Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | Malcolm Stark | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 1854 | Died: | c. 1935(?) | Bio Notes: | Malcolm Stark was born in Kirkintilloch in 1854, the son of Malcolm Stark, porter, and his wife Elizabeth. He was apprenticed to William N Tait of Glasgow c.1870. On completing his apprenticeship he spent about two years as an assistant in several Glasgow offices prior to commencing practice in Glasgow on his own account c.1876, the publication of his competition designs for Greenock Municipal Buildings almost immediately establishing his reputation as an outstanding classical designer. At the time of the 1881 Census Stark was visiting Rev William Gillespie, minister of the Free West Church at Airdire, though how he knew Gillespie is unclear.
In 1883 or 1884 Stark entered into a short-lived partnership with James Lindsay, perhaps only for the purpose of entering the New Admiralty and War Office competition, but this was quickly dissolved if ever formalised. A short time later he opened an Edinburgh office, possibly encouraged by the second prize which had been awarded to him in the Edinburgh Municipal buildings competition.
In 1890 Stark took into partnership Fred Rowntree, born in Scarborough in 1860 of a Quaker family with Glasgow connections. This brought in Gray, Dunn & Company (biscuit manufacturers) as a client, Rowntree having married Mary Gray, one of the Grays' daughters. The partnership concentrated on competitions, several of them assessed by Alfred Waterhouse, but despite the excellence of Stark's drawings it was never quite successful in national competitions, only just missing the commission for Belfast City Hall. As he ruefully put it himself, he was always 'near it - very near it'. The only significant win which came the partnership's way was Govan District Asylum. The partnership was dissolved in 1900, as Stark's failure to secure a major commission in national competitions had brought about a decline in health and alcoholism. As a person he may have been slightly unstable; 'Quiz' described him as 'very impressionable' and as having 'run the gamut of most religious sects from the Salvation Army upwards'. Most of his executed commissions were mundane: only the Blochairn, Glasgow and Gilfillan, Dundee churches gave any indication of his formidable talent.
After Rowntree left for London, Stark practised alone until at least 1903; his date of death is not yet known. He seems to have recovered his health and was still alive, apparently living in England, not long before 1935, at which date W R Lethaby wrote that Stark had recently visited Philip Webb's church at Brampton, Cumberland. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 167, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1879 | After 1890 | |  | 20, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1887 | | |  | Ainslee, , Scotstounhill, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1888 | | |  | 24, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1888 | c. 1890 | |  | 189, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1892 | 1894 or 1895 | |  | 249, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1894 or 1895 | After 1899 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this architect (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes |  | Alexander Gardner | 1878 | 1883 | Apprentice | |  | Charles Crawford | 1886 | 1890 | Apprentice | |
Buildings and DesignsThis architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes |  | 1877 | Alexandria Methodist Church | Alexandria | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1879 | Greenock Municipal Buildings | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1880 | Glasgow Municipal Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful design for first competition |  | 1880 | Proposed UP Church | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Design exhibited - probably unsuccessful competition entry |  | 1880 | Tenement, Leven Street | Pollokshields | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1881 | Two tenements, Leven Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1884 | New Admiralty and War Office | Whitehall | | London | England | Awarded £600 premium, though did not secure job |  | 1885 | Blochairn Free Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | c. 1885 | Middlecroft | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1886 | Edinburgh Municipal Buildings | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Second premiated competition design |  | 1887 | Gilfillan Memorial Church | | | Dundee | Scotland | Won competition and secured job |  | 1888 | Dennistoun Evangelical Union Church | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1889 | Cathedral of St John the Divine | New York | | New York | United States of America | Competition design |  | 1889 | Lennox Temperance Hotel | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Design exhibited |  | 1889 | Rockvilla UP Church | Possilpark | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1889 | Ainslea | Scotstounhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1889 | Sherwood | Scotstounhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1890 | Govan District Asylum | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | Design commission (won in competition) |  | 1890 | London County Council Municipal Lodging House | | | London | England | Competition design - unsuccessful |  | Before 1890 | Church, Market Place | Arbroath | | Angus | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Cuilvona | Loch Ard, Aberfoyle | | Perthshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Ferriemill | | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Mission Hall | Arbroath | | Angus | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Mission Hall | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Mission Hall | Cockenzie | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Mission Hall | Whifflet, Coatbridge | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Mission Hall | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Mission Hall | Coatbridge | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Park House | | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | The Knowe | Port Glasgow | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Villa at Barrhead | Barrhead | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Villa at Coatbridge | Coatbridge | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Villa at Dumbarton | Dumbarton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Villa at Kilsyth | Kilsyth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1890 | Villa at Leeds | Leeds | | Yorkshire | England | |  | 1891 | Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum | Kelvingrove | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - reached second tier |  | 1891 | Rowntree's Cocoa Works | York | | Yorkshire | England | |  | 1891 | Society of Friends Building | | | Dundee | Scotland | Design of elevation in consultation with William Mackison as part of Whitehall Street and Crescent improvement act redevelopment |  | 1892 | Kirkintilloch Original Secession Church | Kirkintilloch | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1892 | National Schools | Snainton | | Yorkshire | England | Design exhibited |  | 1892 | St Pancras Municipal Buildings | St Pancras | | London | England | Third (or second?) premiated competition design |  | 1892 | Walsall Town Hall | Walsall | | Staffordshire | England | Unsuccessful competition entry |  | 1893 | Biscuit Factory of Gray, Dunn & Co, Kinning Park | Kinning Park | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension (115 Stanley Street) |  | 1893 | Pump Room and Municipal Buildings extension | Bath | | Somerset | England | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1893 | The Mount School | York | | Yorkshire | England | Gymnasium |  | 1894 | Adult School | Scarborough | | Yorkshire | Scotland | |  | 1894 | Miss Maris Woodhead's School for Ladies, Gymnasium, Westlands | Scarborough | | Yorkshire | Scotland | |  | 1894 | Radnor Park UF Church | Clydebank | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1894 | Residence | Harrogate | | Yorkshire | England | Design exhibited |  | 1894 | Society of Friends Mission Hall and Institute | Scarborough | | Yorkshire | England | |  | 1894 | Temperance Hall, Scalby | Scarborough | | Yorkshire | Scotland | |  | 1894 | UP Church | Bridge of Allan | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1895 | Arts and Crafts Exhibition, Queen's Rooms | | | London | England | With George Walton |  | 1895 | John Rowntree & Sons Café | Scarborough | | Yorkshire | England | With George Walton |  | 1895 | Lady Artists' Club, Blythswood Square | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Designs for Fancy Fair, with George Walton |  | 1895 | Shopfront for Neilson, Shaw and Macgregor | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1896 | Belfast Town Hall | | | Belfast | Northern Ireland | First premiated competition design, but commission subsequently awarded to Alfred Brumwell Thomas |  | 1896 | Glasgow School of Art | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1896 | Glenbank | Lenzie | | Dunbartonshire/Lanarkshire | Scotland | Remodelled, with George Walton designing interior |  | 1896 | Govan District Asylum, gate lodge | | | Glasgow | Scotland | HS attribution - 'presumably' |  | 1896 | Lady Artists' Club, Blythswood Square | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Gallery, with George Walton |  | 1896 | William Rowntree's department store | Scarborough | | Yorkshire | England | Tea room and extensions, with George Walton |  | 1897 | Asylum for the Insane | | | Beirut | Syria | Design exhibited |  | 1897 | Town Hall | | | Cardiff | Wales | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1897 | Victoria Place Baptist Church | Govanhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1898 | Riseborough | Scarborough | | Yorkshire | Scotland | |  | 1898 | Rowntree's Cocoa Works | York | | Yorkshire | England | Further additions |  | 1898 | UP Church | Newlands | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1899 | Cartwright Memorial Hall | Bradford | | Yorkshire | England | Competition design |  | 1899 | Two lodges | | | Yorkshire | England | |  | 1899 | Workshops for George Walton & Co | | | Glasgow | Scotland | With Stark & Rowntree |  | 1900 | Glasgow Royal Infirmary | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1903 | Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, second competition, second limited stage | | | Liverpool | England | shortlisted design |  | 1919 | Glasgow Housing competition, plan of house with fitments and equipment | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design - first prize |  | 1919 | Glasgow Housing competition, tenements at Coplawhill, layout and plans | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Awarded third premium of £50 with Malcolm Stark |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Lethaby, W R | 1935 | Philip Webb and his work | | | |  | Post Office Directories | | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Quiz | 17 August 1893 | | | p226 - biographical article |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Personal recollections of A G Lochhead and Alexander Wright: both regarded his bad luck in competitions as tragic. |
Images © All rights reserved. Building News 15 August 1890 © All rights reserved. © Glasgow Institute of Architects |