Marten.
He returned to Scotland in 1914 and presumably served in the war before returning to practice in 1919 as Housing Architect to the Scottish Board of Health. In 1921 he recommenced independent practice in Glasgow. He was a member of Council in the Scottish National Party in 1935, and was chairman of the Scottish National Club from 1937. He was elected FRIBA on 22 April 1941, his proposers being Colin Sinclair, Gavin Lennox and Joseph Weekes. At that time he was practising from 121 West Regent Street, Glasgow, his home being 'Kilrenny Cottage', Bearsden. He died on 2 April 1942 at 7 Duntocher Road, Bearsden of broncho-pneumonia. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 85 Hutchinson Building/429, Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | Business | 1912 * | | | | Zantua, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | Private | 1912 * | | | | 4, Terrace Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1919 | 1920 | | | 160, Hope Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1922 * | 1931 | | | 121, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1935 | 1942 | | | Kilrenny Cottage, Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1941 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | Scottish Biographies | 1938 | | | E J Thurston (pub.) | | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1926 | | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | RIBA Biographical Files | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Drawings Collection | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L v23 no1845; F no3818 (box 29) |
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