Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | Ninian Rutherford Jamieson Johnston | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 6 March 1912 | Died: | 11 November 1990 | Bio Notes: | Ninian Rutherford Jamieson Johnston was born at 2 Thornwood Drive, Partick on 6 March 1912, the son of John Neil Johnston, ship's engine patternmaker and his wife Agnes Connor who came from Dundee. He was engaged by Alfred George Lochhead as his office boy - the only member of staff - in 1926 and attended Glasgow High School's continuation classes until he reached university matriculation level at the age of sixteen. He then became Lochhead's articled apprentice and as the practice was seldom notably busy much time was devoted to his instruction in draughtsmanship and watercolour presentation. Concurrently he took evening classes at the Glasgow School of Architecture under _____ Adam, Jack Coia and later Mervyn Noad. In or about 1931 he obtained a scholarship to attend the School's full-time day course under Harold Hughes, to which Lochhead agreed only if he could continue to supervise his work, as Hughes was too often absent and he had a poor opinion of the teaching: his last task for Lochhead was to arrange the music stands for a quartet which met in his office.
Johnston had a distinguished record at the School, becoming deputy editor of 'Vista' and writing for the RIAS Quarterly. He obtained his diploma in June 1934 and was admitted ARIBA on 3 December of that year, his proposers being Thomas Harold Hughes, William James Smith and James Lochhead. Shortly thereafter he was engaged as an assistant by George Arthur Boswell at £10 a month 'generally paid late'.
Teaching at Glasgow School of Art's evening classes sufficiently supplemented his income for him to marry Helen Jackson in the same year, but by 1939 disagreements with Adam over the teaching at the School induced him to forgo the emoluments and resign.
In 1940 Johnston was called up and sent to north-west India with the Royal Engineers in which he rose to the rank of captain. He remained officially employed by Boswell throughout and returned to the office as a partner in 1943, the practice title becoming George A Boswell & Partners. Peter Mitchell was taken on as a third partner two years later. Within a very few years the partnership was firmly under Johnston's control as lead designer, securing major housing developments in Dumbarton and at Woodside and Pollokshaws in Glasgow. These were followed by a large number of schools and colleges in Glasgow, Hamilton, Falkirk, Callander and Aberdeen, the practice also continuing to maintain its pre-war reputation for high-quality industrial buildings with factories for Scottish Industrial Estates, IBM and Ciba-Geigy. Johnston was admitted FRIBA in 1951. Either shortly before this time or upon Boswell's death in 1952, the practice title became Boswell Mitchell & Johnston.
In person Johnston was of medium height, slightly built and distinguished looking, always fastidiously clad and unfailingly courteous. As his obituarist Frank Campbell observed there was 'an unswerving pursuit of integrity in everything he did'. He was President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects in 1966-68. The quality of his architecture brought election as ARSA in 1959, RSA in 1966 and membership of the Royal Fine Art Commission in 1969. Failing health compelled him to retire slightly earlier than he would have wished in 1976. The Johnstons then moved to the kinder climate of Compton Abdale in the Cotswolds where he practised - uncommercially - as a watercolourist and a designer of ecclesiastical fabrics. He died at Bourton-on-the-Water on 11 November 1990, survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 117, Loanfoot Avenue, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1934 * | | |  | Castle Chambers/55, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1934 * | | |  | 5 (or 6), Glenbank Road, Lenzie, Dunbartonshire/Lanarkshire, Scotland | Private | 1939 or 1940 * | After 1951 | |  | 256, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1951 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA 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 |  | | Eastmuir School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | | Hamilton Teacher Training College | Hamilton | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1934 | Templeton's Carpet Factory | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Was responsible for perspective showing 1934 addition (as assistant to Boswell) |  | 1939 | Perryston house and farm buildings | Fisherton | | Ayrshire | Scotland | As assistant to Bowell - mainly responsible |  | 1945 | Queenslie Industrial Estate | Queenslie | | Glasgow | Scotland | As assistant to George Boswell |  | 1948 | Lomond Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1950s(?) | Adult Occupational Centre for Clydebank Burgh | Clydebank | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1950 | Chirnsyde School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1950 | Chirnside Primary School and Janitor's House | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1951 | 122 houses, Round Riding Road | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | As partner in charge |  | Before 1951 | Bellsmyre site development | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | As partner responsible |  | Before 1951 | Castlehill site layout with houses, schools, shops, churches etc | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1951 | Crosslet Residential Nursery | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | As partner mainly responsible |  | Before 1951 | Ferguslie School | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Additions - mainly responsible |  | Before 1951 | Milton Primary School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1951 | Milton Secondary School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Mainly responsible |  | 1952 | International Business Machines (IBM) Factory