Basic Biographical Details

Name: Gavin Lennox
Designation:  
Born: 21 February 1878
Died: 30 July 1956
Bio Notes: Gavin Lennox was born at Blackburn Hills, East Kilbride on 21 February 1878, the son of Gavin Lennox, farmer and his wife Margaret Allan who came from Hamilton. He was articled to James Smart of Perth in 1894. At the end of his apprenticeship he moved to Glasgow to work for Thomas Lennox Watson for eighteen months, 1900-1901, the civil engineers Formans & McCall for another eighteen months, c.1901-02, and finally Thomson & Sandilands for three years, 1903-06, which enabled him to study at the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College under Charles Gourlay.

In 1906 he formed a partnership with a colleague in Thomson & Sandilands' office, Daniel Walter MacMath, with an office at 103 Bath Street, Glasgow. MacMath had been born in 1880 and articled to A Lindsay Miller from 1895 to 1900 before joining Thomson & Sandilands, where he had been an assistant for six years. Both partners were admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects. The practice specialised in cinema and petrol station work, the firm being regional architects for the Regent Oil Company.

Lennox married Elizabeth Brough, a nurse at Stobhill Hospital, on 29 April 1913 at Maryhill Parish Church and a son, Gavin Strathearn Allan, was born on 8 October the following year.

Both Lennox and MacMath were admitted FRIBA in 1928, their proposers being James Kennedy Hunter, James Lochhead and William Brown Whitie. Lennox's son joined the practice in January 1939 and Lennox continued the practice under the existing title of Lennox & MacMath after the death of MacMath on 1 December 1948 until his own death of hypertension at Glasgow Royal Infirmary on 30 July 1956. His son Gavin Strathearn Allan Lennox continued the practice briefly, closing it in 1958.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 8103, Bath Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1906After 1940 
Item 2 of 81, Barloch Terrace, Milngavie, Dunbartonshire, ScotlandPrivate1910 *  
Item 3 of 8Helenbank, Muirhead, Chryston, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1911 *  
Item 4 of 8Salisbury Cottage, Chryston, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1913 *  
Item 5 of 8The Bield, Chryston, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1928 *  
Item 6 of 8140, Blythswood Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1948 *After 1950 
Item 7 of 838, Berkeley Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 19541956 
Item 8 of 828, Lindsaybeg Road, Chryston, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1956 *  

* 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 5James Smart1894c. 1900Apprentice 
Item 2 of 5Thomas Lennox Watson19001901Assistant 
Item 3 of 5Formans & McCall1901c. 1902(?)Assistant 
Item 4 of 5Thomson & Sandilands19031906Assistant 
Item 5 of 5Lennox & MacMath19061956Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 4James Kennedy Hunter11 March 1928for Fellowship
Item 2 of 4James Lochhead11 March 1928for Fellowship
Item 3 of 4William Brown Whitie11 March 1928for Fellowship
Item 4 of 4John Bennie Wilson20 July 1911for Licentiateship - as President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 10Herbert Mayer Barker22 April 1942for Fellowship
Item 2 of 10James Milne Munro Billing6 March 1939for Associateship
Item 3 of 10William Ernest Dickie3 April 1939for Licentiateship
Item 4 of 10Helen Lily Jackson (Mrs Johnston)21 June 1937for Associateship
Item 5 of 10Gavin Strathearn Allan Lennox6 March 1939for Associateship
Item 6 of 10Neil Burke Moir21 March 1944for Licentiateship
Item 7 of 10Jane Anderson Rutherford (née Welsh)21 October 1941For Associateship
Item 8 of 10William Hamilton Sanders6 March 1939for Associateship
Item 9 of 10William Hill Smith22 June 1948For Licentiateship
Item 10 of 10(Sir) Harry Anthony Wheeler (or simply Sir Anthony Wheeler)14 December 1948for Associateship

