Basic Biographical Details

Name: Macwhannell & Rogerson
Designation:  
Born: 1888(?)
Died: 1908
Bio Notes: Ninian Macwhannell was born in Hutchesontown on 15 October 1860, son of John Macwhannell, Treasurer and later Secretary of the Glasgow School Board, and Elizabeth Parker. He was educated at Glasgow High School and was articled to Alexander Petrie in 1877, remaining as assistant until 1884 and latterly studying at Glasgow School of Art (1881 to 1884). Thereafter he spent a year as chief draughtsman to Charles Davidson of Paisley before commencing practice in 1885. John Rogerson, his partner from c.1888, was born about 1862, the son of Provost David Rogerson of Dumbarton and Mary Roy, and was principally responsible for the designs of the partnership. Like Macwhannell, Rogerson was an apprentice in Petrie's office, which he entered at the age of twenty in 1882 for four years, remaining as assistant for a further two years and three months. During that period he studied at Anderson's College and Glasgow School of Art, passing the qualifying exam in 1889. He was admitted ARIBA on 13 January 1890, his proposers being James Archibald Morris of Ayr, John Burnet Senior and Thomas Lennox Watson. Macwhannell married Elizabeth Sellars Mason, daughter of Robert Mason, master plumber, on 15 January 1890 at 4 Provan Place: they had one daughter.

Macwhannell was a man of exceptionally wide business and social interests. In 1885 he was a keen footballer in the Queens Park team; in 1901 he was very oddly Deacon of the Fleshers Incorporation; and he served in various positions of civic responsibility later in life. He was well known for his love of the Doric, and was much in demand as a reader, reciter and lecturer. He was not admitted FRIBA until 3 December 1906, his proposers being James Milne Monro, Robert Douglas Sandilands (also from Petrie's office) and C J MacLean. At various times he was Head of the Scottish National Song Society, Preses of the Grand Antiquity Society, and President of the Glasgow District Branch of the Rationalist Press Association.

In his earlier years Rogerson was an enthusiastic volunteer and later territorial, being awarded the TD for his services. Because his work consisted mainly of suburban schools and hospitals rather than city-centre buildings, he has been somewhat underrated as an architect, his best work being comparable with that of Morris in a similar Scots Renaissance-inspired idiom.

In 1888 John Andrew Reid joined the firm as an apprentice. Reid was born on 1 October 1870 and was initially articled to James Boucher before transferring to the Macwhannell & Rogerson practice. He attended classes at Glasgow School of Art and Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College, where he became a lecturer in building construction under Charles Gourlay. He remained with Macwhannell & Rogerson as assistant until he was taken into partnership in 1908. The practice title then changed to Macwhannell Rogerson & Reid.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 158, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1890After 1911 

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 7John Andrew Reid1888c. 1892ApprenticeRemained as assistant until 1908
Item 2 of 7John Rogersonc. 18881908Partner 
Item 3 of 7John Andrew Reidc. 18921908Chief Draughtsman 
Item 4 of 7James Austen Laird18941898Apprentice 
Item 5 of 7James Balderston Whyte18981904Apprentice 
Item 6 of 7Andrew Graham HendersonJuly 1898September 1903Apprentice 
Item 7 of 7William Gordon GallowaySeptember 19001906(?)Apprentice 

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 391888(?)Clyde Dye Works  GlasgowScotlandAddition
Item 2 of 391888Engineering Works, James Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 3 of 391888Greenhead Weaving Factory  GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 39After 1888(?)Barrachuie InnBarrachuie/Barachuie LanarkshireScotlandMay have been done by Macwhannel independently
Item 5 of 39After 1888(?)TenementsPollokshaws GlasgowScotlandMay have been done by Macwhannel independently
Item 6 of 39After 1888(?)VillaBarrhead RenfrewshireScotlandMay have been done by Macwhannel independently
Item 7 of 39After 1888(?)VillaNewlands GlasgowScotlandMay have been done by Macwhannel independently
Item 8 of 391891Engineering Works, James Street  GlasgowScotland£1,000 additions
Item 9 of 391891Tureen Street SchoolCalton GlasgowScotlandJanitor's house and offices
Item 10 of 391893Cottage AlmshousesLiberton EdinburghScotland 
Item 11 of 391895Glasgow Samaritan Hospital for Women  GlasgowScotland 
Item 12 of 391897Alexandra Parade School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 391897Carron Grange HouseStenhousemuir StirlingshireScotland 
Item 14 of 391899Dr Little HospitalDumbarton DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 15 of 391900Stobhill HospitalSpringburn GlasgowScotlandFourth premiated competition design (£50 premium)
Item 16 of 39After 1900Neilston Parish SchoolNeilston RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 17 of 39After 1900VillaDumbreck GlasgowScotlandWilliam Gordon Galloway carried out the work, whilst apprentice/assistant
Item 18 of 391901Barony PoorhouseForesthill GlasgowScotlandAdditions
Item 19 of 391901John Street SchoolBridgeton GlasgowScotland£15,000 additions
Item 20 of 391902Burgh Police Buildings and Court HallBarrhead RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 21 of 391903Quarrybrae SchoolParkhead GlasgowScotland 
Item 22 of 391903Renfrewshire Combination PoorhouseCrookston RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 23 of 391903University of Glasgow, New Medical Buildings  GlasgowScotland 
Item 24 of 391903Western District HospitalOakbank GlasgowScotlandNarrowly missed winning commission
Item 25 of 39c. 1903ArnhallWhiting BayArranButeScotland 
Item 26 of 391904(?)Dalziel PoorhouseMotherwell LanarkshireScotlandSecond premiated competition design
Item 27 of 391904Glasgow Samaritan Hospital for Women, Alice Mary Corbett Memorial Nurses' Home  GlasgowScotland 
Item 28 of 391904Greenhead House for Mr McPhailCalton GlasgowScotlandWorkshops, drill hall and janitor's house
Item 29 of 391904St Mungo Vintners Co Bar  GlasgowScotland 
Item 30 of 391904Workshops, 63 Ladywell Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 31 of 391905Buchanan Institute  GlasgowScotlandAdditions including Workshops, drill hall, janitor's house
Item 32 of 39After 1906Golf HousePollok GlasgowScotlandWilliam Gordon Galloway carried out the work, whilst apprentice/assistant
Item 33 of 391907Glasgow Samaritan Hospital for Women  GlasgowScotlandNew ward block
Item 34 of 391908Terraced houses, Athol Place, Bath Street  GlasgowScotlandWest end altered
Item 35 of 39Before 1908Villa, Albert Drive and Springkell AvenuePollokshields GlasgowScotlandDate unknown
Item 36 of 391910Masonic TempleBarrhead RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 37 of 39Before 1923Gate Lodge at Thornliebank CemeteryThornliebank RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 38 of 39Before 1923House near LarbertLarbert StirlingshireScotland 
Item 39 of 391936Dunoon HydropathicDunoon ArgyllScotlandExtension

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Walker, Frank Arneil1986South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew  p41