Basic Biographical Details Name: | Archibald ('Archie') Leitch | Designation: | | Born: | 27 April 1865 | Died: | 4 March 1939 | Bio Notes: | Archibald Leitch (generally known as Archie) was born on 27 April 1865 in Comleypark Street, Camlachie, Glasgow, the fourth of six children of Archibald Leitch, blacksmith, who may have worked at William Beardmore's nearby Parkhead Forge. Archie was educated at Hutcheson's Grammar School from 1876 to 1880, and subsequently at Anderson's College. In 1882 he joined the engineering company of Duncan Stewart & Co at their London Road Iron Works at Bridgeton Cross, becoming a draughtsman in 1887, but towards the end of the latter year he left to train as a marine engineer. Over the next three years he travelled widely, and it was probably at this period that he spent some time working in India; he also had links with family and friends in South Africa, and continued to undertake frequent travels throughout his life.
He returned to Glasgow in early 1890, and in June that year married Jessie Black, the daughter of a dairyman who lived near his family home. He re-entered Duncan Stewart's drawing office, but left before the end of the year, after only eight months, to take a senior position as the head of the Ordering Department in the Scotland Street drawing office of Mirlees, Watson & Co, which, like Stewart's firm, specialised in the manufacture of machinery for the sugar industry. He and Jessie set up home in McLellan Street, Kinning Park but left a few years later for the cleaner air of Mount Florida, and Archie began teaching at the evening classes of the Glasgow Athenaeum, the Glasgow School Board and the Christian Institute. It was probably in the early 1890s that Leitch became a freemason.
In 1896 Leitch left Mirlees, Watson & Co to commence practice on his own account as a 'Consulting and Inspecting Engineer', taking an office at 40 St Enoch Square. He was made a member of the Institute of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland in December that year, and in February the following year applied to become an associate of the London-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers. His nomination papers state that he had recently been appointed Consulting Engineer to the Lanarkshire County Council, Middle Ward, and his proposers were all important Scottish engineers: his former employers Sir William Renny Watson (of Mirlees, Watson & Co) and Duncan Stewart; locomotive engineer Charles Davies; mining engineer John Robertson; and, perhaps most significantly, Sir William Arrol, perhaps the most prominent engineer of the time.
Soon after commencing independent practice, Leitch took into partnership Harry Davies, an experienced civil engineer who was probably the son of Charles Davies, and who had recently returned from a twenty-year period working on railway construction projects in India. Over the following years, Leitch & Davies worked mainly on industrial commissions. In March 1899 Leitch received a commission from Rangers Football Club, for the design of their new Ibrox Park stadium. The largest purpose-built football venue the world had ever seen, it opened in April 1900. Leitch proved his devotion to the team by claiming no fees for the design of the stadium.
Leitch became a full member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in March 1902, by which time his firm employed some 30 hands and he was acting for three local councils as well as for the Kroonstaad Corporation in South Africa. It was around this time that Davies returned to India, leaving Leitch to continue his practice alone. On 5 April the same year, during an England v Scotland game at Ibrox Park, disaster struck when a section of the south-west terrace collapsed, resulting in 25 deaths and some 516 injuries. Leitch, greatly scarred by the tragedy, believed it to be the fault of timber merchant Alexander MacDougall, who had used inferior timber and joints contrary to Leitch's instructions; but MacDougall was found not guilty in the ensuing trial. Despite the controversy, and after having initially approaching architect John Gordon, Rangers nevertheless decided to retain Leitch as their consulting engineer, and he went on to become the foremost designer of football grounds of his generation, working for numerous other football clubs and undertaking work at most of the major grounds around Britain. He was closely involved in the world of football administration and frequently advised a number of clubs on improvements to their grounds, using his contacts to help clubs find funding.
Leitch also continued to undertake factory and consultancy work. In 1903 he commenced work on the Sentinel Works in Jessie Street, Polmadie, Glasgow's first building in reinforced concrete. He went on to become an innovator in steel construction, his first double-decker grandstand appearing in 1907. He patented a number of designs, amongst them steel crush barriers, including one version incorporating a tubular hand-rail which doubled as a pipe to supply water for pitch irrigation.
Leitch moved his office to 34 Argyle Arcade at 30 Buchanan Street in 1906. Around 1909, with Glasgow's economy in decline, he and his family left for Liverpool, which was experiencing an engineering and shipping boom. They stayed there until the early months of the First World War, when they settled at a prestigious address in London - Lonsdale House, Barnes, formerly the home of a member of the Wedgwood family. Leitch remained in practice in London thereafter.
