Jackson, Stephen (2013) 14 Kingsborough Gardens and the Patronage of the Rowat Family., Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society Journal, NO.98; SPR 2014 pp. 16-20. 0141-559X

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14 Kingsborough Gardens and the Patronage This correction of detail is more interesting than it might of the Rowat Family at first appear. Mackintosh's personal client base included a quite disparate range of people, whose attachment to new Stephen Jackson artistic trends varied in extent and commitment.

A previous contribution to the Society's Newsletter has Robert James Rowat bought the house at Kingsborough described how three lamps designed by Mackintosh for 14 Gardens in 1902 and Mackintosh's work involved decoration Kingsborough Gardens, , were conserved for the of the hall, the drawing room, and a bedroom for the Rowat's reopening of the National Museum of Scotland in 2011. 1 This only child, Maud Iso bel. Although the design work was article aims to shed light on the patrons behind the original recorded in the Honeyman, Keppie and Mackintosh account commission. Standard Mackintosh t~xts describe the client books, carried forward without payment between 1902 and as Mrs Rowat, identifying her as Pra Newbery's mother­ 1905, t.he tradesmen's accounts do not feature in the firm's in-law. However, Jessie Newbery's mother died folloWing job books. Roger Billcliffe has, however, traced some of the the birth of her fourth child in 1873, when Jessie was just design drawings and most of the items themselves, dispersed nine years 01d. 2 Jessie was the eldest of the four children of after 19323 The fittings comprised a settle and lighting for William Rowat and Margaret Downie Hill, who had married the hall and in the drawing room a fireplace, with lamps in 1863. The client at Kingsborough Gardens was in fact above, a large corner seat, two cabinets, an oval table and two Janet Robin, the wife of Jessie's cousin, Robert lames Rowat. armchairs. The table is now at the Hida Takayama Museum,

Fig 1. The Drawing Room, 14 Kingsborough Gardens, 1987. © National Museums Scotland. Tne ratrona~e of tne ~owat ~amily

. ~ . ~ .. _ ...... ",....::....-::rc~ Fig. 2 The lIall, J4 Kingsborollgh Gardens, mid-1970s, showing two of the lamps and the settle. © The estate of lan Cameran. Japan, while the chairs are separated in private collections coloured square tiles and received all-over, matt mottled in the USA. The two cabinets, one now at the Royal Ontario tiling, with an undulating moulded tile border, around a new Museum, the other in a private collection in the UK, were grate. The timbelwork was stripped and varnished (Fig. 1). made to stand opposite the fireplace. All of these items were Fortunately, the fireplace was restored by the present owner replicated by Mackintosh for himself and indeed a third table of the houseS The corner seat, however, and the wall lining, was made for his friend and patron, William Davidson.4 The both backed in panels of stencilled 'art linen', were destroyed 6 fireplace remains in the house, as does the hall settle. During in 1943 The four Hall lamps remained in situ until 1987 the 1930s the fireplace lost its cement render and isolated but the draWing room lamps vanished in the 1930s. There 14 ~in~soorou~n baroens

