Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Thomson & Sons | Designation: | | Born: | After 1867(?) | Died: | | Bio Notes: | James Thomson was born in Airdrie in 1822, the son of a weaving agent who was a town councillor. He was apprenticed as a joiner in 1837, but attended classes in draughtsmanship in Coatbridge, obtaining an unspecified 'diploma' in architecture in Edinburgh in 1846. Shortly thereafter he obtained the commission for New Monkland Poorhouse which inaugurated his career as an architect, his office being in Coatbridge rather than Airdrie in the 'Architect's Engineer's and Building Trades' Directory' of 1868. He was a competent classicist.
Thomson had three sons: John, born 1846, who was articled to his father c.1862, and was for a time an assistant in the office of Alexander Thomson, probably c.1865-67 and continued the Airdrie practice; Peter, born 1849, who practised as a civil engineer and died relatively young in 1895; and Robert Miller Thomson, born 1856 who practised in his own name in Glasgow from 1878 but was apparently still in partnership with his father and elder brother. He had only just made his name as an architect of tall office buildings with Andrew Wilson as his assistant when he died in 1900.
James Thomson died in 1898, and his son John in March 1912. The practice was then at 7 Victoria Place Airdrie and John was living at Largiemeanach, Drumgelloch Street, Airdrie. The Airdrie end of the partnership was continued by John's son James Thomson Junior, born 17 April 1878 and educated at Airdrie Academy, who had been articled to his father and grandfather in 1892, and had attended Glasgow School of Art under William James Anderson and Alexander McGibbon. He was taken into partnership by his father in 1906, and admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects. He is said to have been a skilful painter and etcher. He died on 19 March 1921. The practice was continued by Alexander Houston Thomson who was James Junior's younger brother, born 1 May 1882 and had also been taken into partnership in 1906. He had been articled to his father 1897-1902, during which period he attended Glasgow School of Art and was admitted LRIBA a year after his brother on 24 June 1912. He retired to Arran in the early 1960s; the practice records were destroyed soon afterwards. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 7, Victoria Place, Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1896 | After 1912 | Measurers' Companion gives East Victoria Place in 1911
Clarke's Directory gives James Thomson & Son (not Sons) |
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 | | 1874 | Royal Bank of Scotland | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1874 | St Margaret's School | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1876 | Rutherglen Town Hall | Rutherglen | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Worked in association with Kennedy and Dalgleish (probably this John Thomson) | | 1880 | Fruitfield | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1880 | Rawyards House | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1882 | Ebeneezer Congregational Church | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1892 | Airdrie County Buildings | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Restoration and alterations on three occasions | | After 1892 | Villa for John Kennedy | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1892 | Villa for R Adam Esq | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | The Red House | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1897 | Cottages, farm steading etc, Cairnhill estate | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1897 | Cottages, farm steading etc, Carnbroe estate | Airdrie (near) | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1897 | Cottages, farm steading etc, Milnwood estate | Airdrie (near) | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1897 | Cottages, farm steading etc, Wester Moffat estate | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1897 | Cottages, farm steading etc, Woodhall estate | Airdrie (near) | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1897 | Ebeneezer Congregational Church | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Alterations and decorations | | After 1897 | Masonic Hall | Bellshill | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1897 | Villa for Colin Brown | Airdrie? | | Lanarkshire? | Scotland | | | After 1897 | Villa for John Motherwell | Airdrie? | | Lanarkshire? | Scotland | | | After 1897 | Villa for William McAllister | Airdrie? | | Lanarkshire? | Scotland | | | Late 1800s | Tenement, 2 East High Street | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1905 | Chapelside Primary School | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Addition - north wing | | After 1906 | Airdrie Academy | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Additions | | After 1906 | Airdrie County Buildings | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Alterations | | After 1906 | Chapelside Public School | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1906 | Masonic Hall | New Stevenston | | Lanarkshire/Ayrshire? | Scotland | Won competition to secure job | | After 1906 | Post office | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | Designs - approved but possibly unexecuted | | After 1906 | Victoria School | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Additions | | After 1906 | Villa for A Frame Esq | Bearsden | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1910 | Sir John Wilson Town Hall | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Won competition to secure job | | 1911 | St Margaret's School | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Manual instruction rooms | | c. 1911 | Cairnhill House | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Restoration | | After 1918 | Terrace of houses, Forrest Street and Katherine Street | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1920 | Offices for the North West Rivet Bolt & Nut Factory | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | c. 1920 | Cairnhill Housing Scheme | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1923 | Shop for Messrs W Spence & Cuthbert, chemists | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | Before 1923 | 20 Council Houses | Greengair | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | Before 1923 | 50 Council Houses | Chapelhall | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | Before 1923 | 80 Council Houses | New Stevenston | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1934 | Campbeltown Town House | Campbeltown | | Argyll | Scotland | Internal alterations | | 1936 | Dalintober Housing Scheme | Campbeltown | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1949 | St James Church | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Gates - WW2 memorial | | 1959 | Village Hall | Brodick | Arran | Bute | Scotland | W addition | | Before 1930 | 109 Forrest Street | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Description in Close et al (2016, p.116) matches the property currently at 109 Forrest Street, and ascribes it to James Thomson, sub-1930s. |
ReferencesCurrently, there are no references for this . The information has been derived from: the British Architectural Library / RIBA Directory of British Architects 1834-1914; Post Office Directories; and/or any sources listed under this individual's works. |