Architectural drawings of 1 and 1C Gilmorehill, University of Glasgow, West Wing and Memorial Chapel

• Reference:GB 248 GUA BUL 6/5
• Dates of Creation:c1914-1950
• Name of Creator:
  John Burnet Son & Dick
• Physical Description:
  2.55 to be confirmed linear metresdrawings
  The majority of the drawings are ink on waxed-linen and are in good condition, the preliminary 1914-1915 drawings executed on linseed tracing are fragile and the handling of these drawings should be kept to a minimum.

• Scope and Content

  This series consists of preliminary designs for the West Wing and chapel, the earliest of which date from 1914 - 1915, and the measured working drawings from the office of John Burnet, Son & Dick, from 1923 - 24. It includes designs for the chapel windows by the City Glass Company and later details of the chapel by Ian G Lindsay & Partners.

• Administrative / Biographical History

  The West Wing of the Main building was designed by the Beaux-Arts trained architect, Sir John J Burnet and includes the Memorial Chapel. Plans for a West Wing had initially begun in 1914 but the onset of war halted progress until the early 1920s. By this time the architect, Norman A Dick had joined Burnet in partnership. Either side of the central chapel, accommodation was provided for teaching and staff rooms for the Arts faculty. The basement provided space for academic and administrative staff to meet in the College Club. Designed in the Gothic style to blend in with Gilbert Scott's existing Main building, the East - West oriental Memorial Chapel was dedicated to those who died during the First World War. Sir J J Burnet devised the iconographic scheme at the west end of the chapel stalls. J. Taylor Thomson assisted with the design of the chapel. Walter Gilbert undertook the modelling for the stone carving. Archibald Dawson undertook the modelling for wood carving and the internal fittings. The four west windows, depicting the saints Andrew, Columba, Kentigern and Ninian were designed by the artist Douglas Strachan. Paid for by graduates, the windows were installed in 1931. The stained glass in the north wall representing the faculties of Law, History and Literature was designed by Gordon Webster in 1954. The building is now category A listed (HB 32914). On 4 October 1929 the chapel was dedicated to the seven hundred and fifty-five former students and graduates of the University who were known to have been killed during the First World War. The names of the fallen of both World Wars are recorded on tablets within the Chapel.

• Arrangement

  Many of the drawings are primarily ordered according to the numbering system adopted by the office of the architect, John Burnet, Son and Dick and thereafter chronologically. Those drawings which do not fit into either of the above categories have been arranged in the sequence to reflect the order in which the drawings were created, from general to specific, from sketch to presentation drawing, with drawings grouped together according to scale and subject matter. Drawings which were either formerly pinned together or display a smaller relational group within the main sub-series, (Survey drawings, Preliminary schemes, Measured drawings and Details) such as subject matter or the same origination (differing from the main), have been catalogued as files.

• Bibliography

  Gomme and WalkerArchitecture of GlasgowLondon 1968 p.297

  Anne Ross"A new and splendid edifice":the architecture of the University of GlasgowUniversity of Glasgow Press 1975 p.22

• Additional Information

  University of Glasgow