is no clear suggestion of any bedroom furniture, or even who in the 1890s settled at Rolleboise, on the Seine, forty bedroom mantelpieces, designed by Mackintosh. miles west of Paris. Knight produced a series of contrived plein-air depictions of peasant girls relaxing along the The Hall lamps, which are not catalogued by BiIlcliffc, appear banks of the Seine, which were well received in both France to he developments of the lamps for Windyhill, dcsigned for and the United States. On the Terrace at Rolleboise, from William Davidson in 1901. The largest, defining the space which thiS tapestry was taken, was among eleven canvases between the stair and the settle, was a simplified version reproduced in the January 1901 number of the Chicago art of that which hung at the top of the stairs at Windyhill. journal Brush and Pencil, with the comment 'that all of these Illuminating the lohby area in front of the settle was a unique pictures, and many another, have been made known to the tall lamp with a stem and leaf motif; and lighting the stairwell public by engravings and other modes of reproduction'. R The itself, suspended off the stairs just bclow the third floor copyright captIOn to On the Terrace cites Braun, Clement landing, was a version of the twin cube unit used in the hall et Cie, who, alongside GoupH et Cie (later Boussod, Manzi, at Windyhill. Thc hooks for this (and the large cube) remain Joyant et Cie), were leading popularisers of the artists whose in situ, providing the evidence for a twin arrangement. work they dealt in. Jacquard-woven tableaux tisses after The large cube lamp was suspended from copper alloy other Knight paintings are relatively common and formed ring chains, in a far simpler arrangemem than the one at part of the dissemination of academic realist taste in the Windyhill. All these lamps were qui te certainly supplied by age of mechanical reproduction. The question that arises Andrcw Hutcheson, whose work for Windyhill is identical is for how long the purple linen graced Mackintosh's hall in materials and technique. Windyhill was lit by gas and so seat. 14 Kingsborough Gardens was in multiple occupation prohably was IGngsborough Gardens although Hutcheson through the middle decades of the 20th century and the was already making a name for himself in electrical lighting, owners between 1933 and 1993 are unlikely candidates for supplying 220 sixtecn candlepower lamps to Sydney Place removal of the purple linen in favour of this, by then rather Uniterl Free Church in 1900l obscure, tapestry. It is possible that Mrs Rowat !lerself had the tapestry inserted, even though it might appear to us a The draWing room furniture has been well described by Roger curious juxtaposition in taste. Billcliffe but a curiosity regarding the hall settle ought to be noted. Mackintosh's draWing for the Hall Seul, as he termed Examination of the Rowat family's business interests, social it, specified 'upholstcred panels covered with purple linen', milieu and artistic leanings contextualises that slice of whereas a panel of pictorial tapestry is recordcd in the settle patronage made available to Mackintosh through his friends, from the 1970s to the present (Fig. 2). This tapestry bears the Newberys. Robert James Rowat married Janet Smith the signature of Daniel Ridgway Knight, an American artist Robin in 1886. Her father, John Robin, owned a textile

James Arbuckle Elizabeth Muir Rowat (1854-1936) C I M 1I------MargaretArbuckle(c.1817-1894) Christian Flnlayson Dewar Watson Rowat (1859-1931)

Robert Rowat (1824-97) Alice Maud Rowat (1864-1955) CRM [ 11 (1850)------i Margaret Finlayson (1794-1883) Margaret Watson (1826-1903) Edith Rowal (1865-1949) GSA 11------.; Robert Rowat (1790-1869) Janel Smith Robin (1860-1932) CIM GSA 11 (1886) Maud Isobel Rowat (1889-1961) Thomas Rowat (1825-1916) C RM Robert James Rowal(1858-1930) 11 (1856)------l Margaret Greenlees (1837-1913) Matthew Rowat (1860-1919)

Thomas John Rowel (1866-1937) 11 Margaret Malloch (1868-1947) GSA

Mary Rowat (1867-1955) GSA Thomas 8urrell Isabella Muir Rowat (1857-1940) I1 (1919) 11 (1886) ------Muriel Wytle Hill (1887-1963) Robert Wytie Hill (1851-1940) CIM [ Francis Newbery (1853-1946) CRM Margaret Downie Hill (1844-1873) 11 (1889) 11 (1863) ------.,.-Jessie Rowat (1864-1948) GSA l-. Willlam Rowat (1830-1920) Margaret F. Rowat (1866-1938) GSA

Robert Rowat (1869-1936)

Mary Margaret Rowat (1873-1970) GSA

Pig. 3 The Rowats of Paisley. Patrons of Mackintosh arc marked CRM in red and individuals \\"hu ,·nrolkd at the nf Art lire marked GSA in blue. TnB ratrona~B of tnB ~owat ramil~

