Basic Biographical Details

Name: (Sir) William Hardie Kininmonth
Designation:  
Born: 8 November 1904
Died: 8 August 1988
Bio Notes: William Hardie Kininmonth was born in Forfar on 8 November 1904, the son of John Kininmonth and his wife Isabella McLean Hardie. He was educated at Dunfermline High School and George Watson's College and was articled to William N Thomson of Leith. While there he studied at Edinburgh College of Art 1924-29 under John Begg and at Heriot-Watt College, for some of this time also working as an assistant in the office of Rowand Anderson & Paul (1925-29). From there he obtained a place in the office of Sir Edwin Lutyens in London where he renewed his friendship with a former contemporary at Edinburgh College of Art, Basil Spence, who was three years younger. From 1929 to 1930 he attended classes at London University working in an atelier there.

Kininmonth was awarded the RIBA Diploma in 1931 and was placed second in the Rowand Anderson Silver medal competition. He returned to Edinburgh in 1930 but Paul could not afford to re-employ him. He did, however, offer him a room in his office. It had only a drawing board and a telephone but it enabled him to form a partnership with his friend and colleague in Lutyens' office, Basil Urwin Spence as Kininmonth & Spence in October 1931. It specialised in presentation work for other practices as well as original design work, supplemented by teaching at Edinburgh College of Art. Kininmonth and Spence's practice was immediately successful, Kininmonth's own modernist house at 46A Dick Place (1933) acting as an excellent advertisement. In 1934 Paul offered Kininmonth a partnership but he felt he had to decline unless Spence was taken into partnership as well. Paul accepted this proposal and the Kininmonth & Spence partnership merged into Paul's as Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners. Kininmonth and Spence continued teaching although by that date business had significantly recovered. This arrangement continued until June 1938 when Paul died. From 1939 to 1941 Kininmonth held the post of senior lecturer in design at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1942 he was called up and served with the Royal Engineers in Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily and Italy.

On their return from war service Kininmonth and Spence found that there was little work on offer. Spence left the practice in 1946 to found Basil Spence & Partners. Kininmonth continued the Rowand Anderson partnership as Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul. The post-war years of this partnership, when William Gray Leslie and Richard Gale Ewing did most of the design work, lie outwith the present scope of the Dictionary of Scottish Architects.

He joined the Building Standards Advisory Committee in 1959, advising the Secretary of State for Scotland on the proposed Building (Scotland) Act, 1959.

Kininmonth was President of the RSA from 1969 to 1972 and was knighted in the latter year. He died in Edinburgh in August 1988.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Cambourne Hotel/62, Leanster Square, London, EnglandPrivate1931 *  
Item 2 of 316, Rutland Square, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1934 *After 1951 
Item 3 of 346A, Dick Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1948 *  

* 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 6W N Thomson & Coc. 1924c. 1929Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6Edwin Landseer Lutyens19291931Assistant 
Item 3 of 6Rowand Anderson & Paul19311934Draughtsman 
Item 4 of 6Kininmonth & SpenceOctober 1931 or 19321934Partner 
Item 5 of 6Rowand Anderson, Paul & Partners19341946Partner 
Item 6 of 6Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul19461976Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 5John BeggEarly 1931for Associateship
Item 2 of 5Charles Denny Carus-WilsonEarly 1931for Associateship
Item 3 of 5Ebenezer James MacRae6 April 1948for Fellowship
Item 4 of 5(Sir) Frank Charles MearsEarly 1931for Associateship
Item 5 of 5Alfred Hugh Mottram6 April 1948for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 7Ian Charles Gordon1 December 1951For Associateship
Item 2 of 7Ian Charles Gordon6 June 1968For Fellowship
Item 3 of 7Charles William Gray21 June 1960for Fellowship
Item 4 of 7Frank Wood Johnston10 January 1956For Licentiateship
Item 5 of 7Thomas Stanley Aitchison Kennedy9 October 1956For Licentiateship
Item 6 of 7Hugh Sinclair MacdonaldLate 1955for Fellowship
Item 7 of 7Alan ReiachEarly 1959for Fellowship

