Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Glen Sivewright Gibson
Designation:  
Born: 23 November 1861
Died: 27 March 1951
Bio Notes: James Glen Sivewright Gibson was born in Arbroath on 23 November 1861, the son of William Gibson and Elizabeth Sivewright. He may have been a relative of Robert Gibson, civil engineer and architect, Dundee but was not a brother as has sometimes been assumed. He was articled to Ireland & Maclaren, Dundee, from 1877 to 1881, and was thereafter a draughtsman with Pearce Brothers, engineers, and then with Alexander Hutcheson. He then moved to London and worked for William Wallace, Harry Wilkinson Moore, and finally Thomas Edward Collcutt. At some point he travelled in France and Italy before commencing practice and passing the qualifying exam, both in 1889. He was admitted ARIBA, his proposers being the Dundee architect John Murray Robertson, Collcutt and James Brooks. In that year he commenced independent practice.

In 1890 he entered into partnership with Samuel Bridgman Russell, also from William Wallace's office. Born in 1864, Russell had been articled to Henry Hewitt Bridgman 1881-84 and had studied at the Royal Academy Schools from 1882, thereafter becoming a draughtsman in the office of Thomas Chatfeild Clarke. The partnership of Gibson and Russell was dissolved in 1899, Russell entering into partnership with Edwin Cooper a few years later and eventually becoming Chief Architect to the Ministry of Health.

Thereafter Gibson practised in partnership with William Wallace until 1909 when he took into partnership his two senior assistants, Frank Peyton Skipwith and Walter Symington Athol Gordon. Born in 1881, Skipwith was educated at Cheam School and Neuenheim College, Heidelberg, and articled to Gibson in 1903, remaining as an assistant and studying at the Architectural Association. He did not however take the qualifying exam and was admitted LRIBA on 20 March 1911. Gordon, born in 1879, had been articled to Robert Rowand Anderson 1895-1901 and had studied under Frank Worthington Simon at the Edinburgh School of Applied Art prior to joining Gibson. Like Skipwith, Gibson did not take the qualifying exam, being elected LRIBA on 27 February 1911.

Skipwith enlisted in the armed forces in the First World War and was killed in action in France in September 1915. The practice continued thereafter as Gibson & Gordon.

Gibson died on 27 March 1951 at the age of ninety. He had a remarkable record of success in competitions, beginning with the LCC hostel in Drury Lane, London in 1891, the West Riding Offices in Wakefield, 1894, and the West Ham Technical College in 1895.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 8Dundee, ScotlandPrivate   
Item 2 of 840, Albany Street, London, EnglandPrivate(?)1890 *  
Item 3 of 827a, Old Bond Street, London W, EnglandBusiness1890 or 1891After 1902 
Item 4 of 811, Little Queen Street, Westminster, London, EnglandBusiness(?)1894 *  
Item 5 of 84, Gray's Inn Square, London, EnglandPrivate/business(?)1900 *  
Item 6 of 827, Beckwith Road, Herne Hill, London, EnglandPrivate1902 *  
Item 7 of 85, Old Bond Street, London, EnglandBusinessBefore 1911After 1926 
Item 8 of 82, Devonshire Terrace, Marylebone, London, EnglandPrivate/business(?)19311951 

* 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 9Ireland & Maclaren18771881Apprentice 
Item 2 of 9Thomas Edward CollcuttAfter 18811890Assistant 
Item 3 of 9Alexander HutchesonAfter 1881Before 1890Assistant 
Item 4 of 9Harry Wilkinson MooreAfter 1881Before 1890Assistant 
Item 5 of 9William WallaceAfter 1881Before 1890Assistant 
Item 6 of 9Gibson & Russell18901899Partner 
Item 7 of 9Wallace & Gibsonc. 19001909Partner 
Item 8 of 9Gibson, Skipwith & Gordon19091914 or 1915Partner 
Item 9 of 9Gibson & GordonAfter 1914After 1922Partner 