manufacturing business, with factories in both Glasgow and on steam but 011 sail. The period 1860-1920 witnessed the Paisley, and a house, St Germains, in Bearsden. Rowat was gradual replacement of sail by steam in commercial deep­ the eldest son of Thomas Rowat of Paisley, who, with his water shipping, with the Clyde shipyards building fine elder brother Robert, and younger brother WiIliam, was vessels in both categories. The fleet of fifteen iron- and steel­ engaged in the manufacture of Paisley shawls. It was this hulled barques commissioned by Crawford and Rowat from WiIliam who was Jessie Newbery's father. The Rowat family Russell & Co.'s Kingston Yard (Lithgow's) between 1881 and business had been established by Robert Rowat senior, a 1895 were typical of the vessels made to endure the long­ self-made-man, nrst apprenticed to a Dundonald weaver haul bulk-cargo trade. Each Port Line ship bore the name of in 1803.9 The shawl industry collapsed rapidly after 1870 a Port, great or small: Glasgow, Adelaide, Sonachan, Stanley. and, an attempt to diversify into tartan having failed, the Crawford retired before 1905 to his house, Dardenne, in brothers ceased trading in 1875. By that time, however, they Kilmacolm but a further four vessels were built at Lithgow's were wealthy enough simply to invest in other enterprisesIO for Robert Rowat alone between] 905 and 1912. Rowilt was William became a director of the Doloi Tea Company, the also a director at Doloi Tea and a shareholder in R. Wytie Hill 1s Doloi plantation in East Bengal being owned and run by his & Co. Limited. nephew, Matthew. Doloi tea was supplied to Robert Wylie Hill's department store in Glasgow, Hill being both Matthew's Shipping under sail involved narrow margins and, for the I sister's husband and William's wife's brother J The network crews, constant danger, particularly during the winter was very close and a simplified family tree is given in Fig. 3. months. No less than six Port Line vessels were wrecked or lost at sea between 1886 and 1911, Witll varying loss of life, John IIutchison, the son of another Paisley shawl ship and cargo. 16 The wreck of the Ardencraig off the Scilly manufacturer, whose architectural practice bridged Paisley Islands in January 1911, without loss of life, was famously and Glasgow finished a new house, St Margarets, for William recorded in photographs by Francis James Mortimer, images 12 17 Rowat in 1881. St Margarets stood close by Hutchison's own published at tile time in the Daily Mirror. By far the worst house, Fairhill, inherited from his father, Archibald. Both such incident in the company's history, however, was the formed part of a small group of villas situated on Cauldside wreck of the Port Yarrock off the west coast of Ireland, with Hill to the south of Paisley, an area also known as Carriagehill. the loss of 21 lives, on 29 January 1894. This event thrust These villas included Prospecthill, built in around 1852 for Robert James Rowat, at the age of 35, firmly into the public the machine belt manufacturer, Thomas Callender, but the eye. His friends and neighbours would have read, in the home of Robert Rowat senior after around 1860. Between Times, lengthy reports from the Board of Trade enquiry that Prospecthill and Fairhill stood Greenside Cottage, the took place in Glasgow. 18 The enquiry heard heart-rending home of Matthew Greenlees, another shawl manufacturer letters from apprentice seamen to their parents in Britain and father-in-law of Robert Rowat's son, Thomas. Rosehill, documenting an ever worsening voyage. Before the Port between Prospecthill and Greenside, was from about 1862 Yarrock set out home from MeXiCO, the steward secretly to 1869 the residence of Robert Rowat junior. When Robert sold many of the ship's provisions, only to take his own life senior died in 1869, it appears that Robert junior took when his actions were discovered. Mid-AtlantiC, weakened Prospecthill and that Robcrt senior's widow transferred to by starvation and scurvy, the crew all but lost control of Rosehill, along with the unmarried William Rowat. After their battered vessel. Unable to reach an Irish port, the she died in 1883 the house was occupied by Thomas John ship was fortuitously piloted to Brandon Bay, Co. Kerry. Rowat. Thomas Rowat senior lived very slightly further away The Glasgow office arranged for a Liverpool tug to tow the in Castlehead at Warriston (now 16 Mains Road), built for Port Yarrock to Antwerp, in order to unload its cargo of him in around 1886 and extended by Hutehison in 1896. copper. However, deteriorating weather prevented either Hutchison also altered Prospecthill for Robcrt Rowat junior. the tug or lifeboats reaching the ship, which beached in the Charles Rennie Mackintosh was apprenticed between 1883 fierce winds and was engulfed by the high tide. The enquiry and 1889 with John Hutchison. apportioned 'grave blame' to Rowat, as managing owner, for initial under-manning of the ship and for instructions to its Robert Rowatjunior's son, Dewar Watson Rowat, established captain not to seel, immediate assistance from a local tug. a well-Imown pickle and sauce factory in Govan in 1888, The enquiry report was remitted to the Scottish Law Officers and settled in Dunoon. Three of his daughters married tea with a view to a prosecution but the evidence was judged planters, connections perhaps of Thomas's son Matthew. Of to be insufficient and Rowat settled claims for damages Thomas's other sons, Claude became a Glasgow stockbroker privately. The report was seized upon in Parliament by MPs while Robert James and Thomas John went into the shipping campaigning to make the lives of sailors less hazardous and industry. Thomas John was a Glasgow-based partner in small amendments to the Merchant Shipping Act wer made Howard, Houlder and Malcolm, of London and Liverpool.lJ as a consequence in 1897. The case highlighted in particular, Robert James, the eldest, entered into partnership with the perils of routinely employing apprentices in place of able Robert Crawford in around 1881 to form the Port Line seamen and the editor of the Times concluded that 'seldom company.14 This business, unlike IIoward, Houlder and has condemnation so severe been passed upon any owner of Malcolm, or the famous Burrell company, was based not a British merchant vessel'. 14 ~in~sborou~n baroens

