Basic Biographical Details

Name: Smart, Stewart & Mitchell
Designation:  
Born: 1924
Died: 1970s
Bio Notes: The firm of Smart Stewart & Mitchell grew out of the practice of David Smart, born in Alyth in 1824. It is not known where Smart was first apprenticed but 'for many years' he worked in the office of David Bryce. The office legend was that they quarrelled, resulting in Smart leaving to buy William Macdonald Mackenzie's Perth practice from his widow, and that the quarrel was quickly regretted and made up; Bryce presented Smart with a plaster copy of his bust by George McCallum, which was still in the entrance hall of their office in the 1960s.

Smart's early Scots baronial and Italian Renaissance work is indistinguishable from Bryce's. By the late 1870s his public and commercial buildings had become Victorian late classic with French roofs, a development perhaps associated with James Smart, who was either his nephew or his son and was his partner from at least 1887 as D & J Smart. This partnership was dissolved in 1895, probably due to a family disagreement relating to the readmission of John Walker Smart, James's son (born 1872), to the practice. John had been articled to his father in 1888 and had subsequent experience with Kinnear & Peddie in Edinburgh in 1892, with McLuckie & Walker in Stirling in 1893 and with Thomas Martin Cappon in Dundee in 1894. David retained the existing office at 42 Tay Street, Perth and James opened his own office at 28 York Place in the same town with his son as chief assistant, entering into partnership with him in 1900 as James Smart & Son.

On 1 January 1907 David Smart took into partnership his senior assistant Donald Alexander Stewart, born 1876, educated at Sharp's Institution, Perth, and articled to Smart from 1892 to 1896. The firm became known as Smart & Stewart.

Smart retired in or about 1911 at the age of 86 and died in 13 October 1914 at the age of ninety. Stewart continued the practice alone under the same name. In early 1911 he was admitted LRIBA, his proposers being George Penrose Kennedy Young and William Fleming Wilkie. In 1919 he employed Robert Matthew Mitchell as an assistant, taking him into partnership five years later, the firm name becoming Smart Stewart & Mitchell. Mitchell was slightly older, born in 1874 and had been apprenticed in a 'workshop' (presumably a joiner's). He was essentially self-taught, having gained a place in the office of James Graham Fairley in Edinburgh in 1896 without any formal apprenticeship. In 1898 he had moved to the Stirling firm of McLuckie and Walker and in 1901 had commenced practice at 27 King Street, Crieff. Owing to lack of business he had emigrated to Edmonton, Alberta, in 1911, securing admission as LRIBA on 20 July just prior to his departure. Whilst in Edmonton he had been employed first by Roland Walter Lines and then as chief draughtsman and subsequently chief architect to the Edmonton Public School Board. He had returned to Scotland on war service in 1916 and had chosen to remain.

Stewart died in January 1940, Mitchell continuing the practice alone. In 1947 Mitchell took into partnership James Morrison and Harold Carmichael Miller, although the firm name continued as Smart Stewart & Mitchell. Mitchell died on 28 September 1949.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 240, Tay Street, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandBusinessBefore 19291960sFirm's address as above in correspondence between 26 September 1961 and 26 May 1970; in correspondence between 21 December 1970 and 24 July 1973, the address is 36 George Street, Perth.
Item 2 of 236, George Street, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandBusiness1970After 1973 

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 9James Morrison 1946Assistant 
Item 2 of 9Alexander James Cruickshank1924April 1926Apprentice 
Item 3 of 9Donald Alexander Stewart1924Before 1940Partner 
Item 4 of 9Robert Matthew Mitchell19241949Partner 
Item 5 of 9Arthur Shields Fitzgerald29 November 1929 Assistant 
Item 6 of 9Harold Carmichael Miller19321937Apprentice 
Item 7 of 9Harold Carmichael Miller19371940Assistant 
Item 8 of 9Harold Carmichael Miller1946Before 1961Partner 
Item 9 of 9James Morrison19471970sPartner 

