Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Sheills Forbes
Designation:  
Born: 1894
Died: 1976
Bio Notes: James Sheills Forbes, mistakenly recorded elsewhere as James Smith Forbes, was born at Edinburgh’s Royal Maternity Hospital on 21st December 1894, the only son of William Forbes a joiner/cabinetmaker, and his wife Annie Laurie Shiells. His parents had married in Edinburgh on 4th January 1882. By 1911 his father appears in the census as a gatekeeper at the East Lodge of Donaldson’s Hospital.

Forbes served as a Guardsman in the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the Scots Guards during the First World War.

Following the war in 1919 he joined forces with Reginald Francis Joseph Fairlie and George Reid, in a short-lived but productive partnership Fairlie, Reid & Forbes. The firm appears to have been formed to compete for the post-1919 Housing Act council housing contracts in Edinburgh. The competition, judged by Sir John Burnet, concerned schemes in Wardie, Saughtonhall, Craigleith and Willowbrae Road. They achieved an honourable mention with their plans for the Saughtonhall area and were judged third in their proposals for Willowbrae Road, behind the successful AK Robertson & T.Aikman Swan and Charles E Tweedie. However, as the Council’s Town Planning and Housing Committee decided no one firm should carry out more than two housing schemes, Fairlie, Reid & Forbes were awarded the Willowbrae commission, designing over 400 houses while in partnership, a mix of tenements, flatted blocks and cottages. The proposals were exhibited at the RSA who commented on the ‘admirable’ layout plan and perspective drawing which suggested a ‘pleasing and picturesque ensemble’. A great deal of work went in to creating an interssting plan and a series of different designs and interesting use of materials – sadly not followed by later interwar council schemes. The Buildings of Scotland describe their design and compositions as outstanding, and the centrepiece to their scheme, Northfield Gardens (1921), a handsome crescent of three storey rubble stone tenements, was listed in 1987 – a rare but welcome recognition of ‘homes fit for heroes’. Willowbrae, also known as Abercorn or Northfield, can be viewed as an early prototype for Ebenezer MacRae’s inter-war work in Edinburgh, and MacRae’s predecessor as Director of Housing, Adam Horsburgh Campbell, may also have borrowed elements.

By 1925 Reid and Forbes had formed their own partnership, with Fairlie continuing on his own account, although Fairlie, Reid & Forbes are recorded as supervising the erection of the Scottish American War Memorial in Princes Street Gardens as late as 1927

The first major project by the new firm, and one which would mark their future specialism in educational buildings, was the neo-Georgian St John’s RC Primary School in Hamilton Terrace, Portobello, opened in December 1926, and only recently demolished. This was closely followed by education offices at St Boswells, and a school extension in Jedburgh. In 1928 they received the major commission for Leith Academy Secondary School. At this stage the firm was designing Neo-Georgian school buildings, albeit with the introduction of Art Deco Egyptian and renaissance detailing. A good example of this style is the school annexe at George Heriot’s school on Lauriston Place (1933).

Although there would still be Neo-Georgian work, the firm increasingly became known for a series of modern movement schools, an early example being Inverness High School, designed in 1931 and opened in 1937. Other examples include Kelso Academy, (1936-9) and Niddrie Marischal Intermediate School (1936) which has unusual American-inspired Art Deco decoration on its tower. Chirnside (1937), a category A listed building, is landmark in the village.

In December 1931 Forbes, along with Reid, was elected a Fellow of the Edinburgh Architectural Association. The firm were probably the best inter-war school specialists in Scotland.

On 27th August 1926, at St George’s Parish Church Edinburgh, he married Elizabeth Rutherford, a nurse, and daughter of William Rutherford and Margaret Shiells, perhaps a relation of his mother. At this stage Forbes was living at 5 Randolph Place, Edinburgh, but later moved to 39 Nile Grove where he would remain for many years. He retired in 1961 and shortly afterwards the firm closed, with Cairns & Ford undertaking their commission for Edinburgh’s replacement Royal High School in 1964.