Leitch's stadium designs developed little after the First World War, especially when compared to the concrete cantilevered stands being built in France, Italy, Germany, Argentina and elsewhere. Nevertheless, his business continued to be successful, and many of his stands remain in use today.
In 1935 Archie and Jessie Leitch made their final move, to a new semi-detached house in Cockfosters, North London. Archie retired the following year, leaving his business in the hands of his first son, Archibald Kent Leitch (Archie Junior), who was born in April 1891 and who had joined the firm before 1920 and become a partner in 1927. At that time Archie Junior was still living with his parents; he did not marry until 1938.
Archie died in his bed on 25 April 1939, leaving moveable estate of £2,111 12s 9d. He was buried in the family plot in East Sheen, alongside his daughters Jeannie (c.1896-c.1918) and Nancy (c.1904-1933). His son Archie Junior continued the business under the name of Archibald Leitch & Partners. Archie was also survived by his wife and by another daughter, also called Jessie, who had given him two grandchildren. The grandchildren recalled that Archie always had a twinkle in his eye and could fill a house with laughter. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 60, Granger Road, Langside, Glasgow, Scotland | Private(?) | | | | | Comleypark Street, Camlachie, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1866 | Before 1890 | Place of birth | | McLellan Street, Kinning Park, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1890 or 1891 | Early 1890s | | | 40, St Enoch Square, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1896 | 1906 | | | Clincart Road, Mount Florida, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Early 1890s | c. 1909 | | | 34 Argyle Arcade/30, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1906 | 1909 | | | Inverclyde, Blundellsands, Liverpool (near), England | Private | c. 1909 | 1914 | | | 36, Dale Street, Liverpool, England | Business | 1913 * | | | | Lonsdale House, Barnes, London, England | Private | 1914 | | | | 18, Victoria Street, Westminster, London, England | Business | 1925 * | | | | Cockfosters, London, England | Private | 1935 | 1939 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Leitch & Davies | After 1896 | Early 1902 | Partner | | | Archibald Leitch & Partners | 1927(?) | 1936 | Partner | |
Employees or Pupils* earliest date known from documented sources.
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 | | | Design of the Tube System | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1899 | Ibrox Park football stadium | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1899 | Rugby Park grandstand | Kilmarnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | In collaboration with the Clyde Structural Iron Company | | Late 1890s | Caledonian Tube Works | Coatbridge | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Probably in conjunction with the Clyde Structural Iron Company | | Late 1890s | Chemical works for Alexander Hope Junior | Provanmill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Probably in conjunction with the Clyde Structural Iron Company | | Late 1890s | New works for Stirling Boiler Company | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | Probably in conjunction with the Clyde Structural Iron Company | | Late 1890s | Union Tube Works | Coatbridge | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Probably in conjunction with the Clyde Structural Iron Company | | 1900 | Bramall Lane football ground | Sheffield | | Yorkshire | England | In conjunction with the Clyde Structural Iron Company | | 1902 | Ibrox Park football stadium | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Gradual rebuilding, retaining front section of original North Stand | | 1902 | Old Trafford Football Ground | Stretford | | Manchester | England | | | 1902 | Shop, New Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations | | 1902 | Villas, Nithsdale Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1903 | Ayresome Park football ground | Middlesbrough | | Yorkshire | England | | | 1903 | Sentinel Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | With Brand & Lithgow (NB pattern shop and offices by Leitch) | | 1904 | Craven Cottage football ground | Fulham | | London | England | Original ground; also continued to advise Fulham Football Club for many years afterwards | | 1904 | Free St John's Mission Church | Gallowgate | | Glasgow | Scotland | WCs added | | 1905 | Stamford Bridge football ground | Fulham | | London | England | | | 1906 | Anfield football ground | | | Liverpool | England | Rebuilding, retaining original main stand and Anfield Road cover | | 1906 | Ewood Park football ground | Blackburn | | Lancashire | England | Rebuilding, including new Riverside Stand and Nuttall Street Stand | | 1907 | Park Avenue football ground | Bradford | | Yorkshire | England | Rebuilding | | 1908 | Goodison Park stadium | | | Liverpool | England | New Main Stand | | 1908 | Valley Parade football ground, Midland Road stand | Bradford | | Yorkshire | England | Major additions and alterations, including Midland Road Stand | | 1908 | White Hart Lane football stadium | Tottenham | | London | England | West Stand | | 1909 | Goodison Park stadium | | | Liverpool | England | Alterations to terracing | | 1909 | White Hart Lane football stadium | Tottenham | | London | England | Extensions to terracing | | 1910 | Leeds Road football ground | Huddersfield | | Yorkshire | England | Rebuilding | | 1910 | The Den football ground | New Cross | | London | England | | | 1912 | Cardiff Arms Park, grandstand | | | Cardiff | Wales | | | 1912 | Gourock Waterworks | Gourock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1913 | Arsenal football stadium | Highbury | | London | England | | | 1913 | Douglas Park football ground | Hamilton | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | New stand | | 1913 | Hillsborough football stadium | Sheffield | | Yorkshire | England | New Main Stand (South Stand) | | 1913 | Roker Park football ground | Sunderland | | County Durham | England | Probably responsible for new Roker End terrace | | 1913 | Tynecastle football stadium, McLeod Street Stand | Gorgie | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1914 | Villa Park football ground | | | Birmingham | England | Rebuilding incorporating earlier Witton Lane Stand; included Trinity Road Stand; terraces remained unexecuted | | 1921 | Dens Park football stadium | | | Dundee | Scotland | Rebuilding | | 1921 | St James' Park football stadium | | | Newcastle upon Tyne | England | Improvements to existing stand, upgrading of terracing and terrace cover | | After 1921 | Stamford Bridge football ground | Fulham | | London | England | Additions and alterations | | 1923 | Selhurst Park football ground | | | London | England | | | 1924 | Molineux football ground | Wolverhampton | | Staffordshire | England | Main Stand | | 1924 | Twickenham rugby ground | Twickenham | | Middlesex | England | North Stand | | 1925 | Fratton Park football ground | Portsmouth | | Hampshire | England | New South Stand | | 1926 | Derby County Baseball Ground | Derby | | Derbyshire | England | Main Stand ('B Pavilion') on west side | | 1926 | Goodison Park stadium | | | Liverpool | England | New Bullens Road Stand | | 1926 | The Dell | Southampton | | Hampshire | England | West Stand | | 1927 | Hampden Park Football Ground | Mount Florida | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension of east terrace and replacement of wire-rope barriers | | 1927 | Twickenham rugby ground | Twickenham | | Middlesex | England | East Stand | | c. 1927 | Ibrox Park football stadium | | | Glasgow | Scotland | New South Stand | | 1928 | West Ham Stadium | West Ham | | London | England | | | 1929 | Celtic Football Ground | Parkhead | | Glasgow | Scotland | New 5000-seat south stand | | 1929 | Roker Park football ground | Sunderland | | County Durham | England | New Main Stand | | 1929 | The Dell | Southampton | | Hampshire | England | New East Stand | | 1930 | Windsor Park football ground, South Stand | | | Belfast | Northern Ireland | | | c. 1931 | Dalymount Park football ground, Main Stand extension and terrace works | | | Dublin | Eire | | | c. 1931 | Molineux football ground | Wolverhampton | | Staffordshire | England | Redevelopment of the North Bank ('The Cowshed'); new Molineux Street Stand; extension of South Bank Terrace | | 1932 | Balmoral Show Ground, grandstand | | | Belfast | Northern Ireland | | | 1932 | Twickenham rugby ground | Twickenham | | Middlesex | England | West Stand | | 1933 | Derby County Baseball Ground | Derby | | Derbyshire | England | Osmaston End Stand | | 1934 | White Hart Lane football stadium | Tottenham | | London | England | East Stand | | 1935 | Derby County Baseball Ground | Derby | | Derbyshire | England | Normanton End Stand | | 1935 | Molineux football ground | Wolverhampton | | Staffordshire | England | Covering of South Bank | | 1935 | Molineux football ground | Wolverhampton | | Staffordshire | England | Further work, including improvements to Molineux Street Stand | | 1936 | Ayresome Park football ground | Middlesbrough | | Yorkshire | England | Major additions, including new South Stand | | 1936 | Roker Park football ground | Sunderland | | County Durham | England | Clock Stand |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Inglis, Simon | 2005 | Engineering Archie: Archibald Leitch - football ground designer | | London: English Heritage | |
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