Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | John Gordon | Designation: | Architect | Born: | c. 1835 | Died: | 22 August 1912 | Bio Notes: | John Gordon was born in Paisley in 1835, the son of John Gordon, a wine merchant's agent, and his wife Jessie Young. In 1853 he was in the office of Black & Salmon as an articled apprentice, but when that partnership was dissolved he remained with James Salmon as principal assistant. Subsequently he moved to the office of William Spence where he worked in the same capacity until he set up practice on his own account some time prior to 1857 when he designed Grove Park Mills.
In his earlier years Gordon was strongly influenced by Alexander Thomson's Romanesque church school and villa designs which he perhaps knew at first hand from Thomson's office. His large commercial buildings in West Nile Street and Renfield Street of 1876 show the influence of Thomson's neo-Greek commercial architecture but the giant Wool Exchange in Basinghall Street, London, his largest project, was elaborately Romanesque with Byzantine touches, a style also adopted at 28-32 St Enoch Square as originally built. His practice was otherwise predominantly industrial.
Gordon married Catherine (Kate) Isabella Graham on 18 January 1870. They went on to have at least five children.
In 'Building Industries' 17 December 1917 (re: alterations to the Alexandra Hotel) Thomas Baird who had been an apprentice 1876-81 was described as having been with the practice for twenty-five years, presumably largely as a partner, though his name was not included in the practice title. Thomas Baird was the son of his sister Ann. That he was a partner is confirmed by their joint names appearing on the Dean of Guild drawings for Strathbungo Public School of 1893-95 but he must have left by 1903. (Gordon's other sister Jane married the architect James Ritchie).
In the latter year one of Gordon's sons, J Graham Gordon, became a partner along with David Woodburn Sturrock as Gordon Son & Sturrock. Sturrock had previously practised independently: born in 1860, he had been articled to David Thomson and had remained with him as an assistant, subsequently spending over five years in Spain, France and Germany before commencing practice on his own account in 1898. Later in the same year, 1903, D Bennet Dobson, a skilful art nouveau designer who had been with the firm since at least 1894, was taken into partnership and his name acknowledged in the practice title as Gordon, Son, Dobson & Sturrock; but that arrangement proved brief, Sturrock withdrawing to continue in independent practice, and the firm became Gordon, Son & Bennet Dobson. Dobson ceased to be a partner in 1907 when he formed the short-lived practice of D Bennet Dobson & Co. The practice continued thereafter as John Gordon & Son, at some point joined by another son, Thomas Baird Gordon, named after Gordon's former chief assistant and partner.
John Gordon finally closed the practice in 1911. He died on 22 August 1912 at Gordonholme, Giffnock, his age given as 77. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 13, Moore Place, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1860 * | | |  | 145, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1862 | After 1865 | |  | 175, Hope Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1868 | After 1870 | |  | 124, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1873 | After 1879 | |  | 134, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1888 * | 1889 or 1890 | |  | 1, Olrig Terrace, Pollokshields, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1891 * | | |  | 261, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1895 | After 1905 | |  | 745, Shields Road, Govan, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | c. 1901 | | |  | 209, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1909 or 1910 * | | |  | Gordonholme/6, Montgomerie Drive, Giffnock, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Private | 1912 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or Pupils
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 |  | 1857 | Grove Park Mills | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1858 | Baltic Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1861 | J & J McIntyre's Powerloom factory, Bell Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Earlier building--probably by Gordon |  | 1863 | Oakleigh | Blairmore | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | 1866 | Clyde Works, Baltic Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1866 | J & J McIntyre's Powerloom factory, Bell Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Earlier building--probably by Gordon. |  | 1867 | Highfield | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Perhaps - or maybe James Salmon - see notes |  | c. 1867 | Broomward Mill | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1870 | Woodlands | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1875 | Ravelston, Great Western Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Original house |  | 1877 | First Ibrox football stadium | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1877 | Herbertson and Bremner warehouse, workshops and stores | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1877 | Cleveden | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1878 | Grove Park Mills | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions |  | c. 1878 | 104 West Regent Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1878 | 28-32 St Enoch Square | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1881 | The Wool Exchange (Sambrook Court) | | | London | England | |  | 1883 | Primitive Methodist Church | Pollokshaws | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1883 | Tenement, Kenmure Street | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1883 | Craigmount | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1887 | Westmount, Cleveden Drive | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1888 | Savings Bank, Bridge Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Bank formed within lower two floors of existing building |  | c. 1889 | Hazelbank, Glencairn Drive | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1889 | Milverton, Dalziel Drive | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1890 | Calton School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Bonanza Bazaar | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Kingston Stores, Clarence Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Kingston Stores, Crookston Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Kingston Stores, St James Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Lace Factory | Newmilns | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Regent Flour Mills | Partick | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1891 | Clifton Hall | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1892(?) | School for Govan School Board | | | Glasgow | Scotland | May not have been involved - information from Alexander E Diack's RIBA nomination papers, which are unclear as to whether he was assisting Clarke & Bell or John Gordon at the time |  | 1892(?) | Warehouse, Argyle Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | May not have been involved - information from Alexander E Diack's RIBA nomination papers, which are unclear as to whether he was assisting Clarke & Bell or John Gordon at the time |  | 1893 | Cement Factory, Weir Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1893 | J & J McIntyre's Powerloom factory, Bell Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Addition |  | 1893 | Strathbungo Public School | Strathbungo | | Glasgow | Scotland | Presumably involved, as Baird states in his FRIBA papers that he carried out this building with his 'late partner' |  | 1894 | Glasgow Savings Bank, Bridgeton Cross | Bridgeton Cross | | Glasgow | Scotland | Perhaps actually D Bennet Dobson as assistant (B of S) |  | 1895 | 9-11 Hamilton Avenue | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1895 | Scotland Street Power Station | | | Glasgow | Scotland | HS suggests that D Bennet Dobson (as assistant) was probably responsible for architectural details |  | c. 1895 | Subway Station, Copeland Road | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1895 | Subway Station, Merkland Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1895 | Subway Station, West Tradeston Street | Station | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1896 | Grove Park Mills | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions |  | 1897 | Bridgeton Working Men's Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1897 | Grove Park Mills | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions |  | 1900 | Grove Park Mills | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions |  | 1901 | Miller and Lang Art Publishers Offices | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Begun by John Gordon; completed in partnership |  | 1901 | Tenements and terraced houses, Dungoyne Street, Barra Street and Crosbie Street | Maryhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1903 | 9-21 Crosbie Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Bonded warehouse, Scotland Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Miller and Lang's Warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1903 | Tenement and business premises for J & A McArthur | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1904 | Buildings in Garscube Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1904 | Riselaw House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1905 | Primitive Methodist Church, Alexandra Parade | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Made design - commission lost to Chalmers |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Post Office Directories | | | | | |  | Sinclair, Fiona | 1986 | North, South East and West: a process of banking patronage | | Charles Rennie Mackintosh newsletter no 44 | p6-7 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Building News | February 1890 | | | |  | Quiz | 24 August 1893 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Courtesy of Nick Gordon, great great grandson of John Gordon's brother | Information supplied to Dictionary | | Sent February 2016. Mr Gordon has a document relating to the fact that Gordon's father died intestate in 1864 and his estate was valued in 1871. The executors were John Gordon architect, Jane Gordon wife of James Ritchie architect and Ann Gordon wife of Thomas Baird, book keeper. |  | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Additional research and family information from Iain Paterson |
Images © All rights reserved. Building News 7 February 1890 |