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 14John Stuart Syme18981899Assistant 
Item 2 of 14Godfrey Daniel Bower Shepherd18991900Assistant 
Item 3 of 14William Fleming Wilkie18991900Assistant 
Item 4 of 14James Herbert BelfrageAfter 1899Before 1902Assistant 
Item 5 of 14John Myrtle SmithAfter 1900Before 1906Assistant 
Item 6 of 14Walter Symington Athol Gordon19011909Chief Assistant 
Item 7 of 14James Black FultonAfter 1901Before 1903Assistant 
Item 8 of 14Frank Peyton Skipwith19031909ApprenticeRemained as assistant, and senior assistant
Item 9 of 14Francis Runcie Chalmers1903 or 19041904Assistant 
Item 10 of 14James Watson-Jerdan19041904Draughtsman 
Item 11 of 14Herbert Ryle24 September 1904After 1905Assistant 
Item 12 of 14Thomas Munro Logan19051906Assistant 
Item 13 of 14David John Chisholm19101911Assistant 
Item 14 of 14Harry Benvie Kebel Smithc. 1933 Assistant(?) 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Francis Thomas Baggallay (or Frank Thomas Baggallay)2 May 1902for Fellowship
Item 2 of 6James Brooks16 June 1890for Associateship
Item 3 of 6(Sir) John James Burnet2 May 1902for Fellowship
Item 4 of 6Thomas Edward Collcutt16 June 1890for Associateship
Item 5 of 6John Murray Robertson16 June 1890for Associateship
Item 6 of 6Leonard Aloysius Scott Stokes2 May 1902for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 29Alexander Cosmo Smith AuldLate 1921 or early 1922for Associateship
Item 2 of 29Francis Runcie Chalmers24 June 1912for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 29David John Chisholm3 March 1912for Associateship
Item 4 of 29Arthur James Driver30 January 1911for Licentiateship
Item 5 of 29Arthur James DriverLate 1919 or early 1920for Fellowship
Item 6 of 29Harry Edward East20 March 1911for Licentiateship
Item 7 of 29William Finlayson4 July 1910for Licentiateship
Item 8 of 29George McLean Ford1 June 1908for Fellowship
Item 9 of 29James Black Fulton3 December 1906for Associateship
Item 10 of 29Walter Symington Athol Gordon27 February 1911for Licentiateship
Item 11 of 29Walter Symington Athol GordonLate 1916 or early 1917for Fellowship
Item 12 of 29Alexander Porteous Gracie21 October 1941for Licentiateship
Item 13 of 29Leonard Rome Guthrie8 June 1925for Fellowship
Item 14 of 29William LambLate 1929 or early 1930for Associateship
Item 15 of 29Thomas Munro Logan20 July 1911for Licentiateship
Item 16 of 29Alastair Marshall McMichael1 March 1920for Associateship
Item 17 of 29Alastair Marshall McMichaelLate 1932for Fellowship
Item 18 of 29John Donald MillsLate 1906for Fellowship
Item 19 of 29Herbert Ryle5 March 1906for Associateship
Item 20 of 29Oliver Frederick Savege1 March 1920For Associateship
Item 21 of 29Godfrey Daniel Bower Shepherd2 December 1907for Fellowship
Item 22 of 29William Begg SimpsonMid 1919for Fellowship
Item 23 of 29Frank Peyton Skipwith20 March 1911for Licentiateship
Item 24 of 29Harry Benvie Kebel Smithc. 1933For Associateship
Item 25 of 29John Myrtle Smith4 March 1907for Associateship
Item 26 of 29Patrick Hill ThomsMid 1906for Fellowship
Item 27 of 29William Fleming Wilkie3 December 1906for Fellowship
Item 28 of 29James Mollison Wilson1 December 1924for Associateship
Item 29 of 29Henry Thomas Wright11 June 1906for Fellowship

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 101890London County Council Municipal Lodging House  LondonEnglandWon competition
Item 2 of 101892St Pancras Municipal BuildingsSt Pancras LondonEnglandSecond (or third?) premiated competition design
Item 3 of 101896North Bridge  EdinburghScotlandCompetition design - placed second for buildings flanking approach (£150 premium)
Item 4 of 101897Town Hall  CardiffWalesSecond premiated competition design
Item 5 of 101898Bromley HospitalBromley  EnglandWon competition
Item 6 of 101905Business premises, Budge Row  LondonEnglandDesign exhibited
Item 7 of 101905Walsall Town HallWalsall StaffordshireEngland 
Item 8 of 101908Prince of Wales Museum of Western India  BombayIndiaCompetition design - not sccessful
Item 9 of 10After 1909Ravleston Dykes Golf ClubhouseMurrayfield EdinburghScotlandUnspecified work on Crossways
Item 10 of 101913Mertoun HouseMertoun BerwickshireScotlandExtension to north

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA JournalJune 1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp332

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v11 p41 (microfiche 47/A4); F v14 p38 no873 (microfilm reel 11)