Basic Biographical Details

Name: Maclaren Sons & Soutar
Designation:  
Born: 1908
Died: 1920
Bio Notes: John Turnbull Maclaren was born in Monifieth, Angus on 19 April 1863, the son of James Maclaren, architect, Dundee, and Jemima Margaret Miller. He was sent to an unspecified office in the United States to gain experience, returning to Dundee on his father's death in 1893 to continue the family firm with his brother, George Gordon Maclaren.

After George Gordon Maclaren's death on 31 June 1899, John Turnbull Maclaren continued the practice as sole practitioner into the early years of the twentieth century but his American experience was not significantly reflected in the firm's buildings. The more ambitious designs of the later 1890s and early 1900s were known to be the work of Andrew Graham Patrick, born in Perth in 1864. He had been recruited as leading draughtsman from David Smart's office in Perth in 1894. He had attracted the Maclarens' notice by winning an open competition at Port Townsend, USA, but his fiancée had declined to emigrate with him.

In 1908 Maclaren took Charles Geddes Soutar into partnership, a move which took the practice back into the premier league, the office now being at 10 Reform Street. Soutar was born in 1878 of a Forfar family and apprenticed to Charles & Leslie Ower, 1892-98, latterly working under William Gillespie Lamond by whom he was profoundly influenced. During this period he took classes at Dundee Technical College, latterly under Patrick Hill Thoms who also had a considerable influence on the development of his domestic style. In 1899 following the break-up of the Charles & Leslie Ower partnership he moved to the office of John Murray Robertson to widen his experience, but returned to Leslie Ower in 1900, remaining with him as chief assistant until 1902, from which year he practised on his own account with some success. He remained on good terms with Charles Ower, for whom he designed Aystree in 1903. With his white or cream suits and stylish boating hats, Soutar brought a breath of fresh air to the Maclaren Sons & Soutar practice, which had remained somewhat staid despite the recruitment of Patrick: a staff photograph of around the time of the partnership's formation, now in the RCAHMS, well illustrates the difference between the partners, Maclaren being a portly figure in a sombre city suit.

In 1920 the practice merged with J & F Salmond, a firm of civil engineers, land surveyors and architects based at 6 High Street, the firm now becoming Maclaren Soutar Salmond with John Turnbull Maclaren, Charles Geddes Soutar and William Salmond as partners.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 110, Reform Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness   

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 6John Turnbull Maclaren19081920Partner 
Item 2 of 6Charles Geddes Soutar19081920Partner 
Item 3 of 6Andrew Graham Patrick19081920Draughtsman 
Item 4 of 6William Clark1909 or 19101910Assistant 
Item 5 of 6James Smith Leslie19131920AssistantWith the exception of war service, 1915-19
Item 6 of 6James Stratton Paterson19141920ApprenticeWith the exception of war service, 1915 to 1918

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 281908Caxton House Printing Premises  DundeeScotland 
Item 2 of 281909Sanatorium     
Item 3 of 281909South Church HallsMonifieth Angus  
Item 4 of 281909Terrace with shops, Gray StreetBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandShopfront and attic added
Item 5 of 281909TighnamuirinMonifieth AngusScotlandMotor House
Item 6 of 281909Tillyloss  DundeeScotland 
Item 7 of 281910CraigiebarnsWest Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 8 of 281910Grove AcademyBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandAddition
Item 9 of 281910Kinloch HouseMeigle PerthshireScotlandAlterations - new wing, new stairhall within service court, new entrance, general remodelling of interior- also probably lodge
Item 10 of 281911Murroes and Tealing Parish Church Hall and LibraryTealing AngusScotland 
Item 11 of 281911The KnollWest Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 12 of 281911Wester KinlochAmulree PerthshireScotlandDesign for dining room panelling
Item 13 of 281912BenholmForfar AngusScotlandAdditions
Item 14 of 281912School for Physically and Mentally Defective ChildrenDownfield DundeeScotlandCompetition design
Item 15 of 281912St Margaret's ManseBarnhill DundeeScotland 
Item 16 of 281912White ThornsWest Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 17 of 28c. 1912St Margaret's Church, BarnhillBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandPulpit - Soutar responsible
Item 18 of 281913Broadcroft  DundeeScotland 
Item 19 of 281913East UF Church HallBroughty Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 20 of 281913Fairmuir Special SchoolFairmuir DundeeScotlandWon competition and secured job
Item 21 of 281913Noranside SanatoriumNoranside AngusScotland 
Item 22 of 281914Offices, Hillside Works  DundeeScotlandReconstruction
Item 23 of 281915St Joseph's RC School  DundeeScotlandWon competition and secured job
Item 24 of 281919ChellwoodMonifieth AngusScotlandAddition of billiard room
Item 25 of 281919Logie Housing Scheme  DundeeScotlandDesigned some areas within Logie.
Item 26 of 281919Royal Insurance Company offices  DundeeScotland 
Item 27 of 281919Royalty Cinema  DundeeScotland 
Item 28 of 281920Meigle Cottage HospitalMeigle PerthshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Dundee Yearbook1893   James Maclaren obituary

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Builder12 April 1948  John T Maclaren
Item 2 of 4Dundee AdvertiserJuly 1899  George Gordon Maclaren (cutting in NMRS)
Item 3 of 4RIAS QuarterlyAugust 1948no 73Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)John T Maclaren
Item 4 of 4RIAS QuarterlyFebruary 1953no 91Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)Soutar

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Personal information from William Salmond, William Patrick, James McIntosh Patrick, Ann Patrick, Stuart O Barron, Peter Young and Ian Gordon Lindsay