Basic Biographical Details

Name: David Thomson
Designation:  
Born: 8 August 1880
Died: 16 October 1957
Bio Notes: David Thomson was born on 8 August 1880 and educated at Perth Academy. He was articled to Campbell Douglas & Morrison in August 1895, and studied at Glasgow School of Art under Francis H Newbery, William James Anderson and Alexander McGibbon, winning a travelling studentship for his measured drawings of the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral. He returned to Perth in 1901 as assistant to George Penrose Kennedy Young and remained with him until 1903 when he moved to Brighton as second assistant to Clayton & Black. Whilst there he worked on bank, hotel, domestic, church and factory buildings in Brighton, until c.1906 when he left to join the office of the theatre specialist Edwin Otto Sachs in London. He commenced independent practice at 13 Victoria Street, Westminster in March 1909, but in or before 1911 he obtained a salaried post in H M Office of Works. His admission as LRIBA on 27 February 1911 probably relates to that appointment: his proposers were Christopher Bristow of Sachs' office, Percy Hubert Keys of the Office of Works and Hewlett Edwards of Carshalton, Surrey. He became a senior assistant and was appointed MBE in 1920, and was elected FRIBA towards the end of the same year, his proposers being G P K Young, Arthur Jessop Hardwick and Alfred Cox. He died in retirement on 20 October 1957.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 313, Victoria Street, Westminster, London, EnglandBusiness1909After 1920 
Item 2 of 37, Cranwich Road, Stamford Hill, London, EnglandPrivateBefore 1911After 1914 
Item 3 of 3The Gables, Cheam Common Road, Worcester Park, Surrey, EnglandPrivate1920 *  

* 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 7Campbell Douglas & MorrisonAugust 18951900Apprentice 
Item 2 of 7Campbell Douglas & Morrison19001901Assistant 
Item 3 of 7George Penrose Kennedy Young19011903Assistant 
Item 4 of 7Clayton & Black1903c. 1906Assistant 
Item 5 of 7Edwin Otto Sachsc. 1906March 1909Assistant 
Item 6 of 7H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)1911 Assistant 
Item 7 of 7H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)After 1911After 1920Senior Architect 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Christopher Bristow27 February 1911for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 6Alfred CoxLate 1920for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6Alfred Hewlett Edwards27 February 1911for Licentiateship
Item 4 of 6Arthur Jessop HardwickLate 1920for Fellowship
Item 5 of 6Percy Hubert Keys27 February 1911for Licentiateship
Item 6 of 6George Penrose Kennedy YoungLate 1920for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1Peter Kydd HantonLate 1933for 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 211895Ayr Public LibraryAyr AyrshireScotlandAs apprentice to Campbell Douglas & Morrison
Item 2 of 211895Sandeman Public LibraryPerth PerthshireScotlandAs apprentice to Campbell Douglas & Morrison
Item 3 of 21After 1895(?)Canaan House  EdinburghScotlandDates uncertain, but Thomson was possibly involved if between 1895 and 1901, as apprentice/assistant to Campbell Douglas & Morrison
Item 4 of 21After 1895Large schools  Glasgow (and neighbourhood)ScotlandAs apprentice/assistant to Campbell Douglas & Morrison
Item 5 of 211897Kirkcaldy Burgh Infectious Diseases HospitalKirkcaldy FifeScotlandAs apprentice to Campbell Douglas & Morrison
Item 6 of 211898Head Office of the General Accident, Fire and Life Assurance Corporation LtdPerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant to George Penrose Kennedy Young - High Street frontage extended by 2 bays and made symmetrical
Item 7 of 211899(?)Victoria InfirmaryLangside GlasgowScotlandProbably involved in third part, including isolation pavilion and operation rooms - as apprentice/assistant to Campbell Douglas & Morrison
Item 8 of 21After 1903InfirmaryShoreham SussexEnglandAs second assistant to Clayton & Black
Item 9 of 21After 1903Insurance OfficesBrighton SussexEnglandAs second assistant to Clayton & Black
Item 10 of 211904(?)City of Perth Fever Hospital, FriartonPerth PerthshireScotlandThird premiated competition design
Item 11 of 21After 1906Opera House for a foreign government    As assistant to Edwin Otto Sachs
Item 12 of 211907 or 1908Perth Town HallPerth PerthshireScotlandCompetition design - placed second
Item 13 of 211909Blackpool Central Library and Art GalleryBlackpool LancashireEnglandSecond premiated competition design
Item 14 of 211909Depository, High StreetWest Norwood LondonEnglandAlterations
Item 15 of 21After 1909Deptford Free LibraryDeptford LondonEngland 
Item 16 of 211910Whitby Secondary SchoolWhitby YorkshireEnglandWon competition to secure job
Item 17 of 211915Nobel Explosive WorksCardonald GlasgowScotland 
Item 18 of 211916Munition stores and railway sidings  GlasgowScotland 
Item 19 of 211916Scottish Filling FactoryHouston RenfrewshireScotlandResponsible for a section of the building
Item 20 of 211920FarmhouseHarrow (near) MiddlesexEnglandAlterations and additions
Item 21 of 211920HousePrestwood BuckinghamshireEngland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 2Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA JournalApril 1958 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp212 Obituary

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 L v10 no556 (microfilm reel 32); F no1729 (microfilm reel 14)