Basic Biographical Details

Name: Agnes Freeland Johnston (Mrs Gratton)
Designation:  
Born: 15 August 1915
Died: 1993
Bio Notes: Agnes Freeland Johnston was born on 15 August 1915 and attended day classes at Glasgow School of Art and the Royal Technical College from September 1932. She spent the summers of 1933, 1934 and 1935 as an apprentice in the office of Keppie & Henderson, and spent five months as apprentice to Stewart & Paterson in 1936 whilst continuing to attend evening classes at the Technical College. She was admitted ARIBA on 6 December 1937, her proposers being Thomas Harold Hughes, John Stewart and William James Smith.

She later married Thomas Oswald White Gratton. She became the house manager of Lennoxtown Housing Scheme, Stirlingshire. In 1942 she was appointed a member of reconstituted Scottish Housing Advisory Committee which held its first meeting in St Andrew's House on 2 October 1942. She was expected to bring a 'wealth of expert knowledge to the work of the committee'. The committee which was augmented by seven women drawn from all walks of life was to play a prominent role in planning post-war homes. About this time her husband was serving with the Forces. She later worked in her husband's firm of Gratton & McLean and was made a partner.

Agnes and her husband both retired from the firm on 30 September 1971, resigned from the RIBA and moved to Estoril, Portugal. The Gratton & McLean office was at 21 Woodside Terrace, Glasgow at the time of their retirement.

She returned to England and died in 1993, her death registered in November.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 5Monteviot, Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire, ScotlandPrivate1937 *  
Item 2 of 5Ayton Lodge, Lenzie, Dunbartonshire, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)1950  
Item 3 of 5Roman Court, Boclair Road, Bearsden, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate(?)1970 *  
Item 4 of 521, Woodside Terrace, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1971 *  
Item 5 of 5Estoril, PortugalPrivate1971  

* 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 4Keppie & HendersonMid 1933Mid 1933ApprenticeDuring summer holiday
Item 2 of 4Keppie & HendersonMid 1934Mid 1934ApprenticeDuring summer holiday
Item 3 of 4Keppie & HendersonMid 1935Mid 1935ApprenticeDuring summer holiday
Item 4 of 4Stewart & Paterson19361936ApprenticeFor five months

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Thomas Harold Hughes6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 2 of 3(Professor) William James Smith6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 3 of 3John Stewart6 December 1937for Associateship

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 2RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Glasgow Herald3 January 1942  p2

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 A no6257 (combined box 144)