Basic Biographical Details Name: | Thomson & Menzies | Designation: | | Born: | 1890 | Died: | 1955 | Bio Notes: | David Thomson was born c.1830. His RIBA nomination paper does not state to whom he was originally articled only that he had been for many years assistant and principal assistant to Charles Wilson whose partner he became in March 1862. During that period he studied at the Government School of Design under the unrelated Charles Heath Wilson. When Charles Wilson died in February of the following year he continued the practice which thereafter consisted principally of church, school and country house work. Later in that same year, 1863, Charles Heath Wilson's tenure as headmaster of the Government School of Design ended when the institution was transferred from the Board of Trade to the Department of Science and Art. He set up business as an architect although his practice was limited to monuments and ship interiors rather than buildings. Nevertheless he had some influential patrons and he became both Honorary Director of the School (which thereafter became the School of Art) and a trustee of the Haldane Academy. Wilson and Thomson went into partnership some time in that year as C H Wilson & D Thomson, but in 1868 Wilson withdrew to live and work in Florence.
Thomson thereafter practised alone until July 1876 when Alexander Thomson's partner Robert Turnbull requested permission from Alexander Thomson's trustees to take a partner to handle the design work, Turnbull being clerk of works rather than architect. The request was eventually agreed to later in that year. No name was mentioned but Turnbull had probably already discussed the possibility of a partnership with David Thomson. The firm became D Thomson & Turnbull later that year. Thomson and Turnbull were not, however, really compatible and the partnership was dissolved in 1883, probably primarily because of the severe recession from 1881 onwards.
Thomson was admitted FRIBA on 17 December 1877, his proposers being John Carrick, John Burnet Senior and John Honeyman, the latter noting in particular the active part Thomson had taken in 'encouraging schemes for mutual improvement among pupils & draughtsmen' and stating that he had written 'several good papers on subjects connected with architecture'.
In 1890 Thomson took into partnership Colin Menzies. Menzies had been born at 8 Hyndland Street, Partick on 15 June 1861, the son of Colin Menzies, engine fitter and his wife Margaret Scotland; his family is believed to have originated in Perthshire. He had studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1885 to 1888; it is not known in which offices he had been articled or employed as an assistant.
Thomson retired in 1897 and died in 1910. Menzies continued the practice thereafter. His work was mostly commercial and industrial, his most important client being the National Telephone Company until its compulsory acquisition by the Post Office in 1911, although for much of that time he had to work in association with Leonard Stokes as main architect to that company.
Menzies was an enthusiastic volunteer in the 1st LRV and took part of the Wet Review in 1881. He was also a keen sportsman, particularly cricket, golfing and fishing. For a time he had a residence on the Benmore estate, partly to deal with estate work, and partly for the fishing. He died of pancreatic cancer on 31 March 1935. At that date he was living at 31 Peel Street, Partick, to which he had moved from The Oriels, the handsome house he had built for himself in Nithsdale Road. He left a widow, Jean Rennie from Falkirk, and the then fairly substantial moveable estate of £11,282 0s 8d.
