Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | Thomas Purves Marwick | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 1854 | Died: | 26 June 1927 | Bio Notes: | Thomas Purves Marwick was born in 1854 in Edinburgh, and educated there, serving his articles with Peddie & Kinnear. He won the Ashpitel Prize in 1882 and the RIBA Silver Medal in 1884 for an essay on staircases, and made the highest marks in all subjects at the RIBA Qualifying Examination for Associateship in 1882, earning the commendation of Alfred Waterhouse and Sir Horace Jones of the Board of Examiners. He was admitted ARIBA on 8 January 1883, his proposers being Robert Rowand Anderson, Arthur Cates and John Macvicar Anderson, as neither Peddie nor Kinnear were fellows.
Marwick commenced practice in Edinburgh in or about 1879, his early years being spent building good-quality tenements in the Marchmont/Bruntsfield area. Several of these were of great originality, those at Bruntsfield challenging comparison with the best work of John James burnet and George Washington Browne at that time: they provide ample confirmation of the esteem in which he had been held by his examiners. His practice began in a very cautious way, operating from his suburban home addresses until about 1893 when John MacLachlan of York Place died and he bought his business, managing to retain MacLachlan's main clients, the National Bank and the St Cuthbert's Co-operative Society. The character of some of MacLachlan's late work, notably the National Bank building at the corner of High Street and Cockburn Street, suggests that Marwick may have assisted him in his last years. Marwick soon built up a large and varied practice. His obituary lauds him as a great planner, his work 'a natural expression of plan and construction.' He sometimes followed Scottish tradition, but he was primarily an accomplished Free Renaissance and neo-baroque designer, capable of good design in other styles as the occasion demanded.
The National Bank retained Marwick's services almost exclusively throughout his life, employing him to build numerous branch offices throughout the country, including those at Trongate, Glasgow, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, Kilmarnock, East Linton, Fort William, and Portobello. St Cuthbert's Co-operative Association in Edinburgh similarly remained an exceptionally loyal client, commissioning additions to their head office in Fountainbridge, premises at Bread Street and Nicolson Street, and various stables, bakeries, slaughterhouses and district branches.
In addition to his architectural work, Marwick was active in public life. In 1892 he joined the Merchant Company of Edinburgh, designed the extension of their Hanover Street premises in 1901, and was elected Assistant Master in 1917. From 1915 to 1920 he served as Convenor of the Estates Committee of the Merchant Company Education Board for Peterhead, and was the Convenor of the Special Committee of the Company in 1919, retiring from office in 1920. During his time as Convenor, the Committee published a comprehensive report on recommendations for furthering industry in Edinburgh. Valuation was an important element of his practice, and he was frequently called upon as an expert witness, mainly on Edinburgh property. As an active member of the Edinburgh Architectural Association, he was its President from 1918 to 1921, and one of the earliest presidents of the Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, from 1922 to 1924. Deafness in his later years made this kind of work increasingly difficult.
Marwick was scholarly with an extensive library, his interest ranging from classical antiquity to Old Edinburgh. In his earlier years he planned to develop his RIBA essay on staircases further, but in 1888 he had it published by J & J Gray as first written as ‘The History and Construction of Staircases’ with illustrations drawn from ‘Le Moniteur des Architectes, Paul Letarouilly, Joseph Nash and Robert William Billings. It was dedicated to Mrs Dennistoun of Golfhill, Glasgow, and may not have been for sale as those known to the Dictionary are presentation copies.
Although everything Marwick built had distinction, it could not be said that his early promise developed to quite the same degree as John James Burnet’s and John Archibald Campbell’s: only at his magnificent bank in Glasgow’s Trongate us there a real indication of what might have been. In part that was because he seems to have avoided competitions, his institutional clients providing all the business his practice needed to prosper. He designed no major public building and seems to have had no significant country house practice. That may have been due to his abrupt manner with strangers and even with his own family, but according to an anonymous former pupil, 'this abruptness was due to an acute and active brain'. He was remembered in his obituary as a 'prodigious and untiring worker' who worked 'without fuss' and had little use for assistants who were not dedicated to the profession. His pupils and assistants included Alexander Lorimer, who worked for him for forty years, Arthur James Driver of Blomfield's office in London, William James Walker Todd of Dick Peddie & Walker Todd, James Gillespie who shared his scholarly interests, and William Davidson, head of Edinburgh College of Art Evening Architectural School from 1908.
Marwick died on 26 June 1927, survived by two daughters and a son, Thomas Craigie Marwick (born 1878), who had been articled to his father from 1898 and had remained with him thereafter, being taken into partnership in 1917. The elder Marwick left a moveable estate of £52,277 6s 8d, a very large sum indeed at the time. His practice was continued by his son under the same name. A grandson, Thomas Waller Marwick (born 1903 or 1904), also became an architect and continued the practice until his death in 1971. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 9, Broughton Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | c. 1877 | c. 1881 | |  | 1, Spottiswoode Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business(?) | c. 1882 | c. 1892 | |  | 43, Lauder Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | c. 1893 | c. 1926 | Was house and office in 1893 only, thereafter only house |  | 29, York Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1894 | 1897 | Took over John McLachlan's practice and office |  | 43, York Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1899 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes |  | Peddie & Kinnear | c. 1870 | c. 1875 | Apprentice | |  | T P Marwick & Son | 1917(?) | 1927 | Senior Partner | |
Employees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
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 |  | | 22-42 Earl Grey Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations - date unknown |  | | 28-36 Cowgate | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Floor plan, probably for alterations - date unknown |  | | 79-80 Queen Street and 5-6 North Charlotte Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations on North Charlotte Street façade - uncertain as to which Marwick involved as there is no date given in list |  | | Bakers Shop, 9 Wolsley Place | Piershill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations - date unknown |  | | Edinburgh Ladies College, Proposed Branch School | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations - date unknown |  | | George Watson's College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Drawings (after MacGibbon and Ross?) |  | | Kerr Memorial Church | Polwarth | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Probably a remodelling of David Robertson's John Ker Memorial Church at Polwarth; date unknown |  | | St Cuthbert's Wholesale Co-operative Society Laundry | Gorgie | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1878 | Tenements, 1 Marchmont Road and 1 Marchmont Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1880 | Tenement, 33 Marchmont Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1880 | Tenement, 33-35, 36-37, 38-39 Warrender Park Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | HS attribution |  | 1880 | Tenements, 36-41 Warrender Park Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1881 | 45-49 Warrender Park Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1881 | Tenement, 14 Spottiswoode Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1881 | Tenement, 35 Marchmont Crescent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1883 | 71-77 Warrender Park Road and 16-20 Spottiswoode Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1883 | Gladstone Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1883 | Tenement, 330 Lawnmarket | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1884 | 9 Thirlestane Lane Mews | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1885 | Fisher's Buildings | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1885 | Tenements, 1-19 Bruntsfield Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1885 | Tenements, Barclay Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1887 | Edinburgh Free Library | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1887 | Tenement, 44-46 High Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Probably adapting a design by David Cousin and John Lessels. |  | 1888 | Tenement, 30-38 Marchmont Road and 56-60 Warrender Park Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1888 | Tenement, 40-44 Marchmont Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1888 | Tenement, 62-66 Warrender Park Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1889 | 19-25 St Mary's Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1889 | Tenement, 46-50 Marchmont Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1889 | Tenement, 52-56 Marchmont Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1889 | Tenement, 58-62 Marchmont Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | c. 188 | Rentons, 10-15 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Plans |  | 1890 | Tenements, Barclay Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1892 | Kenilworth Bar | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Adaptation of older building to form bar |  | 1893 | National Bank of Scotland, High Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Took over after McLachlan's death |  | 1894 | National Bank of Scotland, Anstruther Branch | Anstruther | | Fife | Scotland | Repairs, drainage |  | 1894 | National Bank of Scotland, Bathgate Branch | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | Reported on alterations |  | 1894 | National Bank of Scotland, Glasgow St Rollox Branch | St Rollox | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and modernisation |  | 1894 | National Bank of Scotland, Haymarket Branch | Haymarket | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and addition of porch |  | 1894 | National Bank of Scotland, Islay Branch | | Islay | Argyll | Scotland | Improvements |  | 1894 | National Bank of Scotland, Jedburgh Branch | Jedburgh | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Repairs and windows |  | 1894 | Premises for C J Turcan & Co | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1895 | 194 Rose Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1895 | National Bank of Scotland, Dumfries Branch | Dumfries | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | Alterations and repairs, £550. |  | 1896 | 99 Princes Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1896 | National Bank of Scotland, East Linton Branch | East Linton | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1896 | National Bank of Scotland, Fauldhouse Branch | Fauldhouse | | West Lothian | Scotland | Possibly provided plans for additional accommodation |  | 1896 | National Bank of Scotland, Rutherglen Branch | Rutherglen | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Report, additional accommodation |  | 1896 | Premises for Mr D Thomson | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | October 1896 | Building at 24-25 Home Street, including National Bank of Scotland | Lochrin | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Provided plan of Bank's requirements for office |  | 1897 | 15 Queen Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Remodelled with canted bays |  | 1897 | National Bank of Scotland, Castle Douglas Branch | Castle Douglas | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | Minor alterations |  | 1897 | National Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh South Side Branch | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1897 | National Bank of Scotland, Greenock Branch | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1897 | Tenement at Argyle Street and Brown Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | January 1897 | National Bank of Scotland, Kilmarnock Branch | Kilmarnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | After 1897 | Public School | Yetholm | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Addition of classrooms |  | 1898 | Leith Provident Co-operative Society | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1898 | National Bank of Scotland | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design |  | 1898 | National Bank of Scotland, Leith Walk | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Conversion of dwelling house into bank premises. Check! |  | 1898 | St Cuthbert's Co-operative Association Department Store and Dairy | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extension - matching McLachlan's work |  | 1898 | Viewforth Free Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Rebuilt interior after fire |  | 1899 | Kenilworth Bar | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction |  | 1899 | National Bank of Scotland, Glenluce Branch | Glenluce | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | |  | 1899 | National Bank of Scotland, Gorgie Branch | Gorgie | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1899 | National Bank of Scotland, Oban Branch | Oban | | Argyll | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1900 | National Bank of Scotland, Jedburgh Branch | Jedburgh | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Possibly improvements |  | c. 1900 | Daniel Stewart's College Art Room | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Proposed new art room |  | c. 1900 | Daniel Stewart's Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Unspecified drawings |  | c. 1900 | Nenthorn House | Kelso | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Nomination papers of Lorimer & obituary of Marwicksay Marwick responsible for work here - perhaps alterations? |  | c. 1900 | Premises for W J Clay, Teviot Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Sketch plans |  | c. 1900 | Shop for Barret & Co, South Bridge | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1901 | City of Glasgow Bank | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Built southern half of the building for the Merchant Company with the British Linen Bank as tenants |  | 1901 | Livingstone Institute and Medical Missionary Society's premises | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extension, including Magdalen Chapel |  | 1901 | National Bank of Scotland, Trongate | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1901 | St Cuthbert's Co-operative Association Tenements, Shop and Bakery with stables | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1901 | Theatre | Stockbridge | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Conversion of roller skating rink to theatre |  | After 1901 | Factory for J Colton & Son Ltd | | | Edinburgh? | Scotland | |  | After 1901 | Factory for J Thyne & Son | | | Edinburgh? | Scotland | |  | After 1901 | Factory for James Dunbar & Son | | | Edinburgh? | Scotland | |  | After 1901 | Factory for McVitie & Price Ltd | | | Edinburgh? | Scotland | |  | After 1901 | St Cuthbert's Co-operative Society Bakeries | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | c. 1901 | St Cuthbert's Co-operative Association Premises | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1902 | National Bank of Scotland, Anstruther Branch | Anstruther | | Fife | Scotland | Possibly did extension |  | 1904 | Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Agriculture | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Enlargement of original premises |  | 1904 | National Bank of Scotland, Portobello Branch | Portobello | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1904 | National Bank of Scotland, Sauchiehall Street Branch | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1904 | People’s Bank, Forrest Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1904 | St Cuthbert's Wholesale Co-operative Association Headquarters | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Western extension |  | c. 1905 | Ardrossan EU Congregational Church | Ardrossan | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | February 1906 | National Bank of Scotland, St Enoch Square | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Prepared plans, but Paterson's were selected |  | 1907 | Tenement, 47-77 Bread Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1908 | Gresham Life Assurance and Merchant Company offices | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1909 | St Cuthbert's Co-operative Association Slaughterhouses and Cattle Depot | Gorgie | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | c. 1910 | Swinton Parish Church | Swinton | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Restoration |  | 1911 | National Bank of Scotland, Fort William Branch | Fort William | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | |  | 1912 | Suggested development for land to the north-west of Leith Walk | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1912 | Whitefoord House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions and alterations |  | 1913 | Callander House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations in conjunction with Scottish Naval and Military Veterans' Residence |  | 1913 | Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Agriculture | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1914 | St Cuthbert's Co-operative Association Department Store and Dairy | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Further extension and dairy |  | After 1920 | Star Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Possibly involved in unspecified work |  | 1922 | St Cuthbert's Wholesale Co-operative Association, dairy block | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1924(?) | Logie House | Forres | | Morayshire | Scotland | Reconstruction |  | 1925 | St Cuthbert's Co-operative Association Block of Shops and Hoses | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1926 | St Cuthbert's Wholesale Co-operative Association Headquarters | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New main doorway and internal alterations |  | Early 1920s | Seamill Hydropathic | Seamill | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Extensive additions |  | 1950 | Wilson's Institution | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | New frontage and internal alterations |  | 1951(?) | Premises for Edinburgh Press Club | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Conversion for Edinburgh Press Club |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | |  | Marwick, Thomas Purves | 1920 | Balbardie and Robert Adam | October 1920 | Architectural Review, October 1920 | |  | Post Office Directories | | | | | |  | Who's Who in Architecture | 1914 | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Builder | 8 July 1927 | v133 | | p73 |  | RIAS Quarterly | 1927 | | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | Undated obituary by an anonymous former pupil |  | RIBA Journal | 26 November 1927 | v35 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p60 |  | RIBA Journal | early 1927 | v34 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p697 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A v9 p42 (microfiche 34/C2) |  | Royal Bank of Scotland Group Archives | National Bank Board Minutes | | NS/22/33: 25 May 1893, 1 February 1894 |
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