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 121 House in Kinnear Road  EdinburghScotlandInstructed Scott Morton & Co on interior work - date unknown
Item 2 of 12119326 Castlelaw RoadColinton EdinburghScotland 
Item 3 of 1211932Housing estateDuns BerwickshireScotland 
Item 4 of 1211932Housing estate for Berwickshire County CouncilBurnmouth BerwickshireScotland 
Item 5 of 1211932Lismohr  EdinburghScotland 
Item 6 of 1211932Planning scheme for redevelopment of seafront, including fishermen's cottagesDunbar East LothianScotland 
Item 7 of 12119334 Easter Belmont Road  EdinburghScotland 
Item 8 of 121193346A Dick Place  EdinburghScotland 
Item 9 of 1211933Council housesDunbar East LothianScotlandDesign of original scheme
Item 10 of 1211933Glenburn HouseGlenlockhart EdinburghScotlandAttributed to Kininmonth (DWW)
Item 11 of 1211933Prestwick Municipal Buildings, pavilion and officesPrestwick AyrshireScotlandCompetition design - placed second
Item 12 of 121Before 1933GlenwoodGlenlockhart EdinburghScotlandOriginal building
Item 13 of 1211933 or 1937Southern Motors Garage  EdinburghScotland 
Item 14 of 121193415 Braid Hills Avenue  EdinburghScotland 
Item 15 of 121193422 Frogston Road West  EdinburghScotland 
Item 16 of 121193440-42 Dick Place  EdinburghScotland 
Item 17 of 1211934House for St Katherine'sLiberton EdinburghScotland 
Item 18 of 1211934Murrayfield Golf ClubhouseMurrayfield EdinburghScotlandConversion of clubhouse into dwelling house
Item 19 of 121193557 Oxgangs Road  EdinburghScotland 
Item 20 of 1211935Broomhill House  Inverness-shireScotlandAddition
Item 21 of 1211935Building Exhibition, Waverley Market  EdinburghScotland 
Item 22 of 1211935Dunedin House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 23 of 1211935Falkirk Municipal BuildingsFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandUnsuccessful competition entry
Item 24 of 1211935Housing, 12-30 Victoria StreetDunbar East LothianScotland 
Item 25 of 1211935L'Aperitif Restaurant  EdinburghScotland 
Item 26 of 1211935Liberton HouseLiberton EdinburghScotlandRemoval of later additions and restoration
Item 27 of 1211935Timber HousesForth LanarkshireScotland 
Item 28 of 1211935Unidentified Church   Scotland 
Item 29 of 1211935Upton, 141 Corsebar RoadPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 30 of 1211936Broughton Place, including summer house, tennis court, walled garden, gatepiers, and stableblock  PeeblesshireScotland 
Item 31 of 1211936Edinburgh Sports Club  EdinburghScotlandOriginal design - amended design the following year.
Item 32 of 1211936Fettes CollegeComely Bank EdinburghScotlandInterior renovation
Item 33 of 1211936Fettes College, new hall and new chapel  EdinburghScotlandProposed new hall
Item 34 of 1211936Garth of FinlarigDulnain Bridge Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 35 of 1211936Glasgow Empire Exhibition, ICI pavilionBellahouston GlasgowScotlandSpence mainly responsible
Item 36 of 1211936Glasgow Empire Exhibition, masterplanBellahouston GlasgowScotlandWorked with Thomas Smith Tait on masterplan
Item 37 of 1211936Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Scottish PavilionBellahouston GlasgowScotlandSpence mainly responsible
Item 38 of 1211936House for St Katherine'sLiberton EdinburghScotlandAdditions
Item 39 of 1211936Johannesburg Exhibition, Scottish Pavilion  JohannesburgSouth Africa 
Item 40 of 1211936Scottish Every Day Art Exhibition  EdinburghScotland 
Item 41 of 1211937Cleghorn Building  EdinburghScotlandBuilding completed to planned length with some detail alterations to existing building, modification of corner and third floor windows and omitting the high roof planned by Lochhead
Item 42 of 1211937Corstorphine Parish ChurchCorstorphine EdinburghScotlandAssisted Balfour Paul with restoration and alterations
Item 43 of 1211937Edinburgh Dental Hospital and school  EdinburghScotlandProposed extension (executed 1952-54. The 1950s drawings differ from the pre-war appeal brochure)
Item 44 of 1211937Gribloch HouseKippen StirlingshireScotlandWorked in association with Perry Duncan
Item 45 of 1211937Kirkcaldy Town HallKirkcaldy FifeScotlandCompetition design - placed 4th - commended
Item 46 of 1211937Quothquhan  LanarkshireScotland 
Item 47 of 1211937Scottish School of Art & IndustryKilsyth StirlingshireScotland 
