Basic Biographical Details

Name: Bryden & Robertson
Designation:  
Born: 1906
Died: After 1933
Bio Notes: Andrew Francis Stewart Bryden was born on 21 October 1876, the son of Robert Alexander Bryden. He was articled to his father's firm of Clarke & Bell & R A Bryden at 212 St Vincent Street, Glasgow for five years from 30 August 1893, remaining thereafter as an assistant. He was a successful student and in 1894 was exempted from the preliminary RIBA exam. In 1901 he left to spend a year in Bristol under George Herbert (later Sir George) Oatley of Oatley & Skinner. When he proposed to return to his father's office the following year, there would appear to have been some disagreement within the firm. At this point the elder Bryden separated his practice completely from Clarke & Bell and with his son as chief draughtsman set up office at 147 Bath Street. The younger Bryden remained with his father in this capacity until the latter's death in 1906, when he took Andrew Robertson into partnership. Robertson had been born in 1868, and had been articled to Thomas Dykes of Glasgow from 1882 to 1887, remaining for an additional year as junior draughtsman. He had then worked as an assistant to John Graham Peat and Duncan from 1888 until the following year, when he had become assistant to Clarke & Bell & R A Bryden, progressing to the position of chief draughtsman in 1890. He had travelled in Germany and Holland in 1891 and had passed the RIBA qualifying exam in 1893, enabling him to be admitted ARIBA on 5 June that year, his proposers being Bryden, William Forrest Salmon and Thomas Lennox Watson. He had left Clarke & Bell and R A Bryden in 1896 to commence practice on his own account, and around the turn of the century had formed a brief partnership with Thomas Dykes, but had returned to work with Robert Alexander Bryden after the latter's split from Clarke & Bell.

The business of the Bryden & Robertson practice was principally related to hospitals although it also included schools and small domestic buildings and some commercial architecture. Bryden passed further exams c.1907 but a serious illness prevented him from taking the final examination. He was well travelled, having undertaken a month's tour of northern Germany with his father in the first year of his apprenticeship, during which the pair visited Hanover, Brunswick, Hildesheim, Goslar and Magdeburg, Berlin, Dresden and, further afield, Prague. By the time of his admittance as LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, for which he was proposed by Andrew Robertson, George Bell (II) and Alexander McGibbon, he had also visited Amsterdam, Munich, Marburg and Frankfurt; the cathedrals of Rheims and Laon in France; most of the cathedrals and abbeys of Scotland; and about half the cathedral cities of England.

Bryden married Evangeline-Annie Parkingham-Blake. He died on 28 February 1917 at 43 Durward Avenue, Glasgow. Robertson continued the practice under the same name thereafter, moving its office to 278 St Vincent Street. He was admitted FRIBA on 5 March 1923, his proposers being David Salmond, James Lochhead and William Brown Whitie.

Joseph Boyd joined the partnership c. 1930, and continued the practice as Bryden Robertson & Boyd after Robertson's death in November 1932.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2Richmond Chambers/147, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1910After 1916 
Item 2 of 2278, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1918 *c. 1930(?) 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

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 13Robert Frater19061907Assistant 
Item 2 of 13Andrew Francis Stewart Bryden19061917Partner 
Item 3 of 13Andrew Robertson19061930 or 1932PartnerUnclear whether name changed to Bryden Robertson & Boyd in 1930 or 1932
Item 4 of 13John Bothwell Steel19081910Assistant 
Item 5 of 13Charles Wilson Glass19091913Apprentice 
Item 6 of 13John Bothwell Steel1910After 1914Chief Draughtsman 
Item 7 of 13John Mackie Venters9 November 191029 March 1912Assistant 
Item 8 of 13Charles Wilson GlassEarly 1914Mid 1914DraughtsmanSix months
Item 9 of 13Adam Elliot Watson25 January 192525 January 1930Apprentice 
Item 10 of 13James Boyne Watson15 September 192715 March 1932Apprentice 
Item 11 of 13Elizabeth Stevenson King (Mrs Ghuman)1929May 1930Assistant 
Item 12 of 13Joseph Boydc. 1930After 1932PartnerUnclear whether name changed to Bryden Robertson & Boyd in 1930 or 1932
Item 13 of 13Thomas JackAfter 1933Before 1935ArchitectActing in supervisory capacity on certain projects

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 251906Elementary SchoolBridge of Weir RenfrewshireScotlandAddition to accommodate 600 children, plus central hall
Item 2 of 251906Glasgow Maternity Hospital  GlasgowScotlandCompleted to designs by R A Bryden
Item 3 of 251906Isle of Man Industrial Home for Orphan and Destitute ChildrenGlencrutchery DouglasIsle of ManCompleted the scheme
Item 4 of 251906Lennox Joint Infectious Diseases HospitalMilton of Campsie StirlingshireScotland 
Item 5 of 251906Quarrier's Homes, Consumptive HospitalBridge of Weir RenfrewshireScotlandThird block
Item 6 of 251906Renfrew and Clydebank Joint Infectious Diseases HospitalYorkhill GlasgowScotlandCompletion
Item 7 of 25After 1906Earlston SchoolEarlston BerwickshireScotlandRebuilding?
Item 8 of 25After 1906(?)HouseNewlands GlasgowScotlandMay have been done by Robertson prior to forming of partnership
Item 9 of 25After 1906(?)HouseLanark LanarkshireScotlandMay have been done by Robertson prior to forming of partnership
Item 10 of 25After 1906(?)HousesWhitecraigs GlasgowScotlandMay have been done by Robertson prior to forming of partnership
Item 11 of 25After 1906(?)Pollok Estate, cottages and farm alterations  GlasgowScotlandMay have been done by Robertson prior to forming of partnership
Item 12 of 251907Premises for James Howden  GlasgowScotlandAdditions?
Item 13 of 251908Quarrier's Homes, Epileptic ColonyBridge of Weir RenfrewshireScotlandHome No 2, for women
Item 14 of 25After 1908Belmont HouseSpringburn GlasgowScotlandAdditions/alterations?
Item 15 of 25After 1908(?)House for Archibald WalkerLenzie LanarkshireScotlandPossibly responsible (see Notes)
Item 16 of 251910Higher Grade Secondary SchoolDuns BerwickshireScotlandAdditions
Item 17 of 251910Memorial Children's Hospital   Scotland 
Item 18 of 251910Quarrier's Homes, Epileptic ColonyBridge of Weir RenfrewshireScotlandGymnasium, recreation hall and workshop for men
Item 19 of 251910Quarrier's Homes, Mount Zion ChurchBridge of Weir RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 20 of 251911Inverkeithing SchoolInverkeithing FifeScotlandSenior Primary School
Item 21 of 251911Quarrier's Homes, Epileptic ColonyBridge of Weir RenfrewshireScotlandHome No 3, for women
Item 22 of 251918Glasgow Maternity Hospital  GlasgowScotlandReconstruction
Item 23 of 25After 1918War MemorialBroughton PeeblesshireScotland 
Item 24 of 251926Glasgow Seamen's Institute  GlasgowScotland 
Item 25 of 251930West of Scotland Agricultural College  GlasgowScotlandNew block added

References

Currently, there are no references for this . The information has been derived from: the British Architectural Library / RIBA Directory of British Architects 1834-1914; Post Office Directories; and/or any sources listed under this individual's works.