Basic Biographical Details | Name: | Bruce & Sturrock | | Designation: | | | Born: | Late 1874 or early 1875 | | Died: | c. 1881(?) | | Bio Notes: | John Leck Bruce was born in Glasgow c.1850. Nothing is yet known of his professional training but he commenced practice at 137 West Regent Street in 1871 or 1872 at the early age of twenty-one.
In late 1874 or early 1875 he took David Sturrock into partnership with the practice title of Bruce & Sturrock. Sturrock had been born at Kilmarnock c. 1846, the second son of John Sturrock, writer and notary public from Galston, and Matilda or Martha Brown. The other members of the family were William (born c. 1844), Margaret (born c. 1852), and Amelia (born c. 1856). Of these Amelia was listed as an architect and was presumably an assistant in the Bruce & Sturrock practice, an extremely early instance of a professional rather than an amateur lady architect. Sturrock's initial training is unknown but had probably been with a Kilmarnock architect, possibly William Railton.
On 1 August 1877 Bruce married Charlotte Florence Cochrane in Birkenhead. There were three sons of their marriage: Robert, born in Greenock, (or Gourock? records not clear) and Charles and John, born in Glasgow.
In c. 1876 the practice moved to number 103 West Regent Street, and in 1877 or 1878 to number 184. Bruce was probably a Roman Catholic as from 1878 the practice began receiving smaller commissions from Archbishop Eyre, the larger ones being given almost exclusively to Peter Paul Pugin. The firm was sequestrated on 16th August 1878.
There is no recorded work by Bruce & Sturrock after 1883: the business was sequestrated again in 1893 as a result of property speculation with the Property Investment Company of Scotland in Mount Florida and Montgomerie Terrace, Prospecthill, Glasgow. Shortly thereafter Bruce emigrated to Sydney, New South Wales where he took a teaching job at the Technical College from September 1894. He was based at 1 Hereford Street, Globe Point, Sydney in 1895. Sturrock continued the practice alone thereafter, apparently at a very low level, retaining a small amount of archdiocesan business.
NB: Sturrock should not be confused, as he has been in some sources, with David Woodburn Sturrock, born in 1860; their birthplaces suggest they may have been related, although this may be coincidence as David Woodburn Sturrock was articled to David Thomson rather than Bruce & Sturrock. | Private and Business Addresses| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 137, West Regent Steet, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1874 | After 1875 | | | 103, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1877 | After 1879 | | | 184, West Regent Steet, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1878 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils| The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | John Leck Bruce | Late 1874 or early 1875 | 1883(?) | Partner | | | David Sturrock | Late 1874 or early 1875 | 1883(?) | Partner | | | William Newlands | 1879 or 1880 | 1880 | Assistant | |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic References| The following books contain references to this : | | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p139 |
Periodical References| The following periodicals contain references to this : | | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Edinburgh Gazette | 20 August 1878 | no.8923 | | p.638
|
Archive References| The following archives hold material relating to this : | | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Courtesy of Rob Close | Information via 'Contact Us' on website | | Sent January 2012 | | NAS | Glasgow Sasines | | 12 July 1893 nos 2537-2539, 3063 |
|