Basic Biographical Details

Name: Watson & Salmond
Designation:  
Born: 1898(?)
Died: 1914
Bio Notes: John Watson was born in Glasgow in 1872, the son of Joseph Watson, licensed grocer, and Hannah Peacock. He was articled to John Hamilton in Glasgow from 1887 to 1893, studying at Glasgow School of Art (1888 to 1894) and the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College. Having won a Royal Academy 'bone' (an inscribed ivory plaque) which provided free admission to the Royal Academy Schools, he moved to London as assistant to Niven & Wigglesworth where he remained until 1897. After a study tour of Italy he commenced practice at 231 St Vincent Street in Glasgow in 1898.

In the following year Watson took into partnership a younger colleague at Niven & Wigglesworth's, David Salmond. Salmond was born in 1876, the son of David Salmond, described as an 'agent' and his wife, Hannah Kennedy Millar, who were prominent in literary and musical circles in Glasgow and South Africa where the elder Salmond had business connections. He was articled to John Gordon in Glasgow from 1891 to 1896 and attended classes at Glasgow School of Art under William James Anderson and at the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College. After the period of his apprenticeship he spent a year with Niven & Wigglesworth before leaving for South Africa, perhaps with a view to settling there; but following the outbreak of the Boer War he returned to Glasgow where he worked briefly in various as yet unidentified offices before joining Watson in partnership.

Both partners were admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects, which they had joined in 1907. Watson soon sought elevation to Fellow, and was elected on 2 December 1912, his lead proposer being Henry Edward Clifford with whom they shared an office and assistants, the others being James Miller and William Gardner Rowan. Salmond was admitted FRIBA on 9 June 1913, his proposers being Clifford, Alexander Nisbet Paterson and Herbert Hardy Wigglesworth.

In 1914 Watson & Salmond took into partnership another employee of Niven & Wigglesworth, James Henry Gray (born 1885), the practice having won the competition for the extension of Glasgow City Chambers. It was for this job that in 1927 the firm, renamed Watson, Salmond & Gray, was awarded the first RIBA Scottish Architecture medal for the best city building completed within the preceding five years. Much of the work of the practice was in Glasgow but further afield they won commissions for designing factories and other works in the Midlands and the south west of Scotland.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3231, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness18981902 or 1903 
Item 2 of 3225, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1902 or 19031913 
Item 3 of 3242, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19131914 

Employment and Training

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 10John Watson18991914Partner 
Item 2 of 10David Salmond18991914Partner 
Item 3 of 10Thomas Melville Lunan19011903Senior Assistant 
Item 4 of 10Allan Pollock McKenzie Buchanan19051910Apprentice 
Item 5 of 10Allan Pollock McKenzie Buchanan19101914Draughtsman 
Item 6 of 10James Henry Gray19121914Assistant 
Item 7 of 10William Ross19131914(?)Assistant 
Item 8 of 10Robert BlainAugust 1913August 1915Apprentice 
Item 9 of 10Robert BrodieSeptember 19131914Assistant 
Item 10 of 10Norval Rowallan Paxton20 September 1914Late 1914Draughtsman 

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 441899Cottage for W Lang Edgar     
Item 2 of 441899Cottages for D S SalmondGiffnock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 3 of 441899Semi-detached cottagesBrookfield RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 4 of 441899Springburn & Cowlairs District HallsSpringburn GlasgowScotlandCompetition design - placed third
Item 5 of 44After 1899Capelrig House   Scotland 
Item 6 of 44After 1899HouseWhistlefield DunbartonshireScotlandProbably 1911
Item 7 of 441900Board SchoolsPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandWatson won competition
Item 8 of 441901Busby SchoolBusby LanarkshireScotlandWon competition and secured job
Item 9 of 441901Netherton Farmhouse  RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 10 of 441901Steading for Andrew ClementNetherton  Scotland 
Item 11 of 441901Tollcross Park UF Church Hall  GlasgowScotland 
Item 12 of 441901Westdene  DundeeScotland 
Item 13 of 441902Girvan Methodist ChurchGirvan AyrshireScotland 
Item 14 of 441902House for A CunninghamStewarton AyrshireScotland 
Item 15 of 441902House for J Reid BennieBridge of Weir RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 16 of 441902Pollokshields Congregational ChurchPollokshields GlasgowScotlandCompetition design - not successful
Item 17 of 441903Tarbet HotelTarbet DunbartonshireScotlandAlterations
Item 18 of 441903(?)Tulliallan Castle, gardens and lodgeKincardine-on-Forth FifeScotlandAlterations to castle, and new gateway and lodge built
Item 19 of 441903Unspecified Glasgow Free Library  GlasgowScotlandCompetition design - not successful
Item 20 of 441904House for Mrs M SteenSkelmorlie AyrshireScotland 
Item 21 of 441904Montrose Public LibraryMontrose AngusScotlandCompetition design - not successful
Item 22 of 441904Partick Methodist ChurchPartick GlasgowScotlandAlterations, removal of spire and curved parapet
Item 23 of 441904St Vincent Street UP Church  GlasgowScotlandOrgan case
Item 24 of 441904UF ChurchLochgilphead ArgyllScotland 
Item 25 of 441904Wesleyan Methodist Central HallsPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 26 of 44October 1904Blairvadach Row, engineer's cottageShandon DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 27 of 441906Overtoun Park, lodge (superintentent's house), gates and layout of parkRutherglen LanarkshireScotland 
Item 28 of 441906Tenements, Dunn StreetPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 29 of 441906Tenements, off Carriagehill DrivePaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 30 of 441906The Tudor HouseSkelmorlie AyrshireScotlandBuildings of Scotland gives 1904-05
Item 31 of 441907Paisley Mission HallsPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 32 of 441907Perth Town HallPerth PerthshireScotlandUnsucessful competition design
Item 33 of 441908Two pairs of semi-detached cottagesHouston RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 34 of 441909DalriadaPortincaple ArgyllScotland 
Item 35 of 441910Craigton SchoolCraigton GlasgowScotland 
Item 36 of 441910Stable, Mart Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 37 of 441911Barcapel House  RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 38 of 441911Butler's CottageKilcreggan DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 39 of 44January 1911Design for a small houseNewtonmore InvernesshireScotland 
Item 40 of 441913Glasgow Municipal Buildings  GlasgowScotlandWon competition to secure job for extension. Begun but never completed
Item 41 of 441914Barcaple HouseRingford, Castle Douglas? Kirkcudbrightshire?Scotland 
Item 42 of 441914Tom-na-MonachanPitlochry PerthshireScotlandInterior work
Item 43 of 44Before 1914(?)CottageBurnmouth BerwickshireScotland 
Item 44 of 44c. 1914HouseBurnside GlasgowScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Walker, Frank Arneil1986South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew  p36, p78

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Builder4 September 1936  Obituary of Watson Senior
Item 2 of 6Builder9 September 1938  Obituary of Salmond
Item 3 of 6Glasgow Herald24 August 1936  Obituary of Watson Senior
Item 4 of 6Glasgow Herald25 August 1936  Obituary of Watson Senior
Item 5 of 6Glasgow Herald3 September 1938  Obituary of Salmond
Item 6 of 6RIBA Journal20 March 1937v44London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp 516 - obituary of Watson Senior