Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | George Washington Browne | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 21 September 1853 | Died: | 15 June 1939 | Bio Notes: | George Washington Browne was born in Glasgow on 21 September 1853, the son of an employee of Glasgow Corporation Gas Company. He was articled to Salmon Son & Ritchie c.1869, where found himself in the company of James Marjoribanks MacLaren and William Flockhart. In 1873 on completion of his articles he joined the office of Campbell Douglas & Sellars, from which he won John James Stevenson's measured drawing prize; and in 1875 he and MacLaren moved to London where they shared lodgings at 60 Brompton Square, Browne having obtained a place in Stevenson's office, then Stevenson & Robson. They then joined the Architectural Association, Browne being admitted in December of that year. After two years with Stevenson, Browne moved to the office of the church architect Arthur William Blomfield, and during his time there he won the Pugin Studentship in 1877, enabling him to travel in France and Belgium. He then moved to the office of William Eden Nesfield, by whom he was profoundly influenced. In 1879 Browne returned to Scotland, having obtained the post of principal assistant to Robert Rowand Anderson, then engaged on the Edinburgh Medical Schools and Glasgow Central Station, and in 1881 he became Anderson's partner, enabling him to marry Jessie Brownlie, daughter of Robert Brownlie, Glasgow, in that year. His London Architectural Association experience quickly brought him a prominent role in classes run by the Edinburgh Architectural. Association of which he became President in 1883, holding this post until 1886.
In 1883 Anderson & Browne merged their practice with that of Hew M Wardrop as Wardrop, Anderson & Browne. Perhaps unintentionally that was to lead to Browne leaving the partnership to open his own office at 5 Queen Street in 1885; probably because in the recession of the mid-1880s there was not quite enough business for three partners. But Browne's 1887 competition win at Edinburgh Public Library where the assessor was Alfred Waterhouse, followed by the Redfern building on Princes Street in 1891 and the huge Sick Children's Hospital in 1892, soon established him in independent practice and brought him election as ARSA in that year, enabling him to move to a smarter office at 1 Albyn Place.
By this time Browne had formed a loose relationship with Kinnear & Peddie, some of the details of their Caledonian Station, 1890, suggesting his hand. This arrangement was formalised in 1895 or 1896 when John More Dick Peddie took him into partnership, Kinnear having died in 1894. The immediate catalyst seems to have been a surge in branch bank building, particularly for the British Linen Bank. As Kinnear & Peddie's South Charlotte Street office had belonged to Kinnear, the new partnership moved to much larger premises at 8 Albyn Place late in 1896 or early in 1897.
The Peddie & Washington Browne partnership was initially hugely successful, enabling Browne to build a very sophisticated neo-Jacobean house, The Limes, in Blackford Road, and even accommodate Peddie's brother Walter Lockhart Dick Peddie as third partner in 1898. But soon thereafter Walter became ill and emigrated to British Columbia in the hope of recovery. He died there in 1902 and was not replaced. From about 1905 the partnership began to drift apart, probably because of a sharp decline in bank business, although Peddie and Browne were to remain in formal partnership until 1907 and share the same office at 8 Albyn Place until 1908.
Through the early 1900s Peddie had been taking his side of the practice in a more London Baroque direction which then became French Beaux-Arts and ultimately neo-Georgian direction. He hired some very accomplished assistants to help him do it. Of these the most important were John Wilson and James Forbes Smith, both former students of Professor Frank Worthington Simon at Anderson's School of Applied Art. Born in 1877, Wilson had been articled to the school architect Robert Wilson and had worked under Wilson's brilliant assistant and successor, John Alexander Carfrae. Whilst in Peddie & Washington Browne's employ he published a major folio on the Petit Trianon in 1907. Smith was a year older than Wilson, born 1876 and articled to George Beattie & Son in 1891. He had obtained a place in Rowand Anderson's office at the end of his articles and had spent three years with him. The date at which he joined Peddie's office is not precisely known, but was probably 1897, just slightly ahead of Wilson, and while in the office he distinguished himself by winning the Pugin Silver Medal in 1900, enabling him to travel.