Item 48 of 121c. 1937129 Princes Street  EdinburghScotlandRedesign of interior for Cleghorn's department store
Item 49 of 1211938Duddingston Parish Church, hallDuddingston EdinburghScotland 
Item 50 of 1211938Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Ensign Ewart Memorial  EdinburghScotland 
Item 51 of 1211938Falkirk Royal Infirmary Nurses' HomeFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandWon competition but not built
Item 52 of 1211938Glasgow Empire Exhibition, country cottage and flat for the Council for Art & IndustryBellahouston GlasgowScotland 
Item 53 of 1211939HospitalLochart  Scotland 
Item 54 of 1211940Fettes College, new hall and new chapel  EdinburghScotlandProposed new hall and new chapel
Item 55 of 1211945Battery HospitalDunbar East LothianScotlandScheme for renewal? or new buildings?
Item 56 of 1211945Buildings for the Forestry Commission  Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 57 of 1211945Buildings for the Forestry Commission  MorayshireScotland 
Item 58 of 1211945Elsie Inglis Memorial Hospital  EdinburghScotlandScheme for new buildings?
Item 59 of 1211945Hotels  MorayshireScotlandRenovations
Item 60 of 1211945Houses for the Scottish Veterans Garden City Association  MorayshireScotland 
Item 61 of 1211945Housing for Dunbar Town CouncilDunbar East LothianScotland 
Item 62 of 1211945Housing for Duns Town CouncilDuns BerwickshireScotland 
Item 63 of 1211945Housing for Forres Town CouncilForres MorayshireScotland 
Item 64 of 1211945Housing for Linlithgow Town CouncilLinlithgow West LothianScotland 
Item 65 of 1211945New Club  EdinburghScotlandScheme for alterations or new building
Item 66 of 1211945Scotsman Buildings  EdinburghScotlandScheme for redevelopment?
Item 67 of 121Before 1947George Watson's College, library  EdinburghScotlandProposal
Item 68 of 121Before 1947Nelsons Publishing Works  EdinburghScotlandProposal for work on Nelsons
Item 69 of 121c. 1947Fettes College, Library  EdinburghScotlandProposal
Item 70 of 1211949University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Chemistry Building  EdinburghScotlandNew first floor addition
Item 71 of 1211950Fettes College, Concert Hall  EdinburghScotlandHall flanked by two rubbly ranges
Item 72 of 1211951Daniel Stewart's Hospital  EdinburghScotlandSix additional classrooms - now (2014) known as Dornoch classroom block.
Item 73 of 1211951New North Bridge Buildings  EdinburghScotlandPrepared plans for strengthening internal structure
Item 74 of 1211951Renfrew Airport TerminalRenfrew RenfrewshireScotlandTo prepare plans for new three-storey buildings
Item 75 of 1211952Pollock Halls of Residence  EdinburghScotlandHolland Hall and Fraser Hall
Item 76 of 1211953Renfrew Airport TerminalRenfrew RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 77 of 1211954Adam House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 78 of 1211956Castlehill HousingForres MorayshireScotland 
Item 79 of 1211956Drylaw Parish ChurchDrylaw EdinburghScotland 
Item 80 of 1211957Henderson ChurchKilmarnock AyrshireScotlandWooden roof added
Item 81 of 1211957Town HallElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 82 of 1211958Corran Halls, Museum & LibraryOban ArgyllScotlandDesign - not executed
Item 83 of 1211958Mill of ArgatyDoune PerthshireScotlandReconstruction of 18th century buildings
Item 84 of 12125 September 1959Scottish Division Headquarters, National Coal Board  Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandper Builder p324
Item 85 of 1216 November 1959New Town Hall, ObanOban ArgyllScotlandper Builder p601
Item 86 of 1211960Bruntsfield HouseBruntsfield EdinburghScotlandAlterations for incorporation into James Gillespie's High School
Item 87 of 1211960James Gillespie's High School for Girls  EdinburghScotland 
Item 88 of 1211960Lauriston House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 89 of 121c. 1960Leanach of Culloden, House, servants' cottages and cattle courts  Inverness-shireScotlandRepair and re-roofing od Old Leanach Cottage in conjunction with Alexander Cullen
Item 90 of 121c. 1960Moncreiffe HouseBridge of Earn PerthshireScotland 
Item 91 of 1211961Renfrew Airport TerminalRenfrew RenfrewshireScotlandExtension to terminal building, cost £230,000.
Item 92 of 1211961Scottish Provident Offices  EdinburghScotland 
Item 93 of 1211962Linlithgow Town Hall Linlithgow West LothianScotlandRecasting of interior
Item 94 of 1211962Lister Institute  EdinburghScotland 
