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DSA Architect Biography Report (August 12, 2014, 8:59 pm)

Basic Biographical Details

Name: William John Brockie Wright Designation: Architect Born: 4 May 1883 Died: 24 June 1976 Bio Notes: William John Brockie Wright was born on 4 May 1883. He was articled to William Gardner Rowan from 1900 to 1905 and studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1900 to 1909, winning three prizes between 1901 and 1905. In 1906 he became an assistant to Alexander Nisbet Paterson, then still working under the firm name of Campbell Douglas & Paterson despite Campbell Douglas's retirement; and in 1908 Wright moved to James Miller's office as an assistant. In the latter year he spent six weeks studying in Europe, his earlier travels having been limited to the cathedral cities of England. He was admitted associate of the Glasgow Institute of Architects in 1911 and admitted LRIBA on 22 April 1912, proposed by John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects; he was clearly eager to progress his career as he gave his year of birth as 1881 in order to avoid waiting until the prescribed age of 30 for admittance. At that time he was still with Miller but he left shortly after to become chief assistant with Burnet & Boston: his presence in that office probably accounts for the high quality of their work at this time. He served as a Captain in the Royal Engineers during the First World War, after which, in 1921, he commenced practice on his own account in Glasgow.

Wright became a Fellow of the RIAS in 1929 and was elected FRIBA on 18 April 1944, his proposers being Andrew Graham Henderson, Joseph Weekes and James Taylor. By that time his office was at 26 Blythswood Square, and he was living at 'Moorgate', 23 Whitehall Avenue, Prestwick. From c.1946 he was in partnership with James Smith Kirkwood as Wright & Kirkwood. The practice appears to have had an additional office in Greenock by 1953. Their one major building, 249 West George Street (1958) is of impressive design.

Wright died on 24 June 1976. Kirkwood continued the practice under the same title thereafter.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: Address Type Date from Date to Notes 2, Berkeley Terrace, Glasgow, Scotland Private Before 1900 1902 Deuchollow, Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland Private 1902 1904 Laurel Hill (or Laurelhill), Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland Private 1904 1907 or 1908 Gamel Hill, Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland Private 1908 * 5 Charing Cross Mansions, Glasgow, Scotland Private Before 1912 After 1914 180, Hope Street, Glasgow, Scotland Business 1914 * 41, Kelvinside Gardens North, Glasgow, Scotland Private Before 1919 After 1924 170, Hope Street, Glasgow, Scotland Business 1921 * 4, Jane Street, Glasgow, Scotland Business 1924 * 1, Blythswood Square, Glasgow, Scotland Business Before 1929 After 1935 27, Blythswood Square, Glasgow, Scotland Business 1939 * 26, Blythswood Square, Glasgow, Scotland Business 1939 After 1950 Moorgate/23, Whitehall Avenue, Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland Private 1943 * 9, Woodside Place, Glasgow, Scotland Business 1955 * 1957

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):

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Name Date from Date to Position Notes William Gardner Rowan 1900 1905 Apprentice Campbell Douglas & Paterson 1906 1908 Assistant James Miller 1908 1912 Assistant Frank Burnet & Boston c. 1912 c. 1914 Assistant Wright & Kirkwood c. 1946 24 June 1976 Partner Wright Kirkwood & Partners 1970 * Partner

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this architect (click on an item to view details): Name Date from Date to Position Notes James Miller Whalley April 1926 c. 1928 Apprentice James Miller Whalley c. 1928 After 1932 Assistant

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): Name Date proposed Notes Andrew Graham Henderson 18 April 1944 for Fellowship James Taylor 18 April 1944 for Fellowship Joseph Weekes 18 April 1944 for Fellowship John Bennie Wilson 22 April 1912 for Licentiateship - as President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects

Buildings and Designs

This architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): Date Building name Town, district or Island City or county Country Notes started village 1900s Wester Cleddens Bishopbriggs Dunbartonshire/Lanarkshire Scotland Primary School 1906 National Bank of Glasgow Scotland As assistant to Scotland, St Enoch Alexander Nisbet Square Paterson 1907 Liberal Club Glasgow Scotland New clubhouse - as assistant to Alexander Nisbet Paterson 1908 Glasgow Royal Glasgow Scotland As assistant to Infirmary James Miller 1911 Perth New Perth Perthshire Scotland As assistant to Infirmary James Miller - Taymount Terrace and Western Avenue 1921 Glasgow High Glasgow Scotland Ist prize School War Memorial

