Basic Biographical Details Name: | Henry Rochead Williamson | Designation: | | Born: | 22 May 1885 | Died: | 17 January 1955 | Bio Notes: | Henry Rochead Williamson was born on 22 May 1885, the son of James robert David Williamson, Free Church of Scotland minister, and his wife Louise Constance Rochead, and grandson of John Thomas Rochead. He was educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh. He was articled to Henry Francis Kerr c.1901, but transferred to James Bow Dunn in 1903. He attended classes at Edinburgh School of Art from 1903 to 1908 and gained first prize in the EAA competition 1908-9. He remained with Dunn for two years as improver after completing his apprenticeship and thereafter joined George Washington Browne as draughtsman. He left Browne in 1910 to take up the post of draughtsman in charge of stone details with Clegg & Son and Fryers & Penman of Manchester and Largs.
Williamson commenced independent practice in Edinburgh in 1912, and shortly thereafter, in November the same year, formed a partnership with Alexander Hunter Crawford. Crawford left the practice in the care of Williamson in 1913 and appears to have been in Liverpool rebuilding Fairfield Biscuit Works.
Williamson was mobilised in the Territorial Army in 1914, forcing him to leave a project of additions to an unspecified building in the hands of Arthur Forman Balfour Paul. Whilst he served in the First World War, during which he was a Captain in the Edinburgh Field Company Royal Engineers in Egypt and France and took the opportunity to sketch various monumental buildings in the locations where he was stationed, the practice was in the care of Henry Francis Kerr at his house at 12 East Claremont Street in 1915: Kerr had previously shared Crawford & Williamson's office at 10 Randolph Place, perhaps with the intention of merging the practices. After the war, in 1920, Williamson undertook a six-month 'refresher course' as draughtsman in H M Office of Works before resuming independent practice under the title of Hunter-Crawford & Williamson, first at 37 Frederick Street, then 65 Frederick Street, then at 2 Hill Street (1927-33), and at 21 Hill Street in 1937. Crawford gradually withdrew from practice to concentrate on both the buildings and the management of the family biscuit firm, and from 1931 until 1945 he lived mainly in London at 21 Avenue Road.
In the late 1920s Williamson entered into a separate partnership with W Hepburn Wainwright, an engineer and architect (appearing with the letters AFAS, ME and San I after his name). They worked initially from 65 Frederick Street, Edinburgh, and moved to 2 Hill Street from the late 1920s until about 1930.
Williamson continued the Hunter-Crawford & Williamson practice until the outbreak of the Second World War, during which he held government appointments with the War Damage Commission, Air Ministry (Surveyors' Department), and Ministry of Supply Home-Grown Timber Production Department. He also attended a Town Planning course at Edinburgh College of Art in 1940. He was admitted LRIBA on 9 April 1946, his proposers being John Ross McKay, James Alexander Arnott and John Wilson. By that time he had been appointed Director of Housing to the Town Council of Musselburgh, where he lived at 1 Windsor Gardens, Levenhall; his office address was 11 Randolph Place, Edinburgh.
At some point prior to 1950 Williamson worked for Tarbolton & Ochterlony. It is unclear whether he was a partner or a senior assistant. He diedon 17 January 1955 at 153 Morningside Drive. He had been married twice, first to Veronia Haddon, and second to Elizabeth Houston Wallace.
In 1926 he had read a paper to the Scottish Ecclesiological Society in Glasgow entitled 'Some Glasgow Churches designed by John T Rochead FSA (1814-78). | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 19, Morningside Place`, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1909 | c. 1911 | | | 10, Randolph Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1912 * | c. 1915 | | | Cray House, Glenshee, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | 1914 * | | | | 37, Fredersick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1921 | | | | 14, Greenbank Crescent, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1925 | | | | 65, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | Late 1920s | | | | 2, Hill Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1930 or 1931 * | | | | 21, Hill Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1939 or 1940 * | | Could this be a misreading for 2 Hill Street? | | 10, Randolph Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1946 * | | | | 1, Windsor Gardens, Levenhall, Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland | Private | 1946 * | 1954 | | | 4, St Colme Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1950 * | | This was the address of Tarbolton & Ochterlony. |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | James Alexander Arnott | 9 April 1946 | for Licentiateship | | John Ross McKay | 9 April 1946 | for Licentiateship | | John Wilson | 9 April 1946 | for Licentiateship |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1914 | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Scotsman | 15 February 1926 | | | | | Scotsman | 15 May 1943 | | | p8 Harry Rochead Williamson (son) reported as missing. |
Archive ReferencesThe 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 | | L no5880 (combined box 105) |
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