Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Balderston Whyte
Designation:  
Born: 5 April 1882
Died: 31 December 1945
Bio Notes: James Balderston Whyte was born on 5 April 1882, probably in Paisley, the son of Robert Alexander Whyte, builder and Anna Clark Balderston. He was articled to Macwhannell & Rogerson of Glasgow in 1898, studying at Paisley School of Design, Glasgow & West of Scotland Technical College and Glasgow School of Art (1898-99, as James Whyte). On completion of his apprenticeship in 1904, by which time he had made study visits to England and mainland Europe, he was placed in charge of Macwhannell & Rogerson's branch office in Barrhead; from there he carried out Renfrewshire Combination Poorhouse, Neilston Parish School and made the second premiated competition designs for Dalziel Parish Combination Poorhouse. In 1906 he set up practice at 121 Bath Street, Glasgow in partnership with William Gordon Galloway (born 1880), who had likewise been articled to Macwhannell & Rogerson and had studied at Glasgow School of Art and Technical College.

Whyte and Galloway were both admitted LRIBA in March 1911, their proposers being Macwhannell, Rogerson and Andrew Graham Henderson, also from Macwhannell and Rogerson's office, who had passed the qualifying exam in 1909. Whyte & Galloway were architects to the episcopal diocese of Glasgow from about 1922 and were responsible for their suburban extension programme in the 1920s and 1930s. The earlier churches were in a modernist red sandstone lancet style, the later ones brick romanesque. Their commercial buildings were quite bold Art Deco, those for Claud Alexander - their main client - having faience facades.

Around 1937 an assistant, William Nicol, became a partner, the practice title changing to Whyte Galloway & Nicol, and shortly thereafter to Whyte & Nicol after Galloway withdrew.

Whyte married Margaret Heys of the prosperous Heys family, calico printers of Barrhead. He died of pleurisy and cardiac failure on 31 December 1945 at 12 Claremont Terrace, Glasgow, leaving moveable estate of £13,801 9s 8d.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 5The Moss, Rhu, Dunbartonshire, ScotlandPrivate  Date unknown
Item 2 of 5121, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1906After 1939 
Item 3 of 5Ardmillan, Paisley, Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1909After 1911 
Item 4 of 5Sunnybeach, Strone, Argyll, ScotlandPrivate1935 *  
Item 5 of 5Rogart, Garelochhead, Argyll/Dunbartonshire, ScotlandPrivate1945 *  

* 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 4Macwhannell & Rogerson18981904Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Whyte & Galloway1906c. 1937Partner 
Item 3 of 4Whyte Galloway & Nicol1937(?)1937Partner 
Item 4 of 4Whyte & Nicol (erroneously White & Nicol)c. 19371945Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Andrew Graham Henderson20 March 1911for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3Ninian Macwhannell20 March 1911for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3John Rogerson20 March 1911for Licentiateship

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 50After 1900Neilston Parish SchoolNeilston RenfrewshireScotlandCarried out work whilst in employment of Macwhannel & Rogerson
Item 2 of 501903Renfrewshire Combination PoorhouseCrookston RenfrewshireScotlandCarried out work whilst in employment of Macwhannel & Rogerson
Item 3 of 501904(?)Dalziel PoorhouseMotherwell LanarkshireScotlandSecond premiated competition design - prepared plans whilst in employment of Macwhannell & Rogerson
Item 4 of 50After 1906ClaremontPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandAdditions
Item 5 of 50After 1906Clock TowerMillportGreat CumbraeButeScotland 
Item 6 of 50After 1906CottagesClarkston GlasgowScotland 
Item 7 of 50After 1906CottagesDalmuir DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 8 of 50After 1906Dwellings for workmenDalmuir DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 9 of 50After 1906Glasgow and West of Scotland Garden City  Glasgow?ScotlandCommended design
Item 10 of 50After 1906HazelbankMillportGreat CumbraeButeScotlandAdditions
Item 11 of 50After 1906HousePaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 12 of 50After 1906Lanfine  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 13 of 50After 1906London WorksRenfrew RenfrewshireScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 14 of 50After 1906Offices for Messrs Crow, Harvey & Co  GlasgowScotlandReconstruction
Item 15 of 50After 1906Paisley Convalescent HomeWest Kilbride AyrshireScotlandAlterations
Item 16 of 50After 1906Premises for Messrs R B Lindsay & Co  GlasgowScotland 
Item 17 of 50After 1906Thread Street UF ChurchPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandAdditions
Item 18 of 50After 1906Viewfield  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 19 of 501907Laighpark WorksPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandAddition
Item 20 of 501907Offices and stores  GlasgowScotland 
Item 21 of 501908Motherwell Parish Council OfficesMotherwell LanarkshireScotlandSecond premiated design
Item 22 of 501909Kibble InstitutionPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 23 of 501910The Nineteenth Hole Public Bar with tenementRenfrew RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 24 of 501911DunardDarvel AyrshireScotland 
Item 25 of 501912Clydesdale Engineering Works  GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 26 of 501913Laighpark WorksPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandAdditions
Item 27 of 501913Picture Palace, Main StreetNewmilns AyrshireScotland 
Item 28 of 501920St Oswald's Episcopal ChurchKing's Park GlasgowScotland 
Item 29 of 501922St Margaret's Episcopal ChurchNewlands GlasgowScotlandCompletion of chancel to Chalmers' design
Item 30 of 501923CapellePaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 31 of 501924St Aidan's ChurchClarkston GlasgowScotland 
Item 32 of 501926Holy Trinity Episcopal Church  GlasgowScotland 
Item 33 of 501928Drapery warehouse  GlasgowScotlandUpper storey added
Item 34 of 501929Georgic Restaurant  GlasgowScotlandComplete rebuilding
Item 35 of 501929Stow CollegeCowcaddens GlasgowScotland 
Item 36 of 501930Garnethill School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 37 of 501931Picture HouseAuchinleck AyrshireScotland 
Item 38 of 501932SyplandWhitecraigs GlasgowScotland 
Item 39 of 501933Episcopal ChurchShettleston GlasgowScotland 
Item 40 of 501933Shawbridge Ham FactoryPollokshaws GlasgowScotland 
Item 41 of 501934Cinema officesShettleston GlasgowScotland 
Item 42 of 501934St Margaret's Episcopal ChurchNewlands GlasgowScotlandCompletion of tower omitting Chalmers' spire
Item 43 of 501934St Serf's Episcopal Church  GlasgowScotland 
Item 44 of 50Before 1935St Barnabas Episcopal ChurchDennistoun GlasgowScotland 
Item 45 of 50c. 1935Claud Alexander Building  DundeeScotland 
Item 46 of 501937Warehouse for Sloan & Co LtdKirkcaldy FifeScotland 
Item 47 of 50After 1937Draper's shopAirdrie LanarkshireScotland 
Item 48 of 50c. 1937Marlborough House  GlasgowScotland 
Item 49 of 50193897-99 High StreetDumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 50 of 501938Premises for Claude AlexanderShotts LanarkshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 4RIBA1930The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 4RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 4Who'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 Additional information on family, death etc. from research by Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v13 no869