Basic Biographical Details Name: | Thomas Gibson | Designation: | | Born: | 23 January 1930 | Died: | | Bio Notes: | Thomas Gibson was born on 23 January 1930. In 1947 he entered the office of Charles Davidson & Son as an articled apprentice and remained in this office until 1950 when he transferred to a post as assistant on the architectural staff of Messrs J & P Coats working in the office at 155 St Vincent Street in Glasgow. From 1952-54 he was an assistant in the Burgh Architect's Department in Paisley and from 1952 attended classes for the certificate course in architecture at Glasgow School of Art. In May 1954 he spent three weeks travelling and studying in France.
Later in 1954 he moved to another assistant post in the Motherwell & Wishaw Architect's Department where he remained until 1956 and was a member of the team responsible for the new civic centre. In the latter year he moved to the office of Taylor & Davie as senior architectural assistant. He completed the course at Glasgow School of Art, sitting the final exams in December 1957 and the professional practice exam in March 1958. He was admitted ARIBA on 8 July 1958, his proposers being Professor William James Smith, William Archibald Park Jack and George William Robertson.
Later that same year, 1958, Gibson transferred, again as senior assistant, to the practice of Alexander Buchanan Campbell. He would appear to have set up and run his own private practice as Thomas Gibson Architect. In 1960 he was appointed to a lectureship (later senior lecturer) with the Department of Civil Engineering & Building at Paisley College of Technology. However he had the authority to run his own small part-time practice at the same time. In 1965 he was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, after passing the direct membership exam.
In July 1969 he joined forces with Donald Hugh Macpherson (in whose practice he had helped as both architect and surveyor in the 1960s) as Macpherson & Gibson and from that time was principle in partnership. Gibson took responsibility for the Renfrew branch office of the practice. Initially the two partners had joint responsibility for most aspects of the practice: design work, office administration, site supervision and staff supervision. They undertook a wide variety of work costing from as little as £5,000 to £200,000 and included private housing, educational, industrial and commercial work. In due course Gibson acted more as the finder of commissions in the practice as his responsibilities in Paisley College grew.
Gibson took on a range of responsibilities beyond his profession. From 1963 he was Convenor of the Building Group of Renfrewshire Productivity Association. He was also a member of council and member of the Board of Governors of the Reid Kerr College of Further Education, Paisley. From 1966 he was a member of the Education and Membership Committee of the Scottish branch of the RICS and from 1967 he was the Scottish branch representative of the Education Policy Committee of the RICS in London. He was a lso a council member of the Rotary Club of Renfrew of which he was vocational service convenor. A hoped-for post as Professor in the College did not materialise and Gibson moved to become Director of Technical Services at East Kilbride Development Corporation. In the later 1980s New Town Development Corporations were under threat of closure and he took early retirement in 1987.
However, through a friend, Gibson was appointed to the position of administrator of the Accord Hospice in Paisley, the funds for which were being currently collected. His knowledge of sites and buildings proved invaluable in the process of developing the hospice project. He was subsequently invited by the Department of Heslth for Scotland to be chairman of the new local Paisley hospital trust. He was involved with the process of electing board members and in due course one member took over as administrator of the Accord Hospice.
Gibson retired in 1995. He lives in Paisley.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 24, Brabloch Crescent, Gallowhill, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Private | c. 1954 | | | | 6, Well Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Private | 1958 * | | | | 196, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1958 * | | | | Dunvegan/18, West Brae, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Private | Before 1963 * | After 1987 | Needs to be checked. Conflict of information | | Dunvegan/19, Southfield Avenue, Potterhill, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland | Private(?) | 1970 * | 1988 | RIBA directory 1979 etc |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1964 | The RIBA Kalendar 1963-64 | | | | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | | | RIBA | 1972 | RIBA Directory 1972 | | | | | RIBA | 1979 | Directory of members | | | | | RIBA | 1987 | RIBA Directory of Members 1987 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | Thomas Gibson: A no19323, F no7125 (Combined Box 179) |
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