Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Russell Baxter | Designation: | | Born: | 19 September 1909 | Died: | | Bio Notes: | James Russell Baxter was born on 19 September 1909, a son of David William Baxter of Baxter & Johnston, Dundee. He was articled to an unspecified firm, perhaps Baxter & Johnson, from 1925 to 1929 and in October of the latter year commenced the diploma course at Liverpool School of Architecture. He worked in various offices during holidays, including the practice of Sir John Burnet, Tait & Lorne where he spent two months as a 'special pupil' in August and September 1932, and was RIBA Dawnay Scholar from 1931 to 1933. He obtained his diploma in July 1933 and was admitted ARIBA on 8 January 1934, his proposers being Lionel B Budden, Edward R F Cole and James Ernest Marshall. In his supporting statement, Budden describes his performance as a student as 'one of outstanding excellence'. In the same year he was appointed assistant to the Government Architect in Iraq. He remained in that department until 1940, and during that time as well as in the war years he travelled in France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Persia and elsewhere. Ar some point Baxter was awarded the 'Medal of the Humayun, First Class, in Gold'.
From 1945 to 1952 Baxter practised in Dundee, undertaking the Diploma in Town Planning at Edinburgh College of Art in 1946-7. Thereafter he emigrated to Canada where he practised in Kitimat, British Columbia from 1954. He was elected FRIBA on 5 April 1960, proposed by Gordon Stephenson (who was then at the School of Architecture, Toronto), J H North (?) and William Holford. By the time he retired from his RIBA membership in 1970 he had moved to Australia. In 1970 he was teaching at the Western Australia Institute of Technology. He had retired by 1972. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Auchencairn, Rosemount, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland | Business | | | | | Liverpool, England | Private | Before 1929 | After 1933 | | | Iraq | Private/business | 1934 | 1940 | | | 49, Meadowside, Dundee, Scotland | Business | 1945 | 1952 | Address of Johnston & Baxter. | | Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada | Business | 1954 | | | | PO Box 610, Nechako PS, Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada | | 1960 * | | | | 137, St George's Terrace, Perth, Australia | Private/business(?) | 1970 * | | | | 126, Whitehall Road, South Guildford, Western Australia, Australia | Private | Before 1970 | After 1972 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | (Sir) John Burnet, Tait & Lorne | August 1932 | September 1932 | Apprentice | 'Special Pupil' | | Johnston & Baxter | 1945(?) | 1952(?) | | |
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | | | RIBA | 1972 | RIBA Directory 1972 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no5290; F5448 (combined box 79) |
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