Basic Biographical Details

Name: George Woulfe Brenan
Designation:  
Born: 1844
Died: 6 March 1924
Bio Notes: George Woulfe Brenan was born in 1844, the son of Richard Brenan, medical practitioner, and Elizabeth Lewis. Educated as a civil engineer, he was articled as a premium pupil to William Wilson of Queen Square, Westminster and subsequently worked as assistant to Sir John Fowler, during which time he travelled in France, Belgium, Holland and Hungary. He was engaged on railway and dock work for some years and became an art student at South Kensington and at night school in Holborn, exhibiting watercolours and oil paintings on several occasions, although not at the RA. He moved to Oban in 1882 and commenced independent practice as an architect as well as a civil engineer. He seems to have had an office in Glasgow in 1904-05, perhaps because of the jobs he had on at the time (School buildings in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire?).

He was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, his sole proposer being a J Munro, Vice Chairman of Argyll County Council Committee. Brenan was a member of the Institute of Chartered Engineers.

Woulfe Brenan's business was bought by James G Falconer probably about 1920 and Lake Falconer junior took charge of this as well as of the Falconer practice in Oban.

He died on 6 March 1924 at his home in Oban. He was survived by his wife Florence Juliet Rogers and his daughter Alice.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 33, Victoria Crescent, Oban, Argyll, ScotlandPrivate 1924 
Item 2 of 3101, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19041905 
Item 3 of 3Albany Street, Oban, Argyll, ScotlandBusiness1904 *After 1911 

* earliest date known from documented sources.


Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 3William Wilsonc. 1860(?)c. 1865(?)ApprenticeDates are speculative
Item 2 of 3(Sir) John FowlerAfter 1864Before 1882Assistant 
Item 3 of 3Brenan & Hunterc. 1904c. 1908Partner 

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 47After 1882Altrua HouseAltrua, Loch Lochy Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 2 of 47After 1882County HotelOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 3 of 47After 1882Falls of Lora HotelConnel ArgyllScotland 
Item 4 of 47After 1882Lochnell CastleBenderloch (near) ArgyllScotlandRestoration
Item 5 of 47After 1882SchoolKilwinning AyrshireScotland 
Item 6 of 47After 1882SchoolWest Kilbride AyrshireScotland 
Item 7 of 47After 1882School buildingsCleland LanarkshireScotland 
Item 8 of 471884Craigvarran Villa, Oban HillOban ArgyllScotlandAdditions
Item 9 of 471884(?)Mansion House of EriskaLedaig ArgyllScotlandClaims to have designed this house
Item 10 of 471886(?)Sheriff Courthouse and county buildingsOban ArgyllScotlandSecond premiated competition design
Item 11 of 471887Villa for Mrs Annie CampbellOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 12 of 471888Church of St Mary (RC)CastlebayBarraInverness-shireScotland 
Item 13 of 471888Shops, temperance hotel, tenements of dwelling housesOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 14 of 471889Building, George StreetOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 15 of 471890(?)Oban High SchoolOban ArgyllScotlandSecond premiated competition design
Item 16 of 471892Offices, Albany Street and Campbell StreetOban ArgyllScotlandOffice and additions to new office
Item 17 of 471893UF ChurchConnel ArgyllScotland 
Item 18 of 471895Craigvarran HouseOban ArgyllScotlandPorch added
Item 19 of 471895Oban DistilleryOban ArgyllScotlandBonded warehouse
Item 20 of 471895West Highland Cottage HospitalOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 21 of 471896Coach HouseOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 22 of 471897(?)Municipal BuildingsOban ArgyllScotlandSecond premiated competition design
Item 23 of 471897Pier Isle of Scalpay, HarrisInverness-shireScotland 
Item 24 of 471897Pier, West LochTarbertIsle of HarrisInverness-shireScotland 
Item 25 of 471898Peter Creelman's workshopOban ArgyllScotlandWC added
Item 26 of 471899Oban DistilleryOban ArgyllScotlandWarehouse and washing house
Item 27 of 471899Warehouse, John StreetOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 28 of 471901(?)St Mary's ChurchTaynuilt ArgyllScotlandDates as in Walker (2000) - only correct if this is in fact the same church
Item 29 of 471904Brownies TaingSandwickShetland Scotland 
Item 30 of 471904St Modan's Established Church, LedaigBenderloch ArgyllScotland 
Item 31 of 471905Taynuilt Village HallTaynuilt ArgyllScotland 
Item 32 of 471906Corrugated iron motor garage and petrol storeOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 33 of 471906St Barr's RC ChurchNorthbayBarraInverness-shireScotland 
Item 34 of 471907Oban DistilleryOban ArgyllScotlandWashhouse
Item 35 of 471907St Bride's RC ChurchWest Kilbride AyrshireScotland 
Item 36 of 471908Gott Bay PierScarinish ArgyllScotland 
Item 37 of 471910Great Western Hotel and TerraceOban ArgyllScotlandExtension for gas plant at Engine House of Great Western Hotel, and internal alterations
Item 38 of 471912Board SchoolTaynuilt ArgyllScotland 
Item 39 of 471912Ullapool PierUllapool Ross and CromartyScotlandExtension
Item 40 of 471913Oban Distillery, Warehouse No 4Oban ArgyllScotlandExtension
Item 41 of 471914Oban DistilleryOban ArgyllScotlandAlterations and additions to No 6 warehouse and Malt Barn building
Item 42 of 471916Rockville (Rockfield?) CottageOban ArgyllScotlandWashhouse and WCs
Item 43 of 471917Rose CottageOban ArgyllScotlandWooden shed
Item 44 of 471917Tenement, 77-81 George StreetOban ArgyllScotlandRe-roofing and installation of WC
Item 45 of 471919HazeldeanOban ArgyllScotlandBathroom, WC and alterations
Item 46 of 471919Shed and sawbenchOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 47 of 471920Garage, Combie StreetOban ArgyllScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Measurers\' Companion1911The Scottish Architects' and Measurers' Companion   
Item 2 of 2Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Information per Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v16 no1138