Basic Biographical Details Name: | Alexander Lorne Campbell | Designation: | | Born: | 1871 | Died: | 6 July 1944 | Bio Notes: | Alexander Lorne Campbell was born in 1871 the son of Archibald Campbell, Depute City Clerk of Edinburgh, and was educated at George Watson's College. He was articled to Peter Lyle Barclay Henderson of Edinburgh for four years from November 1886, remaining with him as assistant for a further six months until 1891 when he took up a post in the City Architect's Department, the City Architect then being Robert Morham. During that period he attended art classes at Edinburgh College of Art, Fine Art classes at Edinburgh University, and art, architecture and technical classes at Heriot-Watt College.
He commenced independent practice in July 1896 at 21 St Andrew Square, moving two years later to 44 Queen Street to enter into partnership with John Nichol Scott, who was eight years older (born 1863). Scott had been articled to Archibald Macpherson and subsequently worked in the offices of Rowand Anderson, William Gardner Rowan and Hippolyte Jean Blanc, and had spent the previous two years in informal partnership with James Anderson Williamson, another assistant of Robert Morham's, for the purpose of entering the North Bridge competition, on which they were successful.
In 1899 the newly formed partnership of J N Scott & A Lorne Campbell (commonly referred to simply as Scott & Campbell) had a major success when Walter Wood Robertson awarded them first place in the competition for Midlothian County Buildings, but as in the North Bridge competition the practice derived little benefit from it, the Convener on the County Sir James Gibson Craig giving the commission to James Macintyre Henry whose design had been placed fourth. In the following year, 1900, the practice had a further success in the competition for St Stephens UF Church, Comely Bank which at last launched the practice into actual building. Both partners were admitted FRIBA on 4 March 1907, their proposers being Blanc, Alexander Hunter Crawford and Harold Ogle Tarbolton. Scott was then living at 22 Brougham Place and Campbell at 7 Inverleith Terrace. Campbell's nomination papers state that his travels up to that point had taken him to Germany, Holland and Belgium.
Campbell was a founder member of the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Branch of the Garden City Association; probably brought in by his client Henry M Cadell of Grange shortly after 1905 and before 1908.
Although Campbell had never worked for Rowand Anderson he became closely associated with him in professional matters during the First World War. When Anderson was awarded the Royal Gold Medal in 1916 and was too ill to travel to London to receive it personally it was Campbell who read out the address and the Lord Provost, Sir Robert Inches, who received the medal on his behalf; and it was again Campbell who acted for Anderson when on 6 October they approached John Watson and William Whitie of the Glasgow Institute of Architects for their agreement to the formation of a national institute, the formal meeting taking place on the 19th. When Anderson died in 1921, Campbell was one of the executors and designed the memorial cottage to Lady Anderson who had died some five months earlier.
The practice moved to 60 Castle Street before 1914. After Scott died in 1920 Campbell entered into partnership with John Begg, an old colleague of Scott's in Blanc's office who had been consulting architect to the Government of India and was about to become head of the school of architecture at Edinburgh College of Art. The partnership was dissolved c.1924, Campbell thereafter practising alone as consulting architect to the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland. He was also a member of the Edinburgh Dean of Guild Court. He was one of the leading members of the Edinburgh and East of Scotland Garden Cities Association.
Campbell served on the Council of the Edinburgh Architectural Association in the years around 1930. During the Second World War he was Lieutenant Colonel Quartering Commandant Edinburgh but retired in 1942 beause of his age and pressur eof other business.
He died on 6 July 1944, survived by his wife. They had no children. His home address at that time was West Colinton Cottage, Woodhall Road, which he had altered for his own use in 1907. He left estate of £2,637 16s 8d. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 3, Moston Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1890 | c. 1899 | | | 3, Moston Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business(?) | 1896 | | | | 21, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | July 1896 | 1898 | | | 44, Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1898 | 1908 | With J N Scott | | 7, Inverleith Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1906 | c. 1910 | | | 60, Castle Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | Before 1910 | 1940 | After John Nicol Scott withdrew in 1918 or 1919, Lorne Campbell remained at Castle Street and to be joined c.1920-24 by John Begg | | 14, Ramsay Garden, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1912 | 1913 | | | 33, Manor Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1914 * | | | | West Colinton Cottage, Woodhall Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1916 | 1944 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | James Henderson | 1925 | 1927 | Draughtsman | | | David Graham Watson | 1933 | 1934 | Assistant | | | Alan Douglas | 1935 | 1940 | Apprentice | | | James Drummond | 1939(?) * | | Assistant(?) | Address suggests he may have been workijng for Lorne Campbell |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Johnson, Jim and Rosenburg, Lou | 2010 | Renewing Old Edinburgh: the Enduring Legacy of Patrick Geddes | | Glendaruel: Argyll Publishing | p168 (note 59) and p189 | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | Rosenburg, Lou | 2016 | Scotland's Homes fit for Heroes: Garden City Influences on the Development of Scottish Working Class Housing, 1900-1939 | | Scottish Centre for Conservation Studies: The Word Bank | pp100-101 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Edinburgh Evening News | 7 July 1944 | | | Obituary | | Scotsman | 11 March 1944 | | | p4 Obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F v18 p75 no1210 (microfilm reel 12) |
|