Basic Biographical Details | Name: | Hugh Alexander Salmon | | Designation: | | | Born: | 16 November 1874 | | Died: | 11 December 1960 | | Bio Notes: | Hugh Alexander Salmon was born at 12 Seton Terace, Dennistoun, Glasgow on 16 November 1874, the younger son of William Forrest Salmon and his first wife Jessie Alexander. Whether he was articled to William Leiper like his elder brother James is not known as he never discussed his brief architectural career with his family but he studied at Glasgow School of Art in 1889-90. He must have completed his articles as he designed at least one of the James Salmon & Son Onslow Drive houses in Dennistoun, but in 1894 he left the profession to learn the business of farming with his maternal grandfather Hugh Alexander at Arrat Mill, Brechin, a decision arising from his preference for an outdoor life and tensions at home as a result of his father's second marriage to Agnes Cooper Barry: neither brother liked their stepmother.
In 1897 Hugh Salmon emigrated to New Zealand and spent his first year at Castle Rock Station, Southland, 200 miles south of Dunedin: it was one of the largest farms in New Zealand at the time. He then joined Wright Stephenson, Stock and Station Agents at Dunedin, initially as a traveller for seed on horseback. Aided perhaps by his original professional training as architect and surveyor he was quickly appointed one of Wright Stephenson's auctioneers and after only two years a departmental manager in wool and seed; in that capacity he may have designed some simple storage buildings as his family remembered him working on very precise structural drawings.
A visit home was made in 1906, an event recorded in a postcard of him driving off on the golf course with Old Tom Morris - or someone very like him - in the background. Two years after his return to Dunedin, on 16 July 1908, he married Anna Jessie Roberts, the daughter of a woodcarver of Scottish descent. They had four children - Margaret (Peggie, Mrs Roland Cox), born 11 May 1909; Jean Barrie, born 4 March 1913; William Forrest, born 6 February 1918; and Anne Precey (Mrs Allan Francis), born 28 December 1920 - but of these Jean Barrie (died 1946) was damaged at birth and William Forrest died of meningitis when only a year old.
Hugh Salmon retired worn out and seriously ill in 1924. He recovered but did not work again. A final visit to Scotland with his daughter Anne was made in 1934 to wind up his father's trust estate following the death of his stepmother but he arrived too late to retrieve any of his father's possessions which had been auctioned a week earlier.
Hugh Salmon died on 11 December 1960. In person he was quite unlike his brother James although they had a great admiration and affection for each other. He was teetotal, tall like his father and grandfather, very fit and athletic with a great love of animals, golf, fishing and shooting. His architecture as seen at Auchinblae, his own house at Dunedin, was much influenced by his brother's. | Private and Business Addresses| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 3, Broompark Gardens, Dennistoun, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1889 | 1894 | | | Arrat Mill, Brechin, Angus, Scotland | Private/business | 1894 | 1897 | | | Castle Rock Station, Southland, New Zealand | Private/business | 1897 | 1898 | | | Dunedin, New Zealand | Private/business | 1898 | | | | Auchinblae, Dunnottar, Dunedin, New Zealand | Private | 1919 | After 1934 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployers| The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | James Salmon & Son | After 1890 | Before 1894 | Apprentice | |
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 | | c. 1894 | House, Onslow Drive | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | As apprentice to James Salmon & Son | | 1919 | Auchinblae | Dunnottar | | Dunedin | New Zealand | For himself |
ReferencesBibliographic References| The following books contain references to this : | | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | O'Donnell, Raymond | 2003 | The life and work of James Salmon architect, 1873-1924 | | Edinburgh: The Rutland Press | |
Archive References| The following archives hold material relating to this : | | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Salmon Collection | | | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Information from Glasgow School of Art records per Iain Paterson; personal information from Mrs Anne Francis, Salmon's daughter |
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