Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Lowe
Designation:  
Born: 1866
Died: November 1922
Bio Notes: James Lowe was born in 1866 and articled to Ireland & Maclaren of Dundee in 1882. On completing his apprenticeship in 1887 he found employment as an assistant in the office of Robert Blackadder, where he learned the civil engineering side of the business. After two years there he left to become an assistant to James Hendry Langlands Senior, who had been apprentice and assistant with Ireland & Maclaren and had taken over the firm's offices after the deaths of the two partners. Lowe remained with Langlands until 1901 when he set up practice on his own account. His offices were at 104 Commercial Street, Dundee, and remained there for the rest of the practice's existence.

Lowe was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by William Fleming Wilkie and the Dundee Institute of Architects. By that time he was living at Duncraggan, a house he had built for himself in Blairgowrie where he had particularly good connections and subsequently opened a branch office. Shortly before his death in November 1922, Lowe took his son Robert William Lowe (born 1899) and his assistant Alexander Corbett Barrie into partnership; the two continued the practice thereafter, with Barrie as senior partner. The firm is generally referred to as Lowe & Barrie but appears also to have been known as James Lowe & Co.

Lowe and Barrie were primarily civil engineers. Like William Bruce Dickie Keith they called on Vernon Constable when sophisticated work was required, as at the alterations to A & S Henry's and the Masonic Hall, Tullideph Road, both in Dundee.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 481, Murraygate, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness   
Item 2 of 4Roselea, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivate1899 *  
Item 3 of 4Duncraggan, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivateLate 1800sAfter 1911 
Item 4 of 4104, Commercial Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness19011922 

* 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 4Ireland & Maclaren18821887Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Robert Blackadder18871889Assistant 
Item 3 of 4James Hendry Langlands (senior)18891901Assistant 
Item 4 of 4Lowe & Barrie1922November 1922Partner 

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 4Alexander Corbett BarrieJuly 19081913Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Alexander Corbett Barrie1913Before 1922Assistant 
Item 3 of 4Robert William Lowe1916c. 1921Apprentice 
Item 4 of 4Robert William Lowec. 19211922AssistantPresumably assistant between apprenticeship and partnership

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1William Fleming Wilkie20 July 1911for Licentiateship - as President of the Dundee Institute of Architects

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 14Late 1800sDuncragganBlairgowrie PerthshireScotlandFor himself
Item 2 of 141901The ShianRosemount, Blairgowrie PerthshireScotland'Possibly' (HS)
Item 3 of 14After 1901BroomfieldBlairgowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 4 of 14After 1901CammochGlenisla AngusScotland 
Item 5 of 14After 1901CorrunnanFort William Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 6 of 14After 1901GarrymoreBlairgowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 7 of 14After 1901Margarten  EdinburghScotland 
Item 8 of 14After 1901MuirtonBlairgowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 9 of 14After 1901NorthglandsBlairgowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 10 of 14After 1901St Martins Church  DundeeScotland 
Item 11 of 14After 1901Tenements, Polepark  DundeeScotland 
Item 12 of 14After 1901Villa for J M Hodge EsqBridge of Cally PerthshireScotland 
Item 13 of 141906St Salvadors Episcopal Church and Hall  DundeeScotlandExternal repair
Item 14 of 141911The Victoria Road Calender  DundeeScotlandNew doorway, marble staircase and office suite

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 2Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Evening Telegraph15 February 1899   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v19 no1428