How this sorry episode affected Robert James, or whether for a photogravure, by James Craig Annan exhibited at it was widely remembered outside of the family, we cannot the Linked Ring's Salon of 1895.30 The plate for this was know. After their marriage in 1886, the Rowats had set up presumably made at one of Walton's sittings, Annan being a house in Hillhead, moving to Belhaven Terrace, on Great friend of both George and Edward Walton. The Juvenile Ball Western Road, in 1892. This was not far from the home of brought together children from many of Glasgow's wealthier Robert Wylie Hill in Belhaven Crescent (now Westbourne families, among them Maud, the daughter of Robert James Gardens). One of the last things Charles Rennie Mackintosh Rowat (costumed as the nursery rhyme character 'JiU') , and did for John Hutchison, early in 1889, was some interior Sir William Burrell's nephew, Thomas (as Mephistopheles), work for Robert Wylie Hill's Buchanan Street department whom Muriel married in 1919.31 Such gatherings played an 19 store. Later, in 1901, when Wylie Hill moved from important role in 19th century upper middle class society. In Belhaven Crescent to 3 Lilybank Crescent, he commissioned March 1882, St Andrew's Halls had seen a Calico Ball in aid Mackintosh to design a fireplace, at the centre of which was of the Royal and Western Infirmaries at which Robert James a gesso panel by Margaret Macdonald, The Heart ofthe Rose. Rowat (Baron Bobstay Clinkerbuilt) quite possibly danced This panel, and the fender, survive at the Glasgow School with Miss Janet 'Jenny' Robin (Fiametta from La Mascotte).J2 2o of Art. A near replica of Margaret's panel, The Heart of the Rose, was sent, along with The Mite Rose and the Red In 1905 the Misses Rowat, Elizabeth and Alice, unmarried Rose, to the Turin Exhibition in 1902, and both panels were daughters of the late Robert. Rowat at Prospecthill, purchased by Fritz Waerndorfer of Vienna21 commissioned a fireplace from Mackintosh, and in 1908 another fireplace was deSigned for their uncle Thomas Notwithstanding the earlier Hutchison connection, it was at Warriston. Unfortunately, nothing of these two Paisley almost certainly Jessie Newbery who introduced Wylie interiors survives and the onli; visual record is a single Hill, and then the Rowats, to Mackintosh. Attending the design for the Prospecthill job. 3 These interventions were , Jessie married it.s Headmaster, small in scale and may have been actions on the part of Francis Newbery, in 1889. She joined the teaching staff at Jessie Newbery to provide Mackintosh with ·work. The the School in 1894, ret.iring in 1908. Also students at the Rowats did not possess the resources of the Cranstons or School were Jessie's sisters, Margaret and Mary.22 Margaret the Davidsons and were in no sense culturally equivalent enrolled in 1884, one year before Jessie, and remained at to Fritz Waerndorfer, or even Walter Blackie. Yet their story the school until 1902. Mary, nine years younger than Jessie, demonstrates the ease with which a'Uant garde design could enrolled for only one year in 1897. A portrait of Jessie King be accommodated into upper middle class homes - before by Margaret illust.rated an article about. King in The Studio