Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Macgregor
Designation:  
Born: 12 July 1889
Died: 18 March 1953
Bio Notes: James Macgregor was born on 12 July 1889, the son of James and Janet Macgregor of Garvock Hill, Dunfermline. He was articled to Williamson & Inglis of Kirkcaldy from 1904 to 1909. In 1910 he moved to Edinburgh to study full-time at Edinburgh College of Art and Heriot-Watt College. He became a draughtsman to Hippolyte Jean Blanc in 1911, obtaining the Pugin Studentship in 1912 and passing the qualifying exam in 1914. In that year he moved to London as a draughtsman to Sir Edwin Lutyens and was admitted ARIBA, his proposers being Blanc and Sir Edwin Cooper, and Lutyens, who wrote of Macgregor in his supporting statement: 'he does great credit to the Edinburgh College of Art where he was a student'.

Macgregor travelled in India in 1914 and 1915, and his subsequent war service prevented him from continuing with his career until 1919 when he commenced independent practice in London. He soon moved into teaching, serving as senior master in design and lecturer in mediaeval architecture at the University of Manchester in 1921-23, and studio master at the Architectural Association 1926-33, whilst holding in parallel the post of lecturer in architectural history and design at the LCC School of Building, 1931-33. In the latter year he moved back to Edinburgh as head of the School of Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art. He was elected FRIBA on 22 June 1936, his proposers being John Begg, Frank Charles Mears and Arthur Forman Balfour Paul. He became Head of the School of Architecture in Cambridge from January 1937, a post he held until his death in March 1953.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 614, Viewfield Terrace, Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandPrivate1914 *  
Item 2 of 6London, EnglandBusiness19191921 
Item 3 of 6Manchester, EnglandBusiness1921c. 1923 
Item 4 of 6London, EnglandBusinessc. 19231933 
Item 5 of 648, Ann Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1936After 1938 
Item 6 of 6Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, EnglandBusiness19371953 

* 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 3Williamson & Inglis19041909Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3Hippolyte Jean Blanc1910c. 1914Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 3Edwin Landseer Lutyens19141915Draughtsman 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6John Begg22 June 1936for Fellowship
Item 2 of 6Hippolyte Jean BlancLate 1914for Associateship
Item 3 of 6(Sir) Thomas Edwin Cooper (or Edwin Cooper)Late 1914for Associateship
Item 4 of 6Edwin Landseer LutyensLate 1914for Associateship
Item 5 of 6(Sir) Frank Charles Mears22 June 1936for Fellowship
Item 6 of 6Arthur Forman Balfour Paul22 June 1936for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 21Elizabeth Senga Aglen12 December 1940for Associateship
Item 2 of 21William Robertson Annan3 April 1939for Associateship
Item 3 of 21Douglas Carr Bailey14 May 1942for Associateship
Item 4 of 21Maurice Joseph Brown3 April 1939for Associateship
Item 5 of 21Colin Campbell Fraser9 February 1937for Associateship
Item 6 of 21John Lyon Gauldie9 May 1938for Associateship
Item 7 of 21Ian Sinclair Gavin7 March 1938for Associateship
Item 8 of 21Alexander Murray Graham8 March 1937for Associateship
Item 9 of 21James (or Hamish) Ponton Hastie30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 10 of 21Alexander Whitelaw Jardine6 December 1936for Associateship
Item 11 of 21George Alexander Lyall9 February 1937for Associateship
Item 12 of 21John ('Jack') Airey MacMinn11 February 1947for Licentiateship
Item 13 of 21Philip Edward Joseph McManus (later Phillip or Philipp Edouard McManis)30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 14 of 21John Adam McMorland24 October 1938For Associateship
Item 15 of 21John Eric Moore4 April 1938for Associateship
Item 16 of 21Jackson Nisbet Pollock9 February 1936for Associateship
Item 17 of 21William Alexander Bruce Robertson10 January 1938for Associateship
Item 18 of 21William Leslie Roworth3 April 1939for Associateship
Item 19 of 21James Lees Somerville6 March 1939for Associateship
Item 20 of 21John Guthrie Tulloch9 February 1937for Associateship
Item 21 of 21James Dickson Young30 November 1936for 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 51920Cross Keys HouseReading (near) BerkshireEngland 
Item 2 of 51922HouseDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 3 of 51922Pavilion, Manchester University Union  ManchesterEngland 
Item 4 of 51930Flats and shopsHarrow MiddlesexEngland 
Item 5 of 51932Flats and shopsWallington Berkshire?England 

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 2Scottish Biographies1938  E J Thurston (pub.) 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Builder27 March 1953v184 p500 - obituary
Item 2 of 3RIBA JournalAugust 1953 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp426 - obituary
Item 3 of 3The Times24 March 1953  Obituary

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 A v22 no2559 (microfilm reel 22); F no3344 (box 21)