Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert William Horn
Designation:  
Born: 4 September 1869
Died: 5 January 1932
Bio Notes: Robert William Horn was born on 4 September 1869, the son of Robert Horn, foreman boiler-maker, from Largo in Fife and his wife Margaret Allan from Inverkeithing. He was articled to H & D Barclay in 1884-89, reaching the position of chief assistant by the time of his leaving in 1896: he may have had some hand in the powerful neo-baroque designs of that office in the earlier 1890s. During his time with them he studied at Glasgow School of Art and Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College, passing the qualifying exam in November 1894. He was admitted ARIBA on 11 March 1895, his proposers being Campbell Douglas, John Honeyman and William Leiper, by which time he was teaching Building Construction at the Stirling School of Science and Art. Prior to that date his sketching tours had been limited to Scotland, but shortly thereafter he ventured further afield, visiting London, Cambridge, Oxford, York, Paris and towns in Holland.

Horn left the Barclays to join the staff of Glasgow Corporation in 1906, but continued to enter competitions, notably for the London County Council Offices where, in conjunction with John Alfred Taylor Houston, he reached the final tier in 1908. He became chief architect to the Housing Department in 1919, Assistant Director of Housing in 1923 and Director of Housing in 1929-31. He was admitted FRIBA in late 1928 or early 1929, his proposers being James Lochhead, John Maurice Arthur and John Wilson. Horn was married to Mary Eliza Blakely; they had one daughter Winnifred M Horn. He died of a perforated duodenal ulcer on 5 January 1932 at 5 Park Circus Glasgow. A comprehensive list of Horn's designs is difficult to assemble as much of his best work was carried out in the name of Alexander Beith Macdonald, City Engineer 1890, and City Surveyor 1891-1915.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 648, Old Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate18851887 
Item 2 of 640, Cranworth Street, Hillhead, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate19041925 
Item 3 of 6201, Kent Road, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1925  
Item 4 of 64, Alton Gardens, Hillhead, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1925  
Item 5 of 620, Trongate, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1928 *  
Item 6 of 630, Kersland Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate19281929 

* 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 7H & D Barclay15 December 18841889ApprenticeRemained as assistant and then chief assistant by 1896.
Item 2 of 7H & D Barclay18891892Assistant 
Item 3 of 7H & D Barclay18921895Chief Assistant 
Item 4 of 7Glasgow Office of Public Works Architectural Department (later Glasgow Corporation City Engineer's Department)January 18961919Architect 
Item 5 of 7Glasgow Office of Public Works Architectural Department (later Glasgow Corporation City Engineer's Department)19191923ArchitectChief Housing Architect
Item 6 of 7Glasgow Office of Public Works Architectural Department (later Glasgow Corporation City Engineer's Department)19231928ArchitectAssistant Director of Housing
Item 7 of 7Glasgow Office of Public Works Architectural Department (later Glasgow Corporation City Engineer's Department)1928 Director 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 5John Maurice ArthurLate 1928 or early 1929for Fellowship
Item 2 of 5Campbell Douglas11 March 1895for Associateship
Item 3 of 5John Honeyman11 March 1895for Associateship
Item 4 of 5William Leiper11 March 1895for Associateship
Item 5 of 5James LochheadLate 1928 or early 1929for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 5Andrew Rennie Crawford20 July 1911for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 5John Hogg FerrieEarly 1932for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 5John Galt1910for Licentiateship
Item 4 of 5William Kerr20 July 1911for Licentiateship
Item 5 of 5(Dr) Colin Sinclair6 June 1910for 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 161898City Improvement Trust warehouse  GlasgowScotlandThird premiated competition design (£50 premium)
Item 2 of 161902National Bank of Scotland and Square of Business ChambersShawlands GlasgowScotlandReconstruction and reerection (as assistant to City Surveyor - Robert William Horn mainly responsible)
Item 3 of 161903City Improvement Trust tenements, Adelphi Street, Muirhead Street etc  GlasgowScotlandProbably by Horn as assistant to McDonald
Item 4 of 161903Working Class Housing Scheme.(Architectural Competition)Hamilton   Awarded first premium
Item 5 of 161904City Improvement Trust tenements, Finnart Street and Franklin Street  GlasgowScotlandMay be by Horn as assistant to McDonald
Item 6 of 161904Kingston Halls and Public Library and police office  GlasgowScotlandHorn as assistant in City Surveyor's office - the drawings are by Horn
Item 7 of 161904Old Ship Bank building  GlasgowScotlandRemodelling (as assistant in City Surveyor's office)
Item 8 of 161905City Improvement Trust tenements, Cumbernauld Road  GlasgowScotlandWon competition (as assistant in Glasgow City Surveyor's Department), but McDonald took job back in house
Item 9 of 161907London County Hall  LondonEnglandCompetition design - reached final tier (in conjunction with John Alfred Taylor Houston)
Item 10 of 161912McLellan Art Gallery and warehouse  GlasgowScotlandReconstruction and extensive new galleries (working in Glasgow Office of Public Works)
Item 11 of 161912Warehouses for the City Improvement Trust  GlasgowScotlandProbably responsible for the extension of the scheme into Trongate following the burning of the Tontine Building (see Bailie reference)
Item 12 of 161913Riddrie Housing EstateRiddrie GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 161916Warehouses, High Street and Bell Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 14 of 161919Kennyhill and Riddrie Housing  GlasgowScotlandin the Corporation Housing Department
Item 15 of 16c. 1920Glasgow Housing competition, Mosspark housing estateMosspark GlasgowScotland 
Item 16 of 16193180 new housesLerwick ShetlandScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Post Office Directories     

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder1932  p172
Item 2 of 2RIBA Journal19 March 1932 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp406 Obituary by J H Ferrie

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 Birth and death dates etc from Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v13 p10, microfiche 58/F2; F no2657