James Glen Sivewright Gibson
Encyclopedia
James Glen Sivewright Gibson (23 November 1861 - 27 March 1951) was an architect active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
on 23 November 1861, the son of William Gibson and Elizabeth Sivewright and the brother of Robert Gibson
, civil engineer and architect, practising in Dundee
. He was articled to Ireland & Maclaren, Dundee, from 1877 to 1881, and was thereafter a draughtsman with Pearce Brothers, engineers, and then with Alexander Hutcheson. He subsequently moved to London
and worked for William Wallace, Harry Wilkinson Moore
, and finally Thomas Edward Collcutt
. At some point he travelled in France
and Italy
before commencing practice and passing the qualifying exam, both in 1889. He was admitted an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects
, his proposers being the Dundee architect John Murray Robertson, Collcutt and James Brooks. In that year, he set up in independent practice.
In 1890, he entered into partnership with Samuel Bridgman Russell, also from William Wallace's office. Born in 1864, Russell had been articled to Henry Hewitt Bridgman 1881-84 and had studied at the Royal Academy Schools from 1882, thereafter becoming a draughtsman in the office of Thomas Chatfeild Clarke. The partnership of Gibson and Russell was dissolved in 1899, Russell entering into partnership with Edwin Cooper a few years later and eventually becoming Chief Architect to the Ministry of Health.
Thereafter Gibson practised in partnership with William Wallace until 1909, when he took into partnership his two senior assistants, Frank Peyton Skipwith and Walter Symington Athol Gordon. Born in 1881, Skipwith was educated at Cheam School and Neuenheim College, Heidelberg, and articled to Gibson in 1903, remaining as an assistant and studying at the Architectural Association. He did not however take the qualifying exam and was admitted LRIBA
on 20 March 1911. Gordon, born in 1879, had been articled to Robert Rowand Anderson 1895-1901 and had studied under Frank Worthington Simon at the Edinburgh School of Applied Art before joining Gibson. Like Skipwith, Gibson did not take the qualifying exam, being elected LRIBA on 27 February 1911.
Skipwith enlisted in the armed forces in the First World War and was killed in action
in France
in September 1915. The practice continued thereafter as Gibson & Gordon.
Gibson died on 27 March 1951 at the age of ninety.
hostel in Drury Lane, London in 1891, the West Riding County Hall in Wakefield
, completed in 1898, and possibly his greatest achievement, the Middlesex Guildhall
, 1913.
Gibson's style was generally Gothic in conception. Where he worked with Henry Charles Fehr
, as at the West Riding County Hall and the Middlesex Guildhall, the result of Gibson's architecture and Fehr's exuberant internal design was a remarkable combination of Gothic and art nouveau
, in both of which styles Fehr excelled.
Life and career
Gibson was born in ArbroathArbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
on 23 November 1861, the son of William Gibson and Elizabeth Sivewright and the brother of Robert Gibson
Robert Gibson
Robert Gibson may refer to:* Robert W. Gibson , English-American ecclesiastical architect active in New York City* Robert Gibson , Australian businessman* Robert Gibson , American baseball player...
, civil engineer and architect, practising in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
. He was articled to Ireland & Maclaren, Dundee, from 1877 to 1881, and was thereafter a draughtsman with Pearce Brothers, engineers, and then with Alexander Hutcheson. He subsequently moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and worked for William Wallace, Harry Wilkinson Moore
Harry Wilkinson Moore
Harry Wilkinson Moore, FRIBA was a Victorian and Edwardian architect. He was the son of Arthur Moore and Mary Wilkinson , and a nephew of the architects George Wilkinson and William Wilkinson.-Career:...
, and finally Thomas Edward Collcutt
Thomas Edward Collcutt
Thomas Edward Collcutt was an English architect in the Victorian era who designed several important buildings in London.-Biography:...
. At some point he travelled in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
before commencing practice and passing the qualifying exam, both in 1889. He was admitted an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Ariba
Ariba is a software and information technology services company located in Sunnyvale, California.- Early life :Ariba was founded in 1996 by Bobby Lent, Boris Putanec, Paul Touw, Rob Desantis, Ed Kinsey, Paul Hegarty, and Keith Krach on the idea of using the Internet to enable companies to...
, his proposers being the Dundee architect John Murray Robertson, Collcutt and James Brooks. In that year, he set up in independent practice.
In 1890, he entered into partnership with Samuel Bridgman Russell, also from William Wallace's office. Born in 1864, Russell had been articled to Henry Hewitt Bridgman 1881-84 and had studied at the Royal Academy Schools from 1882, thereafter becoming a draughtsman in the office of Thomas Chatfeild Clarke. The partnership of Gibson and Russell was dissolved in 1899, Russell entering into partnership with Edwin Cooper a few years later and eventually becoming Chief Architect to the Ministry of Health.
Thereafter Gibson practised in partnership with William Wallace until 1909, when he took into partnership his two senior assistants, Frank Peyton Skipwith and Walter Symington Athol Gordon. Born in 1881, Skipwith was educated at Cheam School and Neuenheim College, Heidelberg, and articled to Gibson in 1903, remaining as an assistant and studying at the Architectural Association. He did not however take the qualifying exam and was admitted LRIBA
Riba
Riba means one of the senses of "usury" . Riba is forbidden in Islamic economic jurisprudence fiqh and considered as a major sin...
on 20 March 1911. Gordon, born in 1879, had been articled to Robert Rowand Anderson 1895-1901 and had studied under Frank Worthington Simon at the Edinburgh School of Applied Art before joining Gibson. Like Skipwith, Gibson did not take the qualifying exam, being elected LRIBA on 27 February 1911.
Skipwith enlisted in the armed forces in the First World War and was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in September 1915. The practice continued thereafter as Gibson & Gordon.
Gibson died on 27 March 1951 at the age of ninety.
Buildings
Gibson was one of his period's "competition men" who "made his career by winning competitions". He had a remarkable record of success in competitions, beginning with the London County CouncilLondon County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
hostel in Drury Lane, London in 1891, the West Riding County Hall in Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
, completed in 1898, and possibly his greatest achievement, the Middlesex Guildhall
Middlesex Guildhall
The Middlesex Guildhall is the home of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. It stands on the south-west corner of Parliament Square in London.-History:...
, 1913.
Gibson's style was generally Gothic in conception. Where he worked with Henry Charles Fehr
Henry Charles Fehr
Henry Charles Fehr FRBS was a British monumental and architectural sculptor active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries....
, as at the West Riding County Hall and the Middlesex Guildhall, the result of Gibson's architecture and Fehr's exuberant internal design was a remarkable combination of Gothic and art nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
, in both of which styles Fehr excelled.