Basic Biographical Details

Name:	John Austin Dempster
Designation:
Born:	14 August 1892
Died:	1956
Bio Notes:	John Austin Dempster was born on 14 August 1892 and studied at the Glasgow School of Architecture from 1908, serving a five-year apprenticeship with Hamilton Neil. He served in the armed forces during the First World War and thereafter, in 1919, he moved to Lancaster to join the landscape architect Thomas Hayton Mawson as chief assistant. He passed the final exam in 1920 and was admitted ARIBA late that year or early the next, his sole proposer being Alexander McGibbon. Soon afterwards, in 1922, he commenced practice as a principal at St Catherine Street, Westminster, entering into partnership with Percy Charles Boddy (born 1880). Together they secured the commission for Topsham Town Hall, Devon in competition, and designed several large houses, as well as office blocks in England and Scotland which have yet to be identified. The partnership appears to have been dissolved in 1924 when Dempster became architect to Bethnal Green Borough Council. Around 1928 he was appointed senior architect to the Miners' Welfare Committee, having charge of their work in Scotland and the North of England, although based in an office in London. He held this position until c.1938 when he was succeeded by Donald Denoon Jack. In this capacity he was responsible for all the Committee's work in the area, and in particular for the erection of some 50 pithead baths, including the exceptional example at Cardowan which echoes the design of Hilversum Town Hall, and the designs for which were exhibited at the RSA and the Brussels Exhibition of 1935. By 1936 the total value of these works for the Committee amounted to around £1,000,000. He was elected FRIBA on 20 July 1936, his proposers being Thomas Smith Tait and John Henry Forshaw, the latter being in charge of the general direction of the Miners' Welfare Committee's building programme throughout the United Kingdom. Dempster published papers including an article entitled 'The Architect', in the 'Architects' Journal' for the RIBA conference in Glasgow in 1935, and 'Modern Industrial Architecture' in the 'Glasgow Herald' in January 1936. Dempster would appear to have died between April and June 1956.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
	Address	Type	Date from	Date to	Notes
	St Catherine Street, Westminster, London, England	Business	1922	1924(?)
	Ballochmyle/21, The Warren, Carshalton Beeches, Surrey, England	Private	1936 *

* 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):
	Name	Date from	Date to	Position	Notes
	Hamilton Neil	1908 or 1909	1913 or 1914	Apprentice
	Thomas Hayton Mawson	1919	1921	Assistant
	Boddy & Dempster	1922	1924	Partner
	Miners' Welfare Committee (or Miners' Welfare Commission), Mines Department, (National Coal Board Divisional Welfare)	1928	c. 1936	Senior Architect	Senior Architect for Scotland and the North of England

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
	Name	Date from	Date to	Position	Notes
	Frederick George Frizzell				In Miners' Welfare Commission office
	O Parry				Working under John Austin Dempster