Forbes died in Morningside in 1976 aged 83. His partner George Reid died in 1984.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 27, Ainslie Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness c. 1930Still at this address after partnership with Fairlie ceased
Item 2 of 217, Great Stuart Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)c. 1931 *After 1940 

* 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 2Fairlie, Reid & Forbes1919c. 1926Partner 
Item 2 of 2Reid & Forbes19261961Partner 

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 471919Northfield Housing Estate  EdinburghScotland 
Item 2 of 47After 1921Bank of Scotland, Marchmont BranchMarchmont EdinburghScotland 
Item 3 of 47After 1921Coldstream Secondary SchoolColdstream BerwickshireScotland 
Item 4 of 47After 1921Housing schemeTranent East LothianScotland 
Item 5 of 47After 1921Housing scheme  EdinburghScotland 
Item 6 of 47After 1921Primary and Secondary SchoolsInnerleithen PeeblesshireScotland 
Item 7 of 47After 1921Richmond Congregational ChurchCraigmillar EdinburghScotland 
Item 8 of 471924St John's RC School  EdinburghScotland 
Item 9 of 471924St John's RC SchoolPortobello EdinburghScotland 
Item 10 of 471926Jedburgh Grammar SchoolJedburgh RoxburghshireScotlandNorth-west extension
Item 11 of 471928Edinburgh Castle, Bruce and Wallace Memorial  EdinburghScotlandIn collaboration with Clapperton, Lorimer & Carrick
Item 12 of 471928Leith Academy Secondary SchoolLeith EdinburghScotlandWon competition to secure job
Item 13 of 471928Lodge Roman Eagle no 160  EdinburghScotland 
Item 14 of 471928Offices for Roxburghshire Education CommitteeNewtown St Boswells RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 15 of 471929RC College and Schools, Melville Grange FarmGilmerton EdinburghScotlandWon competition and selected as architects
Item 16 of 471930Victoria SchoolNewhaven EdinburghScotlandExtension
Item 17 of 471931Alexander's garage  EdinburghScotland 
Item 18 of 471931Primary SchoolMorebattle RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 19 of 471931Royal High Primary School  EdinburghScotland 
Item 20 of 471932Inverness High SchoolInverness Inverness-shireScotlandWon competition and secured job
Item 21 of 471932St Mary's RC Cathedral  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction of nave with aisles; also pulpit
Item 22 of 471932Union Bank, West Maitland Street and Palmerston Place  EdinburghScotlandBank - remodelling?
Item 23 of 471933Bank of Scotland, North West Circus PlaceStockbridge EdinburghScotlandAlterations
Item 24 of 471933Eldin HouseBonnyrigg/Lasswade MidlothianScotlandAddition of dormitory and school block
Item 25 of 471933George Heriot's School, Preparatory Department and technical classrooms  EdinburghScotland 
Item 26 of 471933Kelso AcademyKelso RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 27 of 471934Maxime's Ballroom  EdinburghScotland 
Item 28 of 471934Niddrie Church and HallsCraigmillar EdinburghScotland 
Item 29 of 471934Trinity Primary SchoolHawick RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 30 of 471935Broughton SchoolBroughton PeeblesshireScotlandExtension, also gates and railings
Item 31 of 471935Eyemouth High SchoolEyemouth BerwickshireScotlandExtension
Item 32 of 471935Jedburgh Grammar SchoolJedburgh RoxburghshireScotlandAdditions
Item 33 of 471935LaundryStenhouse EdinburghScotland 
Item 34 of 471935Niddrie Marischal Junior Secondary School  EdinburghScotland 
Item 35 of 471935Wardie Hotel  EdinburghScotlandExtension
Item 36 of 471936Primary SchoolHobkirk/Hopekirk RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 37 of 47c. 1936Peebles High SchoolPeebles PeeblesshireScotlandExtension and reconstruction
Item 38 of 471937Central SchoolChirnside BerwickshireScotland 
Item 39 of 471937Wilkies Buildings, Shandwick Place  EdinburghScotland 
Item 40 of 471938Primary SchoolWest Linton PeeblesshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 41 of 471938St Joseph's RC SchoolInverness Inverness-shireScotlandLarge extensions
Item 42 of 471938Tanfield Primary School  EdinburghScotlandCompetition design - not successful
Item 43 of 471949George Heriot's Hospital  EdinburghScotlandAdditions and repairs to war memorial
Item 44 of 47Before 1955Holyrood School  EdinburghScotland 
Item 45 of 47c. 1955Dalkeith High SchoolDalkeith MidlothianScotlandLater school
Item 46 of 471956Coldstream Primary SchoolColdstream BerwickshireScotland 
Item 47 of 47Before 1962Royal High School  EdinburghScotlandCairns & Ford who took over the practice mainly responsible.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Post Office Directories     
Item 2 of 2RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Edinburgh's 1919 Act Housing by Steven Robb (2020)2020 Municipal Dreams website 

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Courtesy of Mr William TerrellInformation via 'Contact Us' on website Sent February 2015
Item 2 of 2Steven RobbInformation from Steven Robb (from Scotland's People website and other sources) Added 2022