Browne's contribution to the Peddie & Browne practice soon became hard to differentiate from that of Wilson and Forbes Smith since from about 1904 he too had begun moving in a more Edwardian Renaissance direction which can be seen in mature form in his competition designs for London County Hall (1907-08) which reached the final stage and attracted considerable interest. But the bank business remained with Peddie and after he moved out of Albyn Place to his own office in Charlotte Square he had few private clients and was largely dependent on success in competitions. He was not placed for the Usher Hall competition but he did win that for the Edward VII Memorial Gates at Holyrood, which were built in a reduced form in 1912-22; and in 1914 he achieved UK fame by winning the competition for St Paul's Bridge in London, a project abandoned at the outbreak of the First World War.
Although he had one significant commission which was actually built in the YMCA Building in Edinburgh's St Andrew Street, Browne drastically retrenched in 1913-14. Both The Limes and his Charlotte Square office were given up, house and office thereafter being in a ground floor flat at 1 Randolph Cliff. In 1914 he was appointed Head of the Architecture Section at Edinburgh College of Art, a post which provided him with a regular source of income until 1922 when he was succeeded by John Begg. He did not retire completely, however, continuing to visit the architecture studios as a governor. He prepared prototype designs for council houses in 1919 but as some of these were under the aegis of the Royal Scottish Academy it is doubtful if they brought in any fees. On the completion of the Holyrood gates and a number of war memorials his last assistant, Frank Wood, was virtually offered the practice but was not in a position to accept and left for AK Robertson's office. Brown did, however, still have a significant role as a competition assessor and was belatedly admitted FRIBA on 19 March 1926 on the recommendation of the RIBA Council: an event probably not unconnected with his election in 1924 as President of the RSA, of which he had been Treasurer since 1917. His election also brought honorary membership of the Royal Academy, the Royal Hibernian Academy and the Royal College of Art. He was knighted in 1926, the year of the RSA's centenary exhibition, and received King George V and Queen Mary at the Academy on 16 July 1927.
Browne retired from the Presidency of the Academy in 1933, but he continued to exert a significant influence as a founder member of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland, which had been set up in 1927. In 1933 he substantially redesigned the massing of the Office of Works proposals for St Andrew's House, his scheme significantly influencing the final design by Thomas Smith Tait; and he also had a role at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, where he redesigned AJ Pitcher's Lawnmarket façade in bolder form.
In 1938 failing health and diminishing means compelled Browne to leave his flat at 1 Randolph Cliff to live with his daughter Jessie (or Jenny) Agnew Preston (Mrs Norman S Preston) at The Lodge, Sambrook, Wellington, Shropshire. He died there on 15 June 1939. The RSA took charge of his funeral, the service being conducted by the Very Rev Dr Charles L Warr in its library.
Browne was a big man in every way, tall, red-haired and for most of his life bearded: although normally dignified and very courteous, he had a fiery temper and was, according to Frank Wood, prone to use his boot if provoked by incompetence. His personal life was clouded by tragedy. His first wife Jessie Brownlie died on 26 February 1900. They had three sons and two daughters, but all three sons were either killed in the First World War or died from the effects of it. In 1905 Browne married a second time to Louise (or Louisa) Emma, daughter of Dr David Laird Adams, Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Languages at Edinburgh University, but she too predeceased him on 14 October 1931.
Among his closest friends were the architect John Kinross and the painter Martin Hardie. In later years he spent much of his time at the Scottish Arts Club where he excelled at billiards. Browne's will, drawn up in March 1933, indicates that he had an estate of at least £3,000 and provided for a monument at Grange Cemetery which was to be carried out by his friend and former colleague, Burnet Napier Henderson Orphoot; but he revoked most of it 'because I have lived overlong without an income.' He left moveable estate of £1,930 17s 3d, much of which consisted of insurance policies, and nearly all of which was bequeathed to his daughter Jenny.
