Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Spence | Designation: | | Born: | c. 1806(?) | Died: | 22 June 1883 | Bio Notes: | William Spence was born in 1806 probably at Carstairs (rather than at Biggar as sometimes recorded), the son of John Spence, a shoemaker and Margaret Kane. His brother was born in 1804 and his sister in 1809, both at Carstairs. His obituary gives his age as sixty-five (i.e. born c.1817), but this is incorrect as he was christened on 19 February 1806. In his early life he entered the office of John Bryce of Glasgow. He may have been an assistant rather than a pupil of Bryce as Gildard's reference appears to suggest. It is possible that he spent his earlier years in William Burn or David Bryce's Castle Street office as the first large house with which Spence's name is associated, Coulter Mains, 1838, is markedly of the Burn & Bryce school.
Spence made his name early as a theatre architect, and established a strong presence in Helensburgh when he was commissioned to prepare a feuing plan for the upper areas of the town in 1857. He also had what seems to have been a significant domestic practice in Ulster, but this remains somewhat elusive. His later commercial buildings - Stewart & MacDonalds in Buchanan Street and the Clydesdale, Dundee - have a refined Roman Corinthian treatment.
Spence married Margaret Field. She died on 9 June 1879. Spence died in Ardlui, Helensburgh on 22 June 1883 after a long illness. He had retired in 1880 and Henry Field Spence became sole partner in the firm which retained the name William Spence & Son. Henry Field Spence continued the practice until ***.
William Spence's moveable estate amounted to £2414 8s 9d, but he probably owned significant heritable property
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 34, Glassford Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1839 * | | | | 141, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1844 | 1851 | | | 97, Union Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1853 | 1859 | | | 52, Renfield Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1860 | 1871 | Also from 1877 | | Ardlui House, East Montrose Street, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, Scotland | Private | 1862 * | 1883 | | | 109 (or 189?), St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1876 | | Temporary address perhaps for rebuilding? | | 212, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | c. 1877 | | |
* 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 | | John Bryce | Before 1832(?) | Before 1837 | Assistant(?) | | | William Spence & Son | Before 1879(?) | 1880 | Partner(?) | |
Employees or Pupils
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | 1837 | Two adjoining houses | Springvale | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1838 | Coulter Mains House | Culter | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1840 | Theatre Royal | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1843 | Dalmarnock Gas Works | Dalmarnock | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1844 | City Theatre | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1845 | United Secession Church | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | 'Probably' (HS) | | 1847 | Rhu Parish Church | Rhu/Row | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Original church | | 1850 | Chapelacre House | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1854 | 72 Jamaica Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1855 | Bazaar | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1855 | Gilford Castle | | | County Down | Northern Ireland | | | 1856 | Elmfield House | Gilford | | County Down | Northern Ireland | Attribution | | 1856 | Kinblethmont House | Arbroath (near) | | Angus | Scotland | Original house | | 1856 | Peden Cross Building | Cranstonhill? | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1857 | Upper Helensburgh, feuing plan | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1857 | Villa, Easthorn | Tollcross | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1858 | House | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1858 | Randolph Elder & Co Engineering Works | Tradeston | | Glasgow | Scotland | With Angus Kennedy, engineer | | 1859 | Arrochar Parish Church | Arrochar | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1859 | Bridgend UP Church | West Bridgend, Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1859 | Helensburgh Pier and Esplanade | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Pier | | 1860 | Helensburgh UP Church | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1860 | Western Concert Hall | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1861 | Dumbarton County Buildings, court and prison | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Addition of symmetrical wings | | 1861 | Premises for McIntyre, Argyle Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1863 | Trades House | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and rebuilding of south wing to match north wing (as proposed by Charles Wilson) | | 1864 | Baillieston UP Church | Baillieston | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1866 | Cameron House and estate buildings | | | Dunbartonshire/Stirlingshire | Scotland | Rebuilding of house after fire - incorporating library wing which remained | | 1866 | Stewart & McDonald's Warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Original north section | | 1867 | Fraser & McLaren's warehouse, rear building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1867 | Prince of Wales Theatre | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unclear if any involvement at this date. | | Before 1868 | Ardlui | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1869 | Prince of Wales Theatre | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Rebuilding after fire. | | 1870 | Cameron House and estate buildings | | | Dunbartonshire/Stirlingshire | Scotland | Other estate buildings | | 1871 | Warehouse for Glasgow Storage Co | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1872 | Fraser and McLaren's warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Rebuilding after fire of 27 March 1872 | | 1873 | Warehouse for John Tod & Co | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1876 | Clydesdale Bank | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1876 | Polytechnic Department Store | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1877 | House for schoolteacher | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Extension | | 1877 | Tenement for Thomas Sharp, East Princes Street | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1877 | Villa for John Jack, Montrose Street | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1879 | Hermitage School | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1879 | House, Sutherand Street | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Extension | | 1879 | Rockmount | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 5 May 1879 | Carron Bank | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Additions | | c. 1879 | Stewart & McDonald's Warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Rebuilding of south section and improvement of Buchanan Street frontage as a whole | | 1881 | Burton Hill | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Addition |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Gildard, Thomas | 1895 | An Old Glasgow Architect on some Older Ones | XXVI | Proceedings of the Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow | p117 | | Scotlands People Website | | Wills & Testaments | | | Dumbarton Sheriff Court SC65/34/26 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Helensburgh and Gareloch Times | 27 June 1883 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Courtesy of Charles Houston | Information sent via'Contact Us' on website | | Sent June 2012 |
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