After Menzies' death the practice was continued by David Thomson's grandson, John David Moore Thomson, who had presumably trained with Menzies. The Charles Wilson archive was deposited with NMRS and the David Thomson and Thomson & Menzies records were taken over by Weddell & Thomson, David L Thomson's son, John David Moore Thomson, having been taken into partnership by James Wilkie Weddell in 1948. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 2, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1890 | | | | 58, Renfield Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1918 or 1919 | 1930 or 1931 | | | 79, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1930 or 1931 | 1936 or 1937 | | | 204, Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1937 or 1938 | 1945 or 1946 | | | 248, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1946 or 1947 | 1954 or 1955 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1891 | Benmore House | Kilmun | | Argyll | Scotland | East wing etc | | 1893 | Houston House | | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Stable offices and addition | | 1894 | Eastwood Parish Church | Pollokshaws | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions and church officer's house | | 1894 | Springburn School | Springburn | | Glasgow | Scotland | Block facing Crichton Street added | | 1895 | Lanrick Shooting Lodge | Loch Venachar | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1895 | Villa | Thornliebank | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1896 | Dalziel Parish Church | Motherwell | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Additions and halls | | 1896 | Girthon Parish Church | Gatehouse of Fleet | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | Reconstruction | | 1896 | Royal Exchange | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Partial reconstruction for the National Telephone Co | | 1896 | Thornliebank Parish Church and hall | Thornliebank | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Hall etc. Also further work up to 1903 | | 1897 | Cranston's Picture House and Tea Rooms, Renfield Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Original building | | 1897 | Villa | Aberfeldy | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Villa | Aberfeldy | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1898 | Cranston's Tea Rooms Ltd, Morrison Court (Argyle Arcade) | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Reconstruction (smoke room etc) | | 1898 | McCorquodale's Printing Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | | 1898 | The Mains | Giffnock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1898 | The Peel | Busby | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1899 | Villa, Balshagray | Partick | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1900 | Central Telephone Exchange | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1900 | Keppochhill School | Keppochhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Addition | | 1900 | Royal Exchange | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | | 1900 | Royal Scottish National Hospital, nurses' home | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | c. 1900 | The Oriels | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1902 | Stuart Cranston's Tea Rooms, Argyll Arcade (within Argyll Chambers) | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Shops and warehouses | | 1903 | McCorquodale's Printing Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903 | Royal Exchange | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Offices and test room | | 1904 | Kennedy Street School | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Addition | | 1904 | Larbert House | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Addition | | 1904 | Warehouses, counting houses etc | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Completed - eastern part | | 1905 | Ardencaple House | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Additional floor | | 1905 | Cathedral Street and North Hanover Street corner | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1905 | Country house | Killearn | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1905 | Infant School | Springburn | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1905 | Larbert House | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Gate lodge, avenue etc | | 1905 | Villa | Busby | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1906 | Cranston's Tea Rooms | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1906 | Soldiers' Home, Barry Camp | Barry | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1906 | Wellesley Tea Rooms | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations for conversion to Cranston's tea rooms | | 1907 | Soldiers' Home, Stobs Camp | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | 1907 | Western Telephone Exchange | Hillhead | | Glasgow | Scotland | Design by Leonard Stokes but with Menzies as executant architect | | 1909 | Free Church College | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Library, hall, classrooms etc after fire | | 1911 | Larbert house, model dairy and byre | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1911 | Norwich Union Fire Insurance Company premises | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | | 1911 | Younger Hall | Kilmun | | Argyll | Scotland | Designer? | | 1912 | Dalrachney Shooting Lodge | Carrbridge | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1913 | Larbert House | Larbert | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1913 | Orangefield House | Prestwick (near) | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Additions/alterations | | 1913 | Royal Exchange | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Reconstruction for Directors of Royal Exchange | | 1914 | Premises for the General Electric Co | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Warehouse, showrooms and counting house for General Electric Co | | 1914 | Thornliebank War Memorial | Thornliebank | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Design only? | | 1915 | Royal Exchange | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Restaurant | | 1919 | McCorquodale's Printing Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Reconstruction of two properties | | 1920 | Orlington | North Mount Vernon | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1920 | Tea Rooms | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension | | 1921 | Premises for the General Electric Co | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Showrooms | | 1922 | McCorquodale's Printing Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Reconditioning of three properties | | 1923 | Boots the Chemist, Argyle Street and Union Street (1) | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1924 | Engineering Works | Scotstoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1924 | McCorquodale's Printing Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | | 1925 | Warehouse, Fox Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Attribution to Menzies by HS | | 1926 | McCorquodale's Printing Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | New building in Fox Street | | 1928 | Shops and office premises | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1929 | Carpet Factory for John E Lyle & Co | Mile End | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1930 | Country house | Killearn | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | c. 1930 | Dolcis Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1936 | Colston Wellpark Parish Church Hall | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1936 | House for W E McCaig | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1938 | House for W H Stephenson | Milngavie | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1939 | Bungalow and piggeries | Auchenairn | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesPeriodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | RIAS Quarterly | 1935 | | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | Obituary check date |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Information per Elspeth Dennis via website. |
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