Publications: 'General indifference to modern architecture', Scottish Art Review 1889 volume I, p57-59 'Planning of Public Libraries', published version of paper given to the Philosophical Society of Glasgow, n.d. c.1890 | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 60, Brompton Square, London, England | Private | 1875 | | |  | 24, Hill Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1881 | 1883 | |  | 19, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1883 | 1885 | |  | 5, Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1886 | 1895 | |  | 4, St Clair Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1889 | c. 1896 | |  | 3, South Charlotte Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | Late 1895 or early 1896 | Late 1896 or early 1897 | |  | 1, Albyn Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1896 | | Address of Peddie & Washington Browne |  | The Limes/17, Blackford Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1896 | | |  | 8, Albyn Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | Late 1896 or early 1897 | 1908 | |  | 24 (or 12?), Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1908 or 1909 | | No 24 Charlotte Square is from RSA catalogues. 12 is from PO Directories |  | 1, Randolph Cliff, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | 1914 | 1938 | House and office |
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes |  | RIBA Council | 15 March 1926 | for Fellowship |
RIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes |  | | Grange Cemetery, gravestone | Grange | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Date not yet known |  | | Philosophical Institute | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations - date unknown |  | 1878 | St John's Episcopal Church | Forfar | | Angus | Scotland | |  | 1879 | Central Station Hotel | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1879 | Conservative Club | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Design for reconstruction |  | 1880 | Annan Public Library and hall | Annan | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | HS attribution - public hall |  | 1880 | St Andrews Parish Church | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1881 | 4, 6, 8 Nile Grove | Morningside | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1881 | St George's Free Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Tower |  | 1881 | St John Street Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1882 | Glasgow Municipal Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design. |  | 1882 | House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1882 | Houses, Hermitage Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1882 | Leith Sailors' Home | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Competition design - not successful (Francois Ier style) |  | 1882 | St Michaels and All Angels Episcopal Church | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Addition of tower |  | 1883 | 29-39 Nile Grove | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1883 | Beaufort Castle | Beauly | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Completion of building following merging of practice with Wardrop & Reid |  | 1883 | Fettes College, Dalmeny House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1883 | Freeland House | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1883 | House for Professor Cossar Ewart | Penicuik | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1883 | Lady Flora Hastings Homes | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1883 | Moredun Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1883 | Normand Memorial Hall | Dysart | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1883 | Pathhead Public Hall | Pathhead, Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Competition design - not successful |  | 1883 | St Machar's Cathedral | Old Aberdeen | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1883 | St Mary's Parish Church | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Rebuilding after fire - apparently begun under Wardrop & Reid and completed under Wardrop, Anderson & Browne |  | 1883 | The Hirsel | Coldstream | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1884 | 41-53 Nile Grove | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1884 | Biel | Beesknowe | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1884 | Catholic Apostolic Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Completion of West end |  | 1884 | Houses, Nile Grove | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1884 | Kirkliston Parish Church | Kirkliston | | West Lothian | Scotland | Restoration and additions. |  | 1884 | National Portrait Gallery and Museum of Antiquities | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Anderson responsible for design |  | 1884 | Preston House | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | Alterations? |  | 1884 | St Margaret's Episcopal Church | Biel | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1884 | Stornoway Parish Church | Stornoway | Lewis | Ross and Cromarty | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1884 | Whitekirk Church | Whitekirk | | East Lothian | Scotland | New nave ceiling and alterations (drawings dated) |  | 1885 | Ballochmyle House | Mauchline | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Reconstruction and extension - Wardrop believed to have been responsible for design |  | 1885 | Braid UP Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Begun in partnership, completed by Browne in independent practice |  | 1885 | Buccleuch and Queensberry Memorial | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1885 | Crichton Mains farmhouse and stables | | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1885 | Crichton Village, farm workers' cottages | Crichton | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1885 | Hamilton Parish Church Halls and Schools | Hamilton | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1885 | Morningside Toll House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1885 | Pitmedden House | Udny | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Proposed reconstruction - not executed; exhibited as Harry Wardrop's work |  | 1885 | Place of Tillyfour | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Reconstruction |  | 1885 | St James' Episcopal Church | Goldenacre | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1886 | Airfield Farm | Cousland (near) | | Midlothian | Scotland | Received