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1922 Garage for Scottish Glasgow Scotland Cars 1922 Wallace & Weir Glasgow Scotland warehouse, garage and house 1924 Houses Whitecraigs Glasgow Scotland 1924 Houses Burnside Glasgow Scotland 1924 Houses Thorntonhall Lanarkshire Scotland 1925 City Bakeries Glasgow Scotland Presumably in collaboration with John M Biggar 1925 Morrisons Gowns Glasgow Scotland factory, showrooms and shops 1925 Morrisons Gowns Dundee Scotland shop(s) 1925 Morrisons Gowns Leeds Yorkshire England shop(s) 1925 Morrisons Gowns Carlisle Cumberland England shop(s) 1925 Morrisons Gowns Edinburgh Scotland shop(s) 1925 Sports fields and Glasgow Scotland pavilion 1926 St Ninian's Pollokshields Glasgow Scotland Episcopal Church Halls 1927 H J Heinz & Co Glasgow Scotland warehouse and offices 1927 Macfarlane, Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland Shearer & Co offices, stores and factory 1928 City Bakeries Glasgow Scotland Restaurants and shops - dates given in FRIBA papers 1928 Service flats Glasgow Scotland 1928 Synagogue Glasgow Scotland 1929 Smart Bros Glasgow Scotland warehouse and shop 1929 Springfield Glasgow Scotland Advanced School 1930 Berkeley Glasgow Scotland Restaurant 1930 Cook & Co Glasgow Scotland warehouse and shop 1930 Manse Kilmacolm/Kilmalcolm Renfrewshire Scotland 1930 Pollok Garage Pollok Glasgow Scotland 1930 Ross's Dairies, Glasgow? Scotland Restaurants and Shops

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1932 Imperial Hotel St Andrews Fife Scotland Alterations 1933 Dominion Glasgow Scotland Restaurant 1934 Bridge of Weir Golf Bridge of Weir Renfrewshire Scotland Clubhouse 1934 Buchanan Castle Drymen Dunbartonshire Scotland Golf Clubhouse 1934 Erskine Golf Erskine Renfrewshire Scotland Clubhouse 1934 Greenock Golf Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland Clubhouse 1934 Western Gailes Gailes Ayrshire Scotland Substantially Golf Clubhouse expended to right (Buildings of Scotland) 1935 Premises for Gkasgow Scotland Darling Ltd 1935 Tearooms for City Glasgow Scotland Bakeries 1936 City Bakeries Glasgow Scotland Reconstruction and extension 1936 Halls Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland 1937 Hotel Arran Bute Scotland 1938 Department Store Glasgow Scotland Original building (House of Fraser rebuild of Arnott Simpson's Department Store) 1938 Greenock Infirmary Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland Additions including nurses home 1938 Tea room, Dumbarton Dunbartonshire Scotland restaurant and shops 1940 Greenock Royal Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland Additions? Infirmary Convalescent Home 1940 Kerr & Co Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland Engineering Works 1941 Barr & Co Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland Engineering Works 1941 Lochore & Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland Ferguson Sugar Refinery 1942 Bardykes Colliery, Bardykes Lanarkshire Scotland pit canteen 1942 Canteen for Ayr Ayrshire Scotland Slipway & Co 1942 Canteen for T Boag Ayr Ayrshire Scotland & Co 1942 Messrs Hastie's Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland Additions, including Engineering Works canteen 1942 Pit canteen Blantyre Ferme Lanarkshire Scotland 1942 Pit canteen Drongan Ayrshire Scotland

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1942 Pit canteen Bothwell Castle Lanarkshire Scotland 1942 Pit canteen Newton Lanarkshire Scotland 1942 Pit canteen Dalkeith Midlothian Scotland 1942 Pit canteen Benhar West Lothian Scotland 1942 West Machan Larkhall Lanarkshire Scotland Colliery, pit canteen 1943 Caddlehill Laundry Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland 1943 Stables and Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland garages, Holmes 1948 Housing, Campbell Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland Street 1948 Lowther Terrace Kelvinside Glasgow Scotland Linking blocks to form Old People's Home 1948 Muirhead & Glasgow Scotland Additions and Company, 200 alterations Sauchiehall Street 1948 New Buildings Greenock Scotland New buildings in front of Greenock Academy 1951 Public School, Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland South-West Area 1951 Warehouses for Glasgow Scotland House of Fraser, Argyll and Jamaica Streets 1955 Premises of Glasgow Scotland Associated Metal Works (Glasgow) Ltd, St Andrew's Square Early St Margaret's Greenock Renfrewshire Scotland 1950s Church Late Office Block for Glasgow Scotland May have drawn up 1950s Royal Scottish designs for this Automobile Club, West Campbell St & West Regent St 1975 Dumbarton Parish Dumbarton Dunbartonshire Scotland Halls to S Church Halls

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect: Author(s) Date Title Part Publisher Notes British Architectural Library, 2001 Directory of British Architects RIBA 1834-1914 RIBA 1939 The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects Who's Who in Architecture 1914

Periodical References

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The following periodicals contain references to this architect: Periodical Name Date Edition Publisher Notes Builder 18 February 1955 p316

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect: Source Archive Name Source Catalogue Notes No. British Architectural Library, RIBA RIBA Biographical Files National Monuments Record of Drawings Collection Acc No 1999/217 (or manuscript Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS material?) RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum RIBA Nomination L v23 no1832; F no4025 (box Papers 31)

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