Basic Biographical Details Name: | Frank Wood Johnston | Designation: | | Born: | 25 December 1906 | Died: | Before May 1994 | Bio Notes: | Frank Wood Johnston was born in Leith in 1906, the younger son of Joseph Marr Johnston. He was educated at George Watson’s College and studied part-time at the School of Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art. During this latter period he was articled to Stewart Kaye.
After qualification he joined his father’s practice. His father died in 1934 and the business was carried on by his elder brother James Stewart Johnston. During the Second World War he served in the War Department undertaking essential building and engineering work throughout the Borders. Although he worked in the family firm all his life he was not made a partner until 1946 (James Stewart Johnston had become a partner in 1930) when the firm became J & F Johnston.
Frank Wood Johnston’s main responsibility in the practice was industrial and commercial work, particularly for companies connected with the licensed trade. Many of his clientele became personal friends. He had a natural ability to get on with people and one of his responsibilities was handling staff matters within the office. He resigned his membership of the RIBA in 1977.
Outwith his professional life, Johnston was a good rugby player and a keen golfer. He was a member of the Royal Burgess Club for 65 years and took active interest in the administration of golf in the Edinburgh area, becoming President of the Lothian Golfing Association from 1959-60 and an international selector. He was later to become the sole surviving founding member of the Queen Elizabeth Coronation Cup which is competed for annually by former pupils of schools throughout the United Kingdom. He was also an ice skater and ballroom dancing champion
He died in 1994, survived by his wife Edith Florence Millar and his daughters Frances and Eileen and their families.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | | | | | 47, Charlotte Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1956 | | | | 32a (or 22a), Lauder Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | Before 1956 | 1994 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployers
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 | | 1938 | Berwickshire High School | Langtongate, Duns | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | Late 1930s | Stenhouse School | Stenhouse | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Begun at this date and probably deferred until after Second World War | | 1940s | Golden Wonder Crisps Factory | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1940s | Lamont's Engineering Works | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1947 | Ainslie Park High School | Pilton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Became partner in 1947 but may wll have worked on the scheme before this date. | | After 1947 | Property of R G Ritchie | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations? | | 1948 | Inchview Primary School | Pilton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Late 1940s | Factory for Messrs Donald Grant & Son | Sighthill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Late 1940s | Factory for Messrs P Nimmo & Sons | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Late 1940s | Factory for Messrs Paper Shavings Ltd | Granton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Late 1940s | Factory for Messrs Petrie (Aerated Waters Ltd) | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | Late 1940s | Factory for Scottish Prefaced Papers Ltd | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extensions proposed | | Late 1940s | Flour mill for David Gaudie & Son | Portobello | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Late 1940s | Leith Nautical College | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Addition of Radar Station | | Late 1940s | Roadhouse | Haddington | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | Late 1940s | Scottish Croast (Creast?) Lines Ltd | | | | Scotland | Proposed offices and factory | | 1951 | Premises, Niddrie Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1957 | Maritime House | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1960 | Goldbergs department store | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1960 | Golden Wonder Crisps Factory | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extensions to factory | | c. 1960 | 12 York Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Rear addition | | 1961 | Golden Wonder crisps factory | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | New Build | | Before 1962 | Gracemount School | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1963 | Telectra House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1964 | Roxburghe Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction - total cost £250,000 | | 1966 | Ardler Primary School | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1966 | Car showroom and repair shop for James Ross & Sons | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1966 | Central Area Redvelopment with shopping precinct, Regent Street | Hamilton | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1966 | Engineering works for Brown Brothers & Co Ltd | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1966 | Housing, Bonnyrigg | Bonnyrigg | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1966 | Housing, Spencerfield | Inverkeithing | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1966 | Housing, Stoneyburn | Stoneyburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1966 | Industrial Estate | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | c. 1966 | College of Commerce | Sighthill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1967 | Ainslie Park High School | Pilton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Boys' Vocational Unit | | 1967 | Bottling plant for Arthur Bell & Son, East Mains | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1967 | Finance House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1968 | Comprehensive School | South Queensferry | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | c. 1968 | Factory, Golden Wonder crisp manufacturer | | | | Holland | New storage facility | | c. 1968 | New office block for insurance company | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1969 | Stevenson College | Sighthill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1970s | Airport base for Danair | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | | | 1970s | Bank of Scotland, New Pitsligo branch | New Pitsligo | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Renovation | | 1970s | Devanha Gardens Nursing Home | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Extension | | 1970s | Engineering, research, training unit, dormitories, squash courts for Comex | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | | | 1970s | Harlaw House | Inverurie | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Restoration | | 1970s | Headquarters for Wharton Williams Diving | Dyce | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | | | 1970s | Heavy Goods Vehicle depot | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | | | 1970s | Offices and warehousing for Farquhar Builders | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | | | 1970s | Standard Life offices | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | | | 1970s | Timberland shop | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1970s | Timberland shop | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Alterations | | 1970s | Underwater instrumentation base | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | | | 1970s | Westings Hotel | Lerwick (near) | Mainland | Shetland | Scotland | Alterations and extension | | 1975 | Leith Nautical College and halls of residence | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1980 | Headquarters for Arthur Bell & Sons, whisky blenders, Cherrybank | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | unlikely to have been involved |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Bailey, Rebecca M | 1996 | Scottish architects' papers: a source book | | Edinburgh: The Rutland Press | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | RIAS Newsletter | March 1994 | 5, 4 | | Obituary | | RIAS Newsletter | May 1994 | v5, no4 | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | L no 6631 (Box 150) | |
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