payment for work at Airfield (though practice had changed to Wardrop & Anderson in 1885) |  | 1886 | Apostolic Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Interior refurbishment |  | 1886 | Royal Blind Asylum Workshop | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1886 | Villa, Cluny Gardens | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1887 | Edinburgh Free Library | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Won competition to secure job |  | 1887 | Tenement, 131-151 Bruntsfield Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1888 | 24 Dick Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1888 | House, St Clair Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1888 | Library for Solicitors to the Supreme Courts of Scotland | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Second premiated competition design |  | 1889 | Glasclune House | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Designed as part-time assistant to Kinnear & Peddie: had his own practice |  | c. 1889 | Westdel and Royston | Dowanhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1890 | Broughton Place Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Organ bay and case |  | 1890 | Maison Dieu Church | Brechin | | Angus | Scotland | |  | 1890 | Villa, Cluny Drive | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Attribution by D Mays |  | c. 1890 | 20-22 Charlotte Square | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | c. 1890 | British Linen Bank | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | c. 1890 | Davidson Memorial UP Church, hall | Canonmills | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Built by G Washington Browne, following Starforth's designs of ten years earlier (cf. separate entry for the church itself) |  | 1891 | Ayr Public Library | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Design exhibited 1892 |  | 1891 | Drumsheugh Toll, house and studio | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1891(?) | Edinburgh Royal Infirmary | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Operating theatres (date uncertain, but 1890s journal references may refer to this work) |  | 1891 | Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum | Kelvingrove | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1891 | House, Randoph Cliff | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations? |  | 1891 | Residence and stables | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Planned but not built |  | 1891 | Royal Hospital for Sick Children | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1892 | Premises for Messrs J Redfern & Son | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Design exhibited |  | 1893 | Lady Glenorchy's Church | Calton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Interior renovation |  | 1893 | Swan Memorial Halls | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1894 | Pinkieburn House | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | Library and additions |  | 1895 | Bakery | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Designed by Browne, begun in independent practice and completed in partnership |  | 1895 | British Linen Bank | Newcastleton | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | |  | 1895 | Forfar British Linen Bank | Forfar | | Angus | Scotland | |  | 1895 | House in Westgate | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1895 | Kilmory Castle | Lochgilphead | | Argyll | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1895 | Miss Cranston's Tea Rooms, Buchanan Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1895 | North Berwick Golf Clubhouse | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Additions |  | 1895 | The Lodge | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Minor alterations |  | 1896 | 137-138 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Plans for alterations drawn up |  | 1896 | Abington Church | Abington | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Attributed to Peddie |  | 1896 | Advocates' Library | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Bookstack building - Browne mainly responsible |  | 1896 | Comely Bank Cemetery, lodge and gate | Comely Bank | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1896 | House, Abbey Feus | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1896 | House, Cambuscairn | Cambuscairn | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | |  | 1896 | House, Point Garry | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Additions |  | 1896 | Longmore Hospital for Incurables | Newington | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Large W addition (approximately matching earlier E addition), boiler house and laundry block to rear, chapel and mortuary block to W |  | 1896 | Longmore Hospital for Incurables | Newington | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Minor internal alterations |  | 1896 | Milton Lodge | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1896 | Newmills House and stables | Balerno | | Midlothian | Scotland | Additions and alterations |  | 1896 | Royal Blind Asylum Workshop | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1896 | Scottish Equitable Life Assurance Company office | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Rebuilding |  | 1896 | Standard Life Assurance Co | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New building erected |  | 1896 | The Limes | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Design exhibited |  | 1897 | 1-7 Old Abbey Road | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1897 | 143-146 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1897(?) | Aros House | | Mull | Argyll | Scotland | Additions |  | 1897 | British Linen Bank | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1897 | British Linen Bank | Melrose | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | |  | 1897 | British Linen Bank | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Catherine Lodge | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1897 | Church buildings, Victoria Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1897 | Cottage | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Craighouse | Craiglockhart | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Gate lodge (attributed to Peddie & Washington Browne by D C Mays; no documentary evidence of this is known) |  | 1897 | Falkirk British Linen Bank | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Probably by Browne alone |  | 1897 | Glenforsa House | Gruline | Mull | Argyll | Scotland | Additions |  | 1897 | Invereil House | Dirleton | | East Lothian | Scotland | House with coach house and lodge |  | 1897 | Model housing, Philpingstone Road | Bo'ness / Borrowstouness | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Muirfield Golf Course | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | Golf clubhouse |  | 1897 | Ochiltree Parish Church | Ochiltree | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1897 | Pant Well | Selkirk | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | Rebuilding |  | 1897 | Premises, Kirkcudbright | Kirkcudbright | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1897 | Senior School | West Calder | | Midlothian | Scotland | Design exhibited |  | 1898 | 19 York Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1898 | 97-98 Princes Street/1-5 Frederick Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1898 | British Linen Bank | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1898 | Caledonian Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Formation of hotel over station, incorporating Kinnear & Peddie's Caledonian Station |  | 1898 | Carnegie Library | Jedburgh | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | |  | 1898 | Hill Gardens | Coupar Angus | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1898 | Kirkhill | Gorebridge | | Midlothian | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1898 | Lainshaw House | Stewarton | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1898 | National Bank of Scotland | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Won in competition and secured job |  | 1898 | North Berwick, feuing | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1898 | St Mark's Unitarian Chapel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1898 | The Knoll | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1899 | 2 Chester Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1899 | 27 Walker Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1899 | 32 Abercromby Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1899 | 60 George Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1899 | Abbey School | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1899 | British Linen Bank | Thurso | | Caithness | Scotland | |  | 1899 | Cargilfield School | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1899 | Cheylesmore Lodge | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1899 | Cottages for A B Bach | Loch Awe | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | 1899 | Harwood, Bonchester Bridge | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Alterations proposed but not executed |  | 1899 | Kirkden Manse | Kirkden | | Angus | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1899 | Ladybank Free Church | Ladybank | | Fife | Scotland | Pulpit |  | 1899 | Langlees | Biggar | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | House and stables |  | 1899 | Makerstoun Manse | Makerstoun | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Design - not built |  | 1899 | Redford House, workmen's cottages | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1899 | Royal Bank of Scotland | | | Dundee | Scotland | Mainly responsible |  | 1899 | Selkirk Manse | Manse | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | Alterations and new offices |  | 1899 | Sickness and Accident Assurance | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1899 | Winterfield | Dunbar | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1900 | 11 Randolph Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1900 | 26 St Andrew Square | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1900 | 33, 36, 38 40 Melville Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations to attic |  | 1900 | Buchanan Lodge | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Reconstruction of former Buchanan Lodge |  | 1900 | Commercial Union | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1900 | Crieff British Linen Bank | Crieff | | Perthshire | Scotland | May be about 1905 |  | 1900 | House for E Carmoyche | Morningside | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1900 | New house near Craigcrook Castle on south | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1900 | North British and Mercantile Insurance Office Building | Leeds | | Yorkshire | England | |  | 1900 | Royal Maternity and Simpson Memorial Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1900 | Villa for Alfred J Bell | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1900 | Warehouse | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Attribution |  | 1900 | Winterfield | Dunbar | | East Lothian | Scotland | Stables |  | c. 1900 | 44 Northumberland Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | c. 1900 | House for Dr Turner Lawson | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | c. 1900 | Johnsburn House | Balerno, Currie | | Midlothian | Scotland | Date not yet certain |  | c. 1900 | Troon British Linen Bank | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1901 | 29 Chester Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1901 | 9-18 South Bridge | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1901 | Ayr British Linen Bank | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1901 | Braidfoot | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1901 | Free Church Assembly Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction for union of Free and UP churches as UF Church |  | 1901 | Inchgarry | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1901 | Langshawbush House | Moffat | | Dumfriesshire | | Additions |  | 1901 | Longmore Hospital for Incurables | Newington | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New building to E which included new shops, nurses' accomodation and belvidere with link to old E wing. |  | 1901 | Palmerston Place UP Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Pulpit and organ case |  | 1901 | Rosehall UP Church | Newington | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1901 | Town Hall and Public Library | Bo'ness / Borrowstouness | | West Lothian | Scotland | Won competition and executed job |  | 1902 | 11 Gloucester Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1902 | 12 Belgrave Crescent | Dean | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1902 | 137-138 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1902 | 15 Lynedoch Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1902 | 19 Drumsheugh Gardens | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1902 | Buchanan Lodge | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Further work |  | 1902 | Colstoun House | Haddington (near) | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1902 | House, Garscube Terrace | Murrayfield | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Proposed (not built?) stable and coachman's house |  | 1902 | Kaimend | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1902 | Kirkwood House | Lockerbie | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1902 | Library with art gallery | Castle Douglas | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | |  | 1902 | North British and Mercantile Company building | | | Dublin | Eire | |  | 1902 | North British and Mercantile Offices | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Designs for new building, or alterations to old? - secured commission for new building in 1904 |  | 1902 | Shop for Bell Donaldson | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1902 | Stirling Station | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Unexecuted design for new building |  | 1903 | 137-138 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Further alterations |  | 1903 | 32 Abercromby Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Further work |  | 1903 | 56 George Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1903 | 7 Cromwell Road | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1903 | 8 Eton Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1903 | Burnside House | Forfar | | Angus | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1903 | Colinton glebe feuing | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Dalreach Lodge | Tummel Bridge | | Perthshire | Scotland | Reconstruction - completing work by Leonard |  | 1903 | Golspie Technical College Drummuie House | Golspie | | Sutherland | Scotland | |  | 1903 | House for G N Christie | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Liberton Hospital | Liberton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Also lodge |  | 1903 | Lintalee House | Jedburgh | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions to house and walled garden |  | 1903 | Michelston | Stow | | Midlothian | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1903 | Milton Bridge Manse | Milton Bridge | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Redholm | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Extension and new gates |  | 1903 | Royal Hospital for Sick Children | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Out-patients' department in Sylvan Place |  | 1903 | St Cuthbert's Manse | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Addition |  | Before 1903 | Scottish Provident Institution | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1904 | Abbot's Croft | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Also gates and lodge |  | 1904 | Arnot House | | | Fife/Kinross-shire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1904 | Dalton Parish Manse | Dalton | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | |  | 1904 | Dormont | Dalton (near) | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | House and stables |  | 1904 | Drygrange House | Melrose | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Summer House added |  | 1904 | Fairknowe | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1904 | House, Ravelston Park | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Addition |  | 1904 | Lennel House | Coldstream | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Remodelling and stables |  | 1904 | New Inverawe House | New Inverawe, Tirvane | | Argyll | Scotland | Additions and alterations |  | 1904 | Offices and shops, Gordon Street and West Nile Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1904 | Orton House | | | Morayshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1904 | Poltalloch House | Lochgilphead | | Argyll | Scotland | Additions and alterations |  | 1904 | Scottish Amicable Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1904 | Springfield | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1904 | Swinton House | Swinton | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1904 | Swinton Manse | Swinton | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Additions |  | 1904 | Tweedie Homes, Hailes Estate | Juniper Green | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1905 | 4 Eton Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1905 | 49 Eton Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions |  | 1905 | Barnton Park, feuing | Barnton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1905 | British Linen Bank | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1905 | Carriden Parish Church (former) | | | Midlothian | Scotland | Alterations to old church |  | 1905 | Drylaw Mains Farmhouse | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1905 | Dundonald Castle | Dundonald | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Consolidation |  | 1905 | Kelso Public Library | Kelso | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | |  | 1905 | Morningside Road Savings Bank | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1905 | Rose Street UP Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Conversion to offices |  | 1905 | Savings Bank, Montrose Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1905 | St Andrews Boat Club, boathouse | Craiglockhart | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1906 | 19 York Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1906 | 21 Grosvenor Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1906 | 3, 7, 9 Thistle Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions and alterations |  | 1906 | Alloa British Linen Bank | Alloa | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | |  | 1906 | Annan Public Library and hall | Annan | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | HS attribution - library |  | 1906 | Buchanan Lodge | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Motor house and servants bedrooms |  | 1906 | Coldstream Parish Church | Coldstream | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Complete rebuilding |  | 1906 | Cowhill Tower | Holywood | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | Proposed alterations and additions |  | 1906 | Drygrange House | Melrose | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Lodge and gates (also gates in walled garden) |  | 1906 | Edinburgh Municipal Art College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1906 | Invereil House | Dirleton | | East Lothian | Scotland | Additions |  | 1906 | Muirfield Golf Course | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | Extension with staff quarters to west and increased changing room and laundry facilities to east. |  | 1906 | Queenshill | Ringford (near), Kirkcudbright | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | |  | 1906 | Royal Victoria Hospital, dispensary | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | c. 1906 | Double cottage at Liberton | Liberton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1907 | 15 Gloucester Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additional storey added |  | 1907 | Arngask Parish Church | Arngask | | Perthshire | Scotland | Bellcote |  | 1907 | Bathgate Academy | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | Additions |  | 1907 | County Buildings | Cupar | | Fife | Scotland | Competition design for extension to east - not successful |  | 1907 | Grangemouth British Linen Bank | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Design exhibited |  | 1907 | Inveresk Mills, offices | Inveresk | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1907 | Kirroughtree House | Minnigaff | | Kirkcudbrightshire? | Scotland | Major reconstruction |  | 1907 | Largs British Linen Bank | Largs | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1907 | North Berwick Golf Clubhouse | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Addition of second storey |  | 1907 | Northcliff cottages | North Queensferry | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1907 | Old Parish Church | Arngask | | Perthshire | Scotland | Addition of bellcote |  | 1907 | Shop Front, 132 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1907 | Stobo Castle | | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | Terraces, stairs, summer house and alterations |  | 1907 | Tummel Bridge UF Church | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1909 | London County Hall | | | London | England | Competition design exhibited |  | 1910 | George Watson's Ladies College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | West wing altered and extended |  | 1911 | Chambers Institute | Peebles | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1911 | Holyrood Palace, King Edward VII Memorial Gates | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Won competition and secured job; original scheme had hemi-cycles at north and south ends |  | 1911 | Usher Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Competition design |  | 1911 | Welsh National Museum | | | Cardiff | Wales | Design exhibited |  | 1912 | Whitehouse and Grange Bowling Clubhouse | Grange | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1914 | Young Men's Christian Association | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1915 | Longmore Hospital for Incurables | Newington | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1915 | St Paul's Bridge | | | London | England | Competition won |  | 1918 | Music Hall | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | Design - not successful |  | 1918 | Scottish National War Memorial | Calton Hill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Design exhibited |  | 1918 | St Mary's Parish Church, Red Cross War Memorial | Haddington | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1919 | Keith War Memorial | Keith | | Banffshire | Scotland | |  | 1919 | Pittencrieff Park, concert hall and winter garden | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1919(?) | Working-class housing | | | | | Designs exhibited in 1919 and 1921 |  | c. 1920 | Lochearnhead war memorial | Lochearnhead | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | c. 1920 | War memorial | Balquhidder | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1921 | Arbroath war memorial | Arbroath | | Angus | Scotland | |  | 1921 | Duddingston War Memorial | Duddingston | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1921 | War Memorial | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1922 | Larbert War Memorial | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1922 | War Memorial | Coldstream | | Berwickshire | Scotland | |  | 1924 | Milton Lodge | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1924 | Montrose war memorial | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Additions (with H S Gamley). In 'Buildings of Scotland', Gifford attributes the design of the monument to Browne with Victory statue by Gamley. |  | 1929 | Town Hall and Municipal Offices | Dumfries | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | |  | 1932 | Pittencrieff Park, stables and storage accommodation and new aviary | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1933 | Scottish Office buildings | Calton Hill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | As Royal Fine Art Commissioner, made outline design which influenced the massing of the final scheme by T S Tait |  | c. 1934 | Sheriff Courthouse | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Modification of elevations to High Street, as Royal Fine Art Commissioner |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Gordon, Esme | 1976 | The Royal Scottish Academy 1826-1976 | | Charles Skelton | |  | Laperriere, Charles Baile de (ed.) | 1991 | The Royal Scottish Academy Exhibitors 1826-1990 | | | |  | Mays, Deborah | | A Profile of Sir George Washington Browne | | Architectural History 111, The Age of Mackintosh | pp52-63 |  | Post Office Directories | | | | | |  | Scottish Biographies | 1938 | | | E J Thurston (pub.) | |  | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p96 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Architect and Building News | 28 June 1939 | | | |  | Builder | 23 June 1939 | | | p1187 |  | Building News | 19 September 1890 | | | |  | RIAS Quarterly | 1940 | | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | p12 Tribute by John Wilson |  | RIBA Journal | 17 July 1939 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p904 |  | RSA | * | | | Annual Report 1939 |  | Scotsman | 16 June 1939 | | | |  | The Times | 16 June 1939 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Incorporates research by Dr D Mays and Alan Calder |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F no2356 (box 5) |
Images © All rights reserved. Building News 19 September 1890 © All rights reserved. © courtesy of RCAHMS. Licensor www.rcahms.gov.uk |