The grave of Patrick Hill Thoms, Western Cemetery, Dundee

Patrick Hill Thoms FRIBA ARIAS (1873–1946) was a 20th-century Scottish architect, based in eastern Scotland.

Life

He was born on 27 September 1873 in

Kilmacolm Kilmacolm () is a village and civil parish in the Inverclyde council area, and the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the northern slope of the Gryffe Valley, southeast of Greenock and aroun ...

the son of Thomas Smith Thoms from a family of Angus farmers and solicitors. He was educated at

Harris Academy Harris Academy is a co-educational comprehensive school in the West End of Dundee, Scotland. Harris Academy was founded in 1885 and is the oldest state school in Dundee. Harris Academy is also one of the largest state run schools in Dundee in ...

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

. In 1889 he was articled to Charles Ower to train as an architect in Dundee, also taking formal classes at Dundee Technical Institute and University College Dundee. After training he joined the office of Thomas Cappon as an architectural assistant, later running his

Brechin Brechin (; gd, Breichin) is a city and former Royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin was described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese (which continues today ...

office. William Gillespie Lamond followed him from Ower's office to Cappon's and was a great influence on his style and development. In 1898 he began lecturing in

Architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

at Dundee Technical Institute and helped to found the Dundee College of Art. In 1901 he went into partnership with William Fleming Wilkie, setting up office at 18 Commercial Street, Dundee. Quickly flourishing they moved to larger offices at 46 Reform Street in 1904. In 1921 the firm moved to 21 South Tay Street, taking over the offices of the late Cpt. William Walker. Wilkie withdrew from the practice in 1923 and continued alone in

St Andrews St Andrews ( la, S. Andrea(s); sco, Saunt Aundraes; gd, Cill Rìmhinn) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fou ...

. In 1927 he went into a new partnership with Donald Ross, previously his chief assistant, still at the South Tay Street office. In 1934 he formed a new partnership with his nephew, Thomas Thoms. He died at home, Grey Walls at 452 Perth Road in Dundee on 11 January 1946. He is buried with his wife in the

Western Cemetery, Dundee The Western Cemetery in Dundee, Scotland, is a still-operational cemetery founded in the mid 19th century. It rises northwards from the Perth Road, with terraces in its upper sections. It views over the Firth of Tay to the Tay Rail Bridge ...

. The grave lies against the second upper terrace, towards the west.

Family

In 1906 he was married to Ida Louise Gordon (1891-1930), eighteen years his junior. Following marriage he moved from Grayburn (which he had built for his father's retiral) to Braefoot in

Monifieth Monifieth is a town and former police burgh in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated on the north bank of the Firth of Tay on the east coast. In 2016, the population of Monifieth was estimated at 8,110, making it the fifth largest ...

. They moved back to Dundee in 1929. They did not have children. His nephew Thomas Thoms (1908-1987) followed in his footsteps and was trained in his office. Although not immediate, he re-acquired Grey Walls as a family home after Patrick's death. He served as President of the RIAS 1957/8 and 1959/60.https://www.rias.org.uk/rias/about-the-rias/past-presidents/t-h-thoms/

Main Works

*East Free Church Hall,

(1895) *Panmure Arms Hotel,

Edzell Edzell (; sco, Aigle; gd, Eigill) is a village in Angus, Scotland. It is 5 miles (8 km) north of Brechin, by the River North Esk. Edzell is a Georgian-era planned town, with a broad main street and a grid system of side streets. Origina ...

(1895) *Ramsay Arms Hotel,

Fