Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Graham Fairley | Designation: | | Born: | 1846 | Died: | 6 April 1934 | Bio Notes: | James Graham Fairley was born in 1846 at West Calder, the eldest son of William Fairley, millwright and engineer, and his wife Elizabeth Graham. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy and his training commenced with four years of practical building experience in his father's business. This was followed by an apprenticeship with Robert Thornton Shiells and four years in the office of Charles MacPherson, Edinburgh's City Engineer, during which period he attended classes in engineering at the University of Edinburgh. Fellow students in his classes at University included Charles Doyle, father of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson.
Thereafter Fairley spent six months in London, working in the War Office as senior draughtsman to Sir Edmund Frederick du Cane in 1873 before setting up practice as an architect on his own account at 21 Rintoul Place, Edinburgh. At some point in his earlier years he travelled in France and Italy and was admitted ARIBA on 19 February 1877, his proposers being William Mackison (Dundee's Burgh Engineer), Robert Rowand Anderson and Edward Robert Robson.
In mid-1876 Fairley entered into a partnership with Alexander McCulloch whom he had known in the City Engineer's office. McCulloch was senior partner and based in Dundee and provided civil and structural engineering services, and Fairley was in Edinburgh at 1 (later 6) India Buildings, dealing mainly with the architectural work of the partnership. The formal partnership was brief, ending around 1880, but fairly continued to provide McCulloch with architectural services for at least another decade.
Fairley was advanced to Fellow of the RIBA on 13 June 1892, his proposers being John Bryce, William Mackison and Leslie Ower. His practice was primarily West Lothian and Dundee-based, but he also had connections in the United States where he designed two very large houses that have not been identified. Fairley's practice declined in volume after 1904 and from at least 1910 he practised from his house in Portobello. He retired completely in 1915, his sole work after that date being St Philip's Free Church Hall near his home. However, he continued to exhibit his designs at the Paris Salon, gaining an honourable mention in 1922 and a bronze medal in 1923.
Fairley travelled widely, particularly in Northern France, the architecture of which strongly influenced his Gothic work, and in Italy. He also travelled in South America. He was a prominent antiquary as a member of the Old Edinburgh and Rymour Clubs, and was also a member of the Scottish Geographical Society.
Fairley died at his home, the Bield, 47 Abercorn Terrace, Portobello on 6 April 1934. He left moveable estate of £3,992 1s 3d. Copies of portrait photographs and his sketches held by his daughter Miss J G Fairley, are in the NMRS.
Publication:
'Plea for the Principle of Restoration', British Architect, 3 May 1878 | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 21, Rintoul Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | 1873 | 1874 | House and office | | 1, India Buildings, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1875 | 1880(?) | | | 6, India Buildings, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1881 | 1904 | This is from RSA catalogues | | 3, Bernard Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1908 | c. 1910 | Temporary address | | The Bield/47, Abercorn Terrace, Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | c. 1910 | c. 1933 | House and private office | | 1, India Buildings, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1911 | | | | 122, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1912 | c. 1914 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or Pupils
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | | The Bield | Joppa | | Edinburgh | Scotland | For himself - date unknown | | 1871 | West Calder UP Church and Manse | West Calder | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1874 | Broxburn Village Hall and Institute | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1875 | Victoria Hall | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1876 | Rattray Street Baptist Church | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1876 | School | Armadale | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1876 | Trinity EU Church | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1877 | Improvement Act Tenements, Victoria Road | | | Dundee | Scotland | Executed Aitken's design | | 1877 | Tenement, Victoria Road | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1877 | Tenement, Victoria Road and Infirmary Lane | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1878 | School for Benhar Coal Corporation | Benhar | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1878 | School for West Calder Ore Corporation | West Calder | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1879 | Juniper Green Free Church | Juniper Green | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1879 | UP Church, Portobello | Portobello | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design | | 1880 | Colinton and Currie Free Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1880 | St Mary's RC Church | Ratho | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1881 | New Church near Edinburgh, Unidentified | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1881 | Pavilion at Corstorphine for Edinburgh University Athletic Club | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | c. 1882 | Bathgate Public School | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1883 | Balerno UP Church | Balerno | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1883 | RC Chapel | Ratho | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1884 | Co-operative Stores | West Calder | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1884 | St Paul's Church | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New design for church - executed | | 1885 | RC School | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1886 | 'Selected Design for New Church' | | | | | | | 1886 | Buccleuch Memorial and Science and Art School | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1886 | High School for Girls | | | Dundee | Scotland | Claims to have worked with McCulloch although no longer in partnership officially | | 1886 | School | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1889 | Village Church | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | McWilliam gives this date for the church in Station Road but that is clearly not correct. It must refer to the work in 1889-90 by James Graham Fairley on this church. | | 1890 | Uphall Chapel of Ease | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | This is incorrect. Date and architect from McWilliam. Must actually refer to a different church. | | 1890 | Ward Road public gymnasium | | | Dundee | Scotland | Designed by Fairley; executed by McCulloch | | 1891 | Carshongal | West Calder | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1891 | Glen Lodge | | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1891 | St John's RC School | Fauldhouse | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1892 | Edinburgh Free Library | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design | | 1892 | Kirkbrae House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction as house for cab hirer James Stewart (stables at 6 Bell's Brae). | | After 1892(?) | West Calder Infants School | West Calder | | Midlothian | Scotland | Probably responsible - with David Sharpe as apprentice | | 1893 | Village Church | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | Reconstruction and enlargement of church | | 1894 | Addiewell Board School | Addiewell | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1894 | EU Congregational Church, Marjoribanks Street | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1894 | Free Church Mission Hall, Uphall | Uphall | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1894 | UP Church | | | Dundee | Scotland | Remodelling | | 1896 | Mayfield UP Church | Mayfield | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1896 | St David's EU Church | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1897 | Sacred Heart RC Church | Cramond | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1897 | Senior School | West Calder | | Midlothian | Scotland | Design exhibited | | 1897 | Suburban Residence, Massachusetts | | | Massachusetts | United States of America | | | 1898 | St Patrick's RC Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Interior realignment and new chancel | | 1898 | Suburban Residence, Washington | | | Washington, DC | United States of America | | | 1899 | Bathgate Town Hall | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | Design exhibited | | 1899 | Business Premises, West Calder | West Calder | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1900 | Broxburn UP Church | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | Proposed new church | | 1900 | Highland Country House | | | | Scotland | Proposed addition | | 1900 | Linlithgow Academy | Linlithgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1901 | Bathgate Co-operative Society building | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1901 | Blackridge Church | Blackridge | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1901 | Public School | Livingston | | West Lothian | Scotland | Additions | | 1903 | St Paul's Church | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations - sanctuary deepened | | 1904 | St David's EU Church | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | Further work? | | 1904 | Torphichen Street Board School | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | c. 1904 | Dreadnought Hotel | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | c. 1904 | Hartwood UF Church | | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | c. 1905 | Inch House | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1909 | Bellsquarry School | Livingston | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1909 | Cross Tavern | Whitburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1910 | Mayfield UP Church | Mayfield | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Completion | | 1910 | Solsgirth House | | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | Restoration and additions | | 1910 | St David's EU Church | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | Design exhibited | | 1911 | School | Armadale | | West Lothian | Scotland | Large extension - much larger than original building of 1870s. | | 1913 | Design for Public Memorial | | | | | Design exhibited | | 1913 | St David's EU Church | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | Design exhibited | | 1924 | St Philip's Free Church Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Gorman, James | 2010 | St David's Church, Bathgate and its architect J Graham Fairley | | | | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1923 | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | British Architect | 3 May 1878 | | | 'Plea for the Principle of Restoration', written by Fairley | | Builder | 17 April 1934 | | | Obituary | | RIBA Journal | 7 July 1934 | v41 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p890 - obituary | | Scotsman | 16 April 1934 | | | Obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Collection of personal papers of J Graham Fairley | | Relate to attendance at Edinburgh Academy (although he does not appear in Edinburgh Academy Register) and the University of Edinburgh and exhibiting at Le Salon, Paris 1922 and 1923 | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A v5 p127, microfiche 21/D5; F v11 p125, microfiche 113/B1 |
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