Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Lindsay
Designation:  
Born: 1857
Died: September 1914
Bio Notes: James Lindsay was born in Glasgow in 1857, the son of William Lindsay, victualler and his wife Mary Duncan. He was educated at St James Parish School and Glasgow High School, and articled to Peat & Duncan, c.1872-77, remaining with them for a further three years as draughtsman during which time he studied at Glasgow School of Art and won the RIBA Silver Medal in 1876. In 1880 he set up practice on his own account at 196 St Vincent Street and immediately came into some prominence by submitting a very accomplished Beaux-Arts design in the Glasgow Municipal Buildings competition which was published in the 'British Architect' on 20 October 1882 and reflected his friendship with James Sellars. He was admitted ARIBA on 3 January 1881, his proposers being John Honeyman, William James Audsley and John Burnet.

On 25 September 1883 Lindsay married Jessie Millar Black at 48 Caledonia Street, Paisley. In that year or the following one Lindsay formed a short-lived partnership with Malcolm Stark, perhaps only for the purpose of entering the New Admiralty and War Office competition, but this was quickly dissolved if ever formalised. Like Stark, Lindsay came near in national competitions without ever actually winning. Although he was one of the most accomplished designers of his generation his clients were primarily industrial and his architecture is often a reflection of the disappointments of his career.

Lindsay and his wife had at least five children: Jessie M B (born c.1885), Mary D (born c.1886), William (born c.1887), Robert B (born c.1889) and James (born c.1892). Lindsay died of malignant disease of the kidney at 11 Moray Place on 8 September 1914. His son James Lindsay Junior then took over the practice at the early age of twenty-two, initially in collaboration with Robert Leslie Rollo, a former apprentice of the elder Lindsay's.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 6196, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate/business1880 *  
Item 2 of 68, Morris Place, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1883 *  
Item 3 of 6167, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessc. 1884c. 1884 
Item 4 of 6248, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessc. 18861914 
Item 5 of 647, Garnethill Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1888 *1891 
Item 6 of 611, Moray Place, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1914 *  

* 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 3John Grahame Peat18721877Assistant 
Item 2 of 3John Grahame Peat18771880Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 3Malcolm Stark & James Lindsayc. 1884c. 1884Partner 

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 10Thomas Spiers Fraser18891894Apprentice 
Item 2 of 10Thomas Anderson Moodie15 September 188915 September 1894Apprentice 
Item 3 of 10Thomas Spiers Fraser18941903  
Item 4 of 10Thomas Anderson Moodie15 September 189416 February 1897Draughtsman 
Item 5 of 10James William Hepburn18971902Apprentice 
Item 6 of 10John Anderson19021908Assistant 
Item 7 of 10Harold Beckwith Richards1903 Assistant 
Item 8 of 10William Barclay19031903 or 1904Assistant 
Item 9 of 10Robert Leslie Rollo19041911Apprentice 
Item 10 of 10Thomas Smith CordinerJanuary 1920April 1925Apprentice 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3William James Audsley3 January 1881for Associateship
Item 2 of 3John Burnet (senior)3 January 1881for Associateship
Item 3 of 3John Honeyman3 January 1881for Associateship

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 44 Kilfinan SchoolKilfinan ArgyllScotlandDate unknown
Item 2 of 441880Glasgow Municipal Buildings  GlasgowScotlandCompetition design
Item 3 of 441881Suburban School  GlasgowScotlandCompetition design
Item 4 of 441884New Admiralty and War OfficeWhitehall LondonEnglandAwarded £600 premium, though did not secure job
Item 5 of 441886Newark Free Church and hallPort Glasgow RenfrewshireScotlandUnsuccessful compeititon design
Item 6 of 441887Free Church ManseSpringburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 7 of 441888'A brick house at Belfast'  BelfastNorthern Ireland 
Item 8 of 441888'Small home farm near Belfast'  BelfastNorthern Ireland 
Item 9 of 441889Possil Iron Works  GlasgowScotland1st extension.
Item 10 of 441889Sheffield Municipal BuildingsSheffield YorkshireEnglandCompetition design - reached second stage (£100 premium)
Item 11 of 441891Glasgow Art Gallery and MuseumKelvingrove GlasgowScotlandUnsuccessful competition design
Item 12 of 441893Ardenwohr, 233 Nithsdale RoadPollokshields GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 441894Dock Engine and Boiler works  GlasgowScotlandAddition
Item 14 of 441894Residence for George PorterAyr AyrshireScotland 
Item 15 of 441895Glasgow Sausage Works  GlasgowScotlandComplete rebuild
Item 16 of 441896Business premises for R D Waddell  BelfastNorthern Ireland 
Item 17 of 441896DrumspillanPinwherry AyrshireScotland 
Item 18 of 441896Possil Iron Works  GlasgowScotlandExtensions
Item 19 of 441898Kames Free ChurchKamesburgh / Port BannatyneButeButeScotland 
Item 20 of 441899Springburn Parish ChurchSpringburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 21 of 441899Wellfield SchoolSpringburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 22 of 4419007 Glen StreetPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandAlterations
Item 23 of 441900Cabinet Works  GlasgowScotland 
Item 24 of 441901City of Glasgow dyeworks  GlasgowScotland 
Item 25 of 441901Warehouses and creamery for Cowlairs Co-operative SocietySpringburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 26 of 441902City Manure Office, Parliamentary Road  GlasgowScotlandStables added
Item 27 of 441902Stables for James Cowan & Co  GlasgowScotland 
Item 28 of 441902Wellshot Road School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 29 of 441904Business premisesSpringburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 30 of 441904Business premises, Napiershall Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 31 of 441905Hutchesontown LibraryHutchesontown GlasgowScotlandCompetition design - not successful
Item 32 of 441905Kirkintilloch Town Hall and Municipal BuildingsKirkintilloch DunbartonshireScotlandCompetition design - placed second
Item 33 of 441905Springburn Baptist ChurchSpringburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 34 of 441906Burgh of Ayr Infectious Diseases HospitalAyr AyrshireScotlandUnsuccessful competition design - as assistant, presumably to James Lindsay
Item 35 of 441906Possil Iron Works  GlasgowScotlandExtensions
Item 36 of 441909Possil Iron Works  GlasgowScotlandExtensions
Item 37 of 441909Skating Rink, Summerfield Street  GlasgowScotlandProposed
Item 38 of 441911Women's InstituteDunfermline FifeScotlandPlaced third in competition
Item 39 of 441912Grocery Warehouse  GlasgowScotland 
Item 40 of 441914Balmoral Iron Yard  GlasgowScotland 
Item 41 of 441914Grocery Warehouse  GlasgowScotland 
Item 42 of 441914Grocery Warehouse  GlasgowScotlandExtension
Item 43 of 441914Mile End Mills  GlasgowScotlandReconstruction of cotton mill as stationery warehouse
Item 44 of 441914Nethertown Institute (public baths and library)Dunfermline FifeScotlandWon competition to secure job - was engaged in this at the time of his death, and it was finished posthumously

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Post Office Directories     
Item 2 of 2Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder18 September 1914  Obituary p27
Item 2 of 2RIBA Journal7 November 1914 London: Royal Institute of British ArchitectsObituary p16

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Additional research by Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v6 p140 (microfiche 26/C1)