being forgotten by the next generation. This limited success in 1902, the same article reproducing a bool,plate by King probably owed much to Francis Newbery's proselytising for William Rowat, dated 1900.23 Two of Jessie's cousins also at the School of Art. Other minor patrons remain to be attended: Edith, daughter of Robert Rowat junior, between investigated. The Honeyman, Keppie and Mackintosh job 1897 and 1901, and Mary, daughter of Thomas Rowat senior, books record a small fireplace commission at 23 Huntly 34 between 1885 and 1893. by Edith and her sister Gardens in 1905. Alexander Murdoch, distiller and wine Isabella, to designs by Jessie, was exhibited at the Glasgow and spirit broker, resided at 23 Huntly Gardens from 1878. 24 School of Art Club in 1898 and illustrated in The Studio. His office premises at 72 Wellington Street were next door to Mary's 'Feeding Pigeons' was exhibit.ed alongside a garden none other than - the Port Line Company. scene by Jessie at Paisley Museum in 1894.25 And the wives of two further cousins were enrolled for brief periods: Janet Steplwn Jacl~.son is Seni01- Curator, Applied Art & Design, Smith Robin, in 1895, and Margaret Malloch, wife of Thomas at National Mu.seums Scotland, Edinburgh Rowat junior, in 1901. I 'Lampsjor Robert Rowat', CRM Society Newsletter, Issue 2, Summer 2011, Although William Rowat's children were largely brought up 1'1'.6·7. 2 Mary Sturrock, 'Mrs J. R. Newbery, By Her Daughter', Costume Society of by his cousin, Margaret ArbuckJe, Jessie was also under the Scotland Newsletter, June 1970, pp 2·4. This detail wa,~ kindly confirmed by influence of her uncle, Robert. Wylie Hill, who took his niece Liz Arthur (who inceroiewed Mrs Stun-oel. in 1983) and verifiedjram the 26 on holiday to Italy in 1882. Both he and William Rowat G/asgow Herald, 26 February and 4 Mw-ch 1873. J Billcliffe, 'The Complete FUrniture', 4th edition, 1'.132; Billcli{fe, 'Some commissioned paintings from up-and-coming 'Glasgow Thoughts on Collecting Mackintosh', CRM Society Newsletter, no.61, Spring Boy', E. A. Walton. In William's case these were portraits 1993. pp..5·12. I am grateful to Rogerjorjacilitating the l'epl'Oduction ojPig. 2. 4 Those secondary pieces, save one lost armC'hair, are all now at the of Margaret ArbuckJe, now at Paisley Museum, and of his Hunte1ian Museum, Glasgow. youngest daughter, Mary. Mary's portrait, exhibited in 1889 5 Mic/wile Feeney, '14 Kin,!)sbuwl.!!h Gardens', CRM Society Newslettel; as The Girl in Brown, was received as 'one of the best 110.61, Spring 1993, 1'.3. pictures exhibited in London this season,.27 A Walton portrait 6 Thomas Huwanh, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Modern Movement, 28 London, 19.52, 1'.48. In spite of this, one apparent section of the 'art linen' of Mary's cousin, Muriel Wylie Hill, was first shown in 1895. was sold at Christie's, Glasgow, 23 September 1998, lot 198. The designs This may show the sitter in the costume of a 'Dutch Princess' formed part of t.he Howarth Collection, sold at Chrisrie's, London, 17 FebnwTjJ 1994, lots 104 and 10.5. worn to the Lord Provost's Juvenile Fancy Dress Ball at St Andrew's Halls in March 189729 The same dress was worn Footnotes continued on Page 31