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 611894Good Templar HallPerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant to James Smart
Item 2 of 61After 1894Pumping StationPerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant to James Smart
Item 3 of 611897Grand Temperance Hotel and Associated BuildingsPerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant to James Smart
Item 4 of 61c. 1899Stobhill HospitalSpringburn GlasgowScotlandSecond premiated competition design (£150 premium), awarded commission - as apprentice to Thomson & Sandilands
Item 5 of 61c. 1900Broadoak HouseAccrington LancashireEnglandAs assistant to Thomas Lennox Watson
Item 6 of 61c. 1900Rosemount Buildings  GlasgowScotlandAs assistant to Thomas Lennox Watson
Item 7 of 611901Callander and Oban Railway Company, Station Buildings  Perthshire/ArgyllScotlandAs assistant to Formans & McCall
Item 8 of 611901Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway Company, Station buildings  LanarkshireScotlandAs assistant to Formans & McCall
Item 9 of 611901Paisley and Barrhead Railway Company, Station Buildings  RenfrewshireScotlandAs assistant to Formans & McCall
Item 10 of 611904Govan Combination Poorhouse and AsylumGovan GlasgowScotlandNurses' home and two additional ward blocks - as assistant to Thomson & Sandilands
Item 11 of 611904Warehouses for the City Improvement Trust  GlasgowScotlandAs assistant to Thomson & Sandilands
Item 12 of 61After 1906High SchoolBarrhead RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 13 of 61After 1906Housing scheme for Messrs Smith & Mclean Ltd   Scotland 
Item 14 of 61After 1906Housing scheme for the Burgh of BarrheadBarrhead RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 15 of 61After 1906Masonic HallGarnkirk GlasgowScotland 
Item 16 of 61After 1906Pollokshaws UP ChurchPollokshaws GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 17 of 61After 1906St Andrew's ChurchGartcosh GlasgowScotlandHall and extensions to church
Item 18 of 61c. 1906Cadder Elementary SchoolCadder LanarkshireScotland 
Item 19 of 61c. 1906Nitshill Public HallNitshill GlasgowScotland 
Item 20 of 61c. 1906Oakbank Buildings, MuirheadChryston LanarkshireScotland 
Item 21 of 61c. 1906Smallpox hospital for the County of Renfrew  RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 22 of 61c. 1906Villa at GiffnockGiffnock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 23 of 611907Perth Town HallPerth PerthshireScotlandCompetition design - unsuccessful
Item 24 of 611909Cairns HallsMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 
Item 25 of 611910Masonic TempleBarrhead RenfrewshireScotlandWon competition and secured job
Item 26 of 611913Co-operative Central OfficesKirkintilloch DunbartonshireScotlandWon competition and secured job
Item 27 of 611914Bridgend SchoolCadder LanarkshireScotlandWon competition to secure job
Item 28 of 61After 1918War memorialChyrston LanarkshireScotland 
Item 29 of 611920Picture HouseAyr AyrshireScotland 
Item 30 of 611922Housing scheme, Lower Ward  LanarkshireScotland 
Item 31 of 611922Thornliebank War MemorialThornliebank RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 32 of 61c. 1924Gartcosh SchoolGartcosh LanarkshireScotlandWon competition and secured job
Item 33 of 611927Oxford PlayhouseSpringburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 34 of 611929Balornock School  GlasgowScotland 
Item 35 of 611929Florida CinemaKing's Park GlasgowScotlandFirst proposals
Item 36 of 611930Crown CinemaGorbals GlasgowScotlandRebuilding
Item 37 of 611930Masonic HallRiddrie GlasgowScotland 
Item 38 of 611930Roxy Cinema  GlasgowScotland 
Item 39 of 611931Masonic TempleRenfrew RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 40 of 611932New Bedford Picture House, Eglinton Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 41 of 611933War Memorial Cottage (for nurse)Cadder LanarkshireScotland 
Item 42 of 611934Cabinet Factory for Messrs John McGregor & Sons LtdRenfrew RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 43 of 611935Granada CinemaParkhead GlasgowScotland 
Item 44 of 611935HallsBarrhead RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 45 of 611936Port Glasgow CinemaPort Glasgow RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 46 of 611936Regal CinemaDumbarton DunbartonshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 47 of 611936Samuel Dow's Bar  GlasgowScotland 
Item 48 of 611936Tudor CinemaGiffnock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 49 of 611937Blythswood Cinema  GlasgowScotlandReconstruction and additions
Item 50 of 611937ClinicBarrhead GlasgowScotland 
Item 51 of 611937HouseChrtyston LanarkshireScotland 
Item 52 of 611937HouseBishopbriggs LanarkshireScotland 
Item 53 of 611937Salisbury Cinema  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction and additions
Item 54 of 611938Regal CinemaMuirkirk AyrshireScotland 
Item 55 of 611938Rex CinemaNewmilns LanarkshireScotland 
Item 56 of 611939Globe CinemaJohnstone RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 57 of 611940Eaglesham SchoolEaglesham RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 58 of 611948Hoxton & Walsh Limited, Colvand Street   GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 59 of 611948New Stables Offices and Stores.not identified LanarkshireScotland 
Item 60 of 611948Premises York Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 61 of 611948Premises, Millbrae Road  GlasgowScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 7Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp 213 - mistakenly gives him his son's name (Gavin S A rather than just Gavin)
Item 2 of 7British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 3 of 7McKean, Charles1987The Scottish Thirties: An Architectural Introduction Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press 
Item 4 of 7Peter, Bruce1996100 Years of Glasgow's Amazing Cinemas Edinburgh: Polygon 
Item 5 of 7Post Office Directories     
Item 6 of 7RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 7 of 7Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSLennox & Mcmath Personal Papers  
Item 2 of 3Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Information on birth, marriage, death and addresses from research by Iain Paterson
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v19 no 1408; F no 2607 (box 9)