Basic Biographical Details Name: | James Hutchon (junior) | Designation: | | Born: | 26 June 1911 | Died: | 3 April 1979 | Bio Notes: | James Hutchon was born on 26 June 1911, the son of the Kinross-shire carpenter and builder James Hutchon Senior (described as 'maintenance engineer' in death register), and his wife Amy Lane. He was articled to G P K Young & Son of Perth from 1927 to 1931, studying art, building construction and mathematics at Perth Academy Evening School in 1929 and then at at Dundee Technical College & School of Art.
He joined Gillespie & Scott of St Andrews as junior assistant in 1931, working on farm and factory design and domestic buildings and undertaking field surveys and quantity surveying. He then worked for the British Aluminium Company Architect's Department (1936-7), as an assistant to Williamson & Hubbard (1937-39), and as senior assistant to Fife County Council, where he was engaged on school and ARP work. It was also in 1936 or 1937 that he was taken into partnership by Kirkcaldy co-operative architect Archibald Welsh as Welsh & Hutchon, based at 92 High Street.
During the Second World War Hutchon served in 1941-2 with the Royal Artillery and with the Royal Engineers as a 2nd Lieutenant. During this time he took opportunities to sketch and study the Italian, German and French Colonial (North African) architecture.
The partnership of Welsh & Hutchon was resumed in 1945, but dissolved in 1947. Welsh then merged his practice with that of Stewart Tod while Hutchon thereafter practised only on his own account, specialising in public, industrial and agricultural buildings. He was admitted LRIBA on 25 June 1946, prior to the dissolution of the partnership; his proposers were William Williamson of Kirkcaldy, William Wallace Friskin of Dundee, and the RIBA Secretary, T W Wilkes.
In 1950 he moved his practice to Portmoak, Scotlandwell where he established a reputation for time, space and energy savings in agricultural design, his practice in that field extending as far north as Novar.
Hutchon subsequently settled in Kinross but soon moved back to Kirkcaldy, initially at 13 James Grove and then at a combined house and office at 53 Milton Road. In Kirkcaldy he was responsible for Kirkcaldy Swimming Pool, Kirkcaldy Ice Rink and (as associate architect) Kirkcaldy Crematorium (although his initial concept for a four-services-at-a-time cruciform design was in the event not used) and a number of housing estates.
Hutchon retired in 1976 and died at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy on 3 April 1979. He was married twice, first on 14 March 1936 at St Paul's Episcopal Church, Kinross to Margaret Jessie Black Eadie and second to Anne Thomson Whiteside White or Bellfield. He was survived by his children James (born 1939), Margaret (1942-84) and Michael (1944-82). A fourth child Myra (born 1937) had predeceased him in 1976. None of these followed him in the profession.
Torfinn Thorbjornsen reported that the practice was dissolved after Hutchon's death. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 2, Falloden Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Private | | 1979 | | | The Lodge, Glenlomond, Kinross, Kinross-shire, Scotland | Private | 1936 * | | | | 92, High Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Business | 1936(?) | Before 1950 | Conflict of information: RIBA Kalendars say 233 High Street, Jim Hutchon (son of James) says 92 | | 8, Russell Place, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Private/business(?) | 1939 * | | | | 233, High Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Business | 1939(?) * | After 1950(?) | Conflict of information: RIBA Kalendars say 233 High Street, Jim Hutchon (son of James) says 92 | | Portmoak, Scotlandwell, Perthshire, Scotland | Business | 1950 | | | | Kinross, Kinross-shire, Scotland | Private/business | After 1950 | | | | 13, James Grove, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Private/business(?) | After 1950 | After 1970 | | | 53, Milton Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Private/business | After 1950 | After 1975 | |
* 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 | | William Wallace Friskin | 25 June 1946 | for Licentiateship | | William Williamson | 25 June 1946 | for Licentiateship |
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 | | 1937 | Kirkcaldy Ice Rink | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | As assistant to Williamson & Hubbard | | 1938 | Cameron House | Windygates | | Fife | Scotland | Administration building and nurses' home - as assistant to Williamson & Hubbard |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1975 | RIBA Directory of practices | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Information from Hutchon's son Jim Hutchon, journalist (email 17 July 2006) | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L no5908 (combined box 107) |
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