11 14 Kingsborough Gardens and the Patronage of the Rowat Family Stephen Jackson Footnotes continued from page 20

7 Gh,gow Herald, 6 November 1900. 16cp was very roughly equi'VlllenllO plcLl1s/or a new building wel'e approved by the Dean ufGuild on 10 Jamwl)' a 40 Wall lUngslen bulb of lhe lale 20th cent1.t7)'. This Peddie and Ki1t1war 1889 (injOTllwtion kindly supplied by MackinlOsh ArchileCltlre: Conce.w, church (1858) wasfire damaged in 1986 and is now in the ownership ofthe Making and Meaning research learn). Mackinwsh left HtL1Chison before April Glas~ow BUilding Preservalion 7)·US1. I am graleful la lhe research team, 1889 and 'WOrh al Buchanan SLTeel was compleled in NO'OeIll.ber 1889. MackinlOsh ArchileclUre: Conle.-':l, Mailing and Meaning, The Hwue,ian, 20 Roger Billelifle, 'The Complele Fumiwre', 1901.57, 41h edition, p.129. Universily of Gla.,gow, for ilvomwlioll on HUlcheson. 21 Hanna Egger, Robercson, Vergo and1h'mmer, Ein moderner Nachmitwg. B Hamld T. LawI'ence, 'Daniel Ridgway Kniglu, Painler', Brush and Pencil, 2000. BOlh TUrin panels were sold by Ch,'islie's on JO Ap,'il 2008. A second vol. Vll, no.4, Janua,)' 1901, pp.19J-207. On the Terrace at RoJleboise is veTsiul1 of The White Rose and the Red Rose was placed -ill Mack.intosh and Uluraced and readers should Mte l!tal Kni~Ju painwd olher broadly similar Macdonald's own draWing mom. worlls Wilh e.-.:acdy lhe same title. I am grale/ltlw Howard Rehs, of lhe Rehs 22 Susannah Wate-rs, An'hi.'Oisl al lhe Glasgow School of Arl, has ki_ndly Gal/e,)', New York, for correspondence regardin,tl Knight. escablishedlhe attendance ofRowalfamily members. 9 I am very gmleful to Mm'k Swphens, a descende11l of William Rowac, .for 2.1 The Studio, vol. XXVI (1902), pp.l77 and 186. The bookplate design access la hisfamily history research, and to Rober-l Rowal ofEdillburgl,.foT was sold by King's dauglller, Mer-le Tacylor, at auction in 1977; CRM Society pUllil,g rne in wuch wilh M,' Swphens. Swj/oTd Wale"s has also genemusly Newsletter, 110.16, Awumn 1977, p.1. Rowat gave l1wny of his books la shaTed nwch il1fomwlion. Acldilional deta·ifs we,'e gleaned from s£l'eet Paisley Lib-mr)' and lhey Temain tllere with their distinctive bookplate. directolies and newspapers. Roben Rowal senior received only a bl"iej 24 The Swdio, vol. .xv (1899), pp.277 and 280. mention (p.l1J) in Mallhew Blair:' The Paisley Thread, Paisley, 1907, the 25 Heanll and !lome, 28 January 1894, p.352. cove" of which wa.' designed by Jessie Newbe,y. lVilliam appears also to 26 Liz Anhur, 'Jessie Newbery', Mte 5, p.252, l:n Jude Burkhauser, Glasgow have ntl1 a dye wOTks Wilh William M'Al'lhtll'; Ghsgow Herald, 23 Jal1lta-')' Girls, 1990. 1856 and 1J Febru.a-ry 1857, 27 Fiona Macsporran, E. A. WallOn, 1987, p36, qtLOling Quiz, 14 June 1889. 10 The Glasgow Herald recorded slalCments from Thomas Rowat al lhe Exhibiled allhe New English An CllLb 1889, lhe Glasgow Institule 1890, and foUowing shareholders' meelings: The Norlh Brili.,h CmIadian Investment the Schulle GallCl)', Berlin, 1900. The work is now in Auslralia. Company, 4 April 1882; The Highland Railway Company, 17April 1890; The 2 Ibid, p.56. K-.:hibiled al the OrajlOn Gallery, the GlasgowATt Club 1895, IWnwnwck Waler Companj', 17 July arul27 August 1891. and lhe Royal Scottish Academy 1896. llluslraled in The Swdio, vol. XXV! 11 Glasgow Herald, 20 ,"larch 1890. The company was incorpomled in 1884 (1902), p.165. WallOn also painled Jane Wylie, che aunl ofRoben W:ylie Hill (Business Archives Scolland webs-ile). Dolof means 'Chitj' inlhe local Pnar and mOlher-in-law lO William Rowal's daughler Mary. This pUrLTail was language. S';0bably paidfor by her husband, the grain merchanl Ale."