at Spango Valley | Spango Valley, Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1953 | The White House of Milliken | Brookfield | | Renfrewshire | | Further work |  | 1954 | Garthamlock Secondary School, Garthamlock Housing District (Site 1) | Garthamlock | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1956 | Concert Hall, Pavilion and Restaurant, Castle Gardens | Dunoon | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | 1957 | Hutchesons' Boys Grammar School | Crossmyloof | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1958 | Woodcroft Primary School | Garthamlock | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 7 November 1958 | Auchentoshan School and Occupational Unit | Auchentoshan | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | per Builder p773 |  | Early 1950s | Housing for Burgh | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Cowlairs Industrial Estate for SIEC | Cowlairs | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1960s | District Hospital | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Housing at Norwood | Bearsden | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1960s | McLaren High School | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Port Glasgow High School | Port Glasgow | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Queenslie Industrial Estate | Queenslie | | Glasgow | Scotland | Further units built? |  | 1960s | Queen's Park School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Renfrew High School | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Special School | Barlanark | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Student residences for Craigie College | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Student residences for Hamilton College | Hamilton | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Student residences for the College of Education | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Tourist Centre | Bannockburn | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | University of Glasgow, Microbiology Unit | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1960 | Sacred Heart RC School | Cumbernauld | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1960 | Woodside CDA | Woodside | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1961 | Block of Luxury Flats | Kelvinside | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1962 | Pollokshaws CDA Unit 2 housing, police station, library, schools | Pollokshaws | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1962 | Seafar Primary School | Cumbernauld | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | c. 1964 | Premises of James Anderson & Co (Colours) Ltd, Hawkhead Road | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Laboratory building |  | 1966 | Borestone Development Scheme, Phase 2 | Bannockburn | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 15 April 1966 | Cultural Centre for Glasgow, Buchanan St | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Independent architect brought in to discuss possible modifications and alterations to city architect A. G. Jury's design following public and professional concern over the appearance of the building |  | 1968 | Perth Technical College | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Brahan Building |  | 1970 | Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary | Dumfries | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | |  | 1972 | Rutherglen Hospital and Health Centre | Rutherglen | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1973 | Woodside Flats, St George's Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Partner in Charge |  | Before 1975 | McLaren High School | Callander | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1975 | Premises for the Clydesdale Bank | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1975 | Shop for Mothercare | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1975 | Shop for Mothercare | Paisley | | Renfrewahire | Scotland | |  | Before 1975 | Shop for Mothercare | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1977 | Inverclyde Royal Hospital | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Bailey, Rebecca M | 1996 | Scottish architects' papers: a source book | | Edinburgh: The Rutland Press | Appears to give incorrect date for Rutherford's entering into partnership with Boswell |  | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p29 Inverclyde Royal Hospital p41 Photograph of Woodside Area B p46 Pollokshaws CDA Unit 2 Photograph |  | Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan | 1994 | Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland | | Yale University Press: New Haven and London | p228 Pollokshaws CDA Unit 2 |  | McKean, Charles | 1987 | The Scottish Thirties: An Architectural Introduction | | Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press | |  | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Builder | 4 March 1955 | | | p396 |  | Builder | 28 April 1961 | | | 'Glasgow Institute of Architects' p829 - appointed as member of council along with J A Kirkwood, C Fyfe, J A Coia and W H Sanders |  | Industrialised Building Systems and Components | October 1964 | | | p71 Woodside CDA |  | Interbuild | November 1961 | | | p36-9 Pollokshaws CDA Unit 2 |  | Official Architecture and Planning | March 1958 | | | p126-9 Pollokshaws CDA Unit 2 |  | RIAS Newsletter | January 1991 | v2, no5 | | Death note |  | The Independent | 22 November 1990 | | | Obituary |
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 | | Manuscript recollections of the 1930s written to Charles McKean; personal recollections of David M Walker; additional research by Iain Paterson |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no5538 (stored under F4584, combined box 23); F no4584 (combined box 23) |
Images © All rights reserved. © courtesy of Glasgow Institute of Architects © All rights reserved. © courtesy of Glasgow Institute of Architects © All rights reserved. RIAS Quarterly No43 Summer 1933 |