Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Barclay
Designation:  
Born: 14 July 1905
Died: 5 March 1962
Bio Notes: William Barclay was born on 14 July 1905, the son of James Barclay, sculptor, and his wife, Mary Jane Gibb. He was articled to James Inch Morrison from about 1922 and at the same time studied for the diploma in architecture at Edinburgh College of Art and Heriot Watt. He attended morning classes at the College of Art and evening classes at Heriot Watt, gaining certificates in building construction, strength of materials, statistics, structural mechanics, reinforced concrete construction and so on. He remained with Inch Morrison after the completion of his articles for eight further years (13 years in all) and during this period he worked on a wide variety of different jobs including churches, theatres, child welfare buildings, an orthopaedic centre, factories, and mansion houses.

In 1935 he moved to the practice of Wilson & Tait in Grangemouth where he was engaged on various factories and housing schemes including the layout plans of the latter. After two years he moved to the office of James Stewart Johnston, where he worked on factories, roadhouses, two secondary schools and other private works.

During the Second World War he joined the National Fire Service as an accommodation officer in connection with the acquisition, improvement and maintenance of premises for the Service. He was seconded to the Scottish Home Department also in this capacity.

After demobilisation in September 1945 he returned to James Stewart Johnston’s office. He was admitted LRIBA in 1948, proposed by James Stewart Johnston, Alfred Hugh Mottram and B H Cuthbertson, secretary of the RIBA. Bu this time he was chief assistant in the practice. He continued in the practice of J & F Johnston in the post-war period. He was involved with various jobs by the firm in these years but was particularly proud of his work on Goldbergs.

Barclay died of a coronary thrombosis on 5 March 1962. He was survived by his wife, Marion Gibb Brown Stewart.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 150, Howden Hall Road, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1950 *1962 

* 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 2J & F Johnston 1961Architect(?) 
Item 2 of 2J & F Johnston & Partners19611962Architect(?) 

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 151937Ainslie Park High SchoolPilton EdinburghScotlandInvolved in the design and building from 1937 onwards and after the Second World War. As chief assistant from after 1945..
Item 2 of 15Late 1930sStenhouse SchoolStenhouse EdinburghScotlandBegun at this date and probably deferred until after Second World War
Item 3 of 151947(?)Berwickshire High SchoolLangtongate, Duns BerwickshireScotlandAs one of the senior architects in J & F Johnston
Item 4 of 15Late 1940sFactory for Messrs Donald Grant & SonSighthill EdinburghScotlandAs chief assistant
Item 5 of 15Late 1940sFactory for Messrs P Nimmo & Sons  EdinburghScotlandAs chief assistant
Item 6 of 15Late 1940sFactory for Messrs Paper Shavings LtdGranton EdinburghScotlandAs chief assistant
Item 7 of 15Late 1940sFactory for Messrs Petrie (Aerated Waters Ltd)Bathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 8 of 15Late 1940sFactory for Scottish Prefaced Papers Ltd  EdinburghScotlandAs chief assistant - extensions prposed
Item 9 of 15Late 1940sFlour mill for David Gaudie & SonPortobello EdinburghScotlandAs chief assistant
Item 10 of 15Late 1940sLeith Nautical CollegeLeith EdinburghScotlandAs chief assistant - addition of radar station
Item 11 of 15Late 1940sRoadhouseHaddington East LothianScotlandAs chief assistant
Item 12 of 15Late 1940sScottish Croast (Creast?) Lines Ltd   ScotlandAs chief assistant - proposed offices and factory
Item 13 of 151951Premises, Niddrie Road  EdinburghScotland 
Item 14 of 151960Goldbergs department store  EdinburghScotland 
Item 15 of 15Before 1962Gracemount School  EdinburghScotlandAs a senior architect in the firm of J & F Johnston.

References

Bibliographic References

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

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Information sent to DSA websiteInformation from Paula Dixon, daughter of William Barclay Sent September 2007