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 37After 1919Auchterarder Parish ChurchAuchterarder PerthshireScotlandNew aisle windows
Item 2 of 371920 or 1930Meikleour Hall and InstituteMeikleour Village PerthshireScotland 
Item 3 of 371921Auchterarder UF Church HallAuchterarder PerthshireScotland 
Item 4 of 37After 1923Perth Masonic TemplePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 5 of 371924Gannochy Housing EstatePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 6 of 371924Kincarrathie House, cricket pavilionPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 7 of 37After 1924(?)Business block for Messrs Campbell & McLagganPerth? Perthshire?ScotlandUnclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell
Item 8 of 37After 1924(?)Business block for Messrs Grove & SonsPerth? Perthshire?ScotlandUnclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell
Item 9 of 37After 1924(?)Masonic LodgeBlairgowrie PerthshireScotlandUnclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell
Item 10 of 37After 1924(?)Moncrieff Arms HotelBridge of Earn PerthshireScotlandReconstruction and additions - unclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell
Item 11 of 37After 1924(?)Sports pavilionPerth PerthshireScotlandUnclear whether done under Smart & Stewart or Smart, Stewart & Mitchell
Item 12 of 371925The Filling StationPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 13 of 37192612-16 St John's PlacePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 14 of 3719268 South St John PlacePerth PerthshireScotlandExtension
Item 15 of 371927Finlayson Memorial HallAuchterarder PerthshireScotland 
Item 16 of 371927Hillside HousePerth PerthshireScotlandAdditions
Item 17 of 371927Perth Savings BankPerth PerthshireScotlandExtensions
Item 18 of 371927Royal George HotelPerth PerthshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 19 of 371929James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum, Gilgal housePerth PerthshireScotlandWon competition to secure job
Item 20 of 371929Kinnoull Parish ChurchKinnoull PerthshireScotlandInterior recast
Item 21 of 371929The MonumentPerth PerthshireScotlandArt Gallery and Museum addition to south
Item 22 of 37193110-16 King Edward StreetPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 23 of 371931Comrie Free ChurchComrie PerthshireScotlandFurnishings
Item 24 of 371931Shop, St John StreetPerth PerthshireScotlandRemodelling of shop front
Item 25 of 371932Hillside HousePerth PerthshireScotlandAdditions to the north
Item 26 of 371933Premises of Garvie & SymePerth PerthshireScotlandNew shopfront
Item 27 of 371934152-156 South StreetPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 28 of 371934Perth UF ChurchPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 29 of 371937James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum, staff residencesPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 30 of 371937St Finnian's Episcopal ChurchLochgelly FifeScotland 
Item 31 of 371938Kilspindie Parish ChurchKilspindie PerthshireScotlandInterior recast
Item 32 of 371939Blairgowrie Golf Club, RosemountBlairgowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 33 of 371939James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum, nurses' homePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 34 of 371961Store and lock-up garages, The Garage, Station RoadErrol PerthshireScotlandProposed - not executed
Item 35 of 371968Farm Cottage, Burnfoot FarmKinfauns PerthshireScotland 
Item 36 of 371969Farm cottage, Mammiesroom FarmGrange, Errol PerthshireScotland 
Item 37 of 371971Bungalow, ChapelhillSt Maddoes PerthshireScotland 

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Builder26 January 1940  Obituary of Stewart
Item 2 of 3Municipal Engineering25 January 1940  Obituary of Stewart
Item 3 of 3RIBA JournalJanuary 1950v57London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp120 - obituary of Robert Matthew Mitchell

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3Courtesy of Peter Symon, from family firm archivesInformation sent to Dictionary Sent September 2016
Item 2 of 3Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Personal information from J Morrison and H C Miller
Item 3 of 3Smart, Stewart & Mitchell, Perth - in 1960s)Smart, Stewart & Mitchell Practice Drawings