Item 95 of 1211962Muirhouse Development Phase II     
Item 96 of 1211962University of Edinburgh Students' Union  EdinburghScotlandOriginal drawings in HES show Kininmonth designed the 1962 extension.
Item 97 of 1211962University of Edinburgh, Student's Union  Edinburgh Extension
Item 98 of 1211963Nicol Street housingKirkcaldy FifeScotland 
Item 99 of 1211963West Port Housing SchemeLinlithgow West LothianScotland 
Item 100 of 1211964Brucefield ChurchWhitburn West LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 101 of 1211964Craigsbank Parish Church  EdinburghScotland 
Item 102 of 1211964Mary Erskine School  EdinburghScotland 
Item 103 of 1211964Philiphaugh House (new)  SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 104 of 1211965Opera House site  EdinburghScotlandArt Deco scheme for opera house
Item 105 of 1211965St Mary Magdalene RC Church, Bingham BroadwayDuddingston EdinburghScotland 
Item 106 of 1211967Daniel Stewart's Hospital  EdinburghScotlandAdditions proposed in 1967, including hall.
Item 107 of 1211967Kippenross HouseDunblane StirlingshireScotlandReduction of wings to width of original house
Item 108 of 1211967Linlithgow Town Centre Redevelopment (CDA)Linlithgow West LothianScotland 
Item 109 of 1211967Post Graduate School of Medicine  EdinburghScotland 
Item 110 of 1211969Brunton Hall and municipal officesMusselburgh East LothianScotland 
Item 111 of 1211969Millbank redevelopmentWhitburn West LothianScotland 
Item 112 of 1211969Pollock Halls of Residence  EdinburghScotlandFurther development - large group of 5-storey towers.
Item 113 of 1211969RAF LossiemouthLossiemouth MorayshireScotland 
Item 114 of 1211973Incorporation of Shoemakers premisesLinlithgow West LothianScotland 
Item 115 of 1211974Housing, The VennelLinlithgow West LothianScotland 
Item 116 of 121Before 1975Livery Street redevelopmentBathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 117 of 121Before 1975Pre-war housingLinlithgow West LothianScotlandImprovements
Item 118 of 121Before 1975Pre-war housing improvementsBathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 119 of 121Before 1975Pre-war housing upgradingWhitburn West LothianScotland 
Item 120 of 121Before 1975Telephone engineering centreLivingston West LothianScotland 
Item 121 of 121Before 1975Touch Neighbourhood CentreDunfermline FifeScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp1 Night view of the Glasgow Empire Exhibtion - from brochure. ICI Pavilion
p4 Pollock Halls; Philiphaugh; Adam House (Examination Hall); Drylaw Church
p12 Site plan and perspective of Timber Housing, Lanarkshire
pp35-6, 150, 164 Scottish Provident Offices
pp74-5, 151 Martello Court
p96-7 Kilsyth Academy
p163 Pollock Halls
Item 2 of 5Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan1994Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Yale University Press: New Haven and LondonMartello Court: p43, p215, p216, p321, p326
p380 Gazetteer 2
p238 Photograph
Item 3 of 5RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 5Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p11 Scottish Provident Offices
p84-7 The New Club
Item 5 of 5Wodehouse, Lawrence1979Kininmonth & Spence and the International Style in Edinburgh Unpublished dissertation, NMRS Library 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 13Architects Journal24 August 1988  Obituary
Item 2 of 13Builder17 September 1948  p329
Item 3 of 13Builder13 April 1951  p534
Item 4 of 13Builder13 July 1951  p69
Item 5 of 13Builder28 August 1959  'Building Standards: Scottish Committee Appointed' p113
Item 6 of 13Builder10 June 1960  'Scottish Advisory Committee' p1106
Item 7 of 13Builder18 August 1961  'Civic Trust Design Awards, 1960 - Results of Competitions in the County Boroughs, The Awards, Scotland' pp304-305 - served as assessor for Glasgow projects
Item 8 of 13Builder10 January 1964  p96
Item 9 of 13Daily Telegraph20 August 1988  Obituary
Item 10 of 13Scotsman24 October 1969  "New offices for Scottish Provident Institution" article by Leslie Fraser
Item 11 of 13ScotsmanAugust 1988  Obituary by Charles McKean
Item 12 of 13Scotsman12 August 1988  Date may be wrong by a couple of days either way
Item 13 of 13The Grange Newsletter2011Spring  

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 no 4466 (stored under F no 4351, combined box 9); F no4351 (combined box 9)