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
	Name	Date proposed	Notes
	John Henry Forshaw	20 July 1936	for Fellowship
	Alexander McGibbon	Late 1920 or early 1921	for Associateship
	Thomas Smith Tait	20 July 1936	for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
	Name	Date proposed	Notes
	Alexander Cosmo Smith Auld	17 June 1952	For Fellowship
	Donald Denoon Jack	17 November 1942	for Fellowship
	James Boyd Raeside	3 September 1946	For Licentiateship
	Hugh Smith	1 May 1951	for 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 started	Building name	Town, district or village	Island	City or county	Country	Notes
	1928	Dalziel and Broomside Colliery, Pithad Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with O Parry
	1929	Kingshill Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with O Parry
	1930	Auchenlochan Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with O Parry
	1930	Blairhall Colliery, pithead baths	Blairhall		Fife	Scotland	Original building as Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with F G Frizzel
	1930	Fortissat Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with Oparry
	1930	Greenrig Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with O Parry
	1930	Lochhead Colliery, Pithead Baths	East Wemyss		Fife	Scotland	Original building as Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1930	Loganlea Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with O Parry
	1930	Roslin Colliery, Pithad Baths			Midlothian	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with F G Frizzel
	1931	Auchengeich Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with O Parry
	1931	Bank Colliery, Pithead Baths			Ayrshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1931	Devon Colliery, Pithead Baths			Clackmannanshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1931	Ferniegaro (or Ferniegair) Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with O Parry
	1931	Frances Colliery, Pithead Baths	Dysart (near)		Fife	Scotland	Presumably responsible, as Senior Architect for Scotland and North of England for the Miners' Welfare Committee
	1931	Ramsay Colliery, Pithead baths	Loanhead		Midlothian	Scotland	Probably responsible as he was the Chief Architect to the Committee at this time
	1931	Viewpark Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with O Parry
	1931	Woolmet Colliery, Pithead Baths			Midlothian	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1932	Aitken Colliery, Pithead Baths	Kelty		Fife	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1932	Bothwell Castle Colliery, Pithead Baths	Bothwell		Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1932	Douglas Colliery, Pithead Baths	Douglas Water		Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1932	East Plean Colliery, Pithead Baths	East Plean		Stirlingshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - uncertain is in conjunction with another more junior architect
	1932	Kames Colliery, Pithead Baths			Ayrshire	Scotland	As Senior Architect for Scotland and North of England for the Miners' Welfare Committee
	1932	Kinneil Colliery, Pithead Baths	Kinneil		West Lothian	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1932	Ramsey Colliery, Pithead Baths			Fife	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1932	Whiterigg Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1933	Arniston Colliery, pithead baths			Midlothian	Scotland	Original building - as chief architect for the Miners' Welfare Committee
	1933	Auchencruive/Auchincruive Colliery, Pithead Baths 4 and 5	Annbank		Ayrshire	Scotland	As Senior Architect for Scotland and North of England for the Miners' Welfare Committee
	1933	Cardowan Colliery, Pithead Baths	Cardowan		Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Senior Architect for Scotland and North of England for the Miners' Welfare Committee
	1933	Dewshill Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1933	Fauldhouse Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1933	Kingshill Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	Rebuilding or additions as Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission - with O Parry
	1933	Lindsay Colliery, Pithead Baths			Fife	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1933	Lumphinnans Colliery, Pithead Baths	Lumphinnans		Fife	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1933	Manor Powis Colliery, Pithead Baths			Stirlingshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1933	Preston Links Colliery, Pithead Baths			East Lothian	Scotland	As Senior Architect for Scotland and North of England for the Miners' Welfare Committee
	1933	Whitehill Colliery, Pithead Baths			Ayrshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1934	Foulshields Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1934	Lochhead Colliery, Pithead Baths	East Wemyss		Fife	Scotland	Extensions - with Forshaw in overall charge
	1934	Michael Colliery, Pithead Baths	East Wemyss		Fife	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1934	Minto Colliery, Pithead Baths	Lochgelly		Fife	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1934	Pennyvenie Colliery, pithead baths			Ayrshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1934	Polkemmet Colliery, pithead baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As senior architect to the Miners' Welfare Committee
	1934	Whitehill Colliery, pithead baths			Midlothian	Scotland	Original building - as Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1935	Bowhill Colliery, pithead baths	Bowhill, Auchterderran		Fife	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1935	Castlehill Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1935	Pithead Baths	East Wemyss		Fife	Scotland	Presumably responsible, as Senior Architect for Scotland and North of England for the Miners' Welfare Commission
	1935	Whitehill Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1936	Auchencruive Colliery 1 and 3, Pithead Baths			Ayrshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1936	Kames Colliery, Pithead Baths			Ayrshire	Scotland	Extension - as Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1936	Newcraighall Colliery, Pithead Baths			Edinburgh	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Ardenrigg Colliery, Pithead Baths			Stirlingshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Douglas Castle colliery, pithead baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Gilmerton Colliery, Pithead Baths			Midlothian	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Herbertshire Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Hopetoun Colliery, Pithead Baths			West Lothian	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Houldsworth Colliery, pithead baths	Patna		Ayrshire	Scotland	Original building? Alterations? As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Pirnhall Colliery, Pithead Baths			Midlothian	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Riddochhill Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Tillicoultry Colliery, Pithead Baths	Tillicoultry		Clackmannanshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Wester Auchengeich Colliery, pithead baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	Alterations? Original building? as Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Wester Gartshore Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1937	Whiterigg Colliery, Pithead Baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	Further work? - as Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1938	Benhar Colliery, pithead baths	Benhar		Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1938	Brora Colliery, pithead baths	Inverness		Inverness-shire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1938	Fleets Colliery, pithead baths			East Lothian	Scotland	As senior architect to the Miners' Welfare Coimmittee
	1938	High House Colliery, pithead baths			Ayrshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1938	Hopetoun Colliery, Pithead Baths			West Lothian	Scotland	Alterations? Further work? - as Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1938	Mauchline Colliery, pithead baths			Ayrshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1938	Overtoun Colliery, pithead baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1938	Woodend Colliery, pithead baths			Lanarkshire	Scotland	As Chief Architect for the Northern Division, Miners' Welfare Commission
	1949	Miners' Community Welfare Centre	Bannockburn		Stirlingshire	Scotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
	Author(s)	Date	Title	Part	Publisher	Notes
	McKean, Charles	1987	The Scottish Thirties: An Architectural Introduction		Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press	pp116-7

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
	Source	Archive Name	Source Catalogue No.	Notes
	H M Register House	Death Register
	RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum	RIBA Nomination Papers		A no3132 (microfilm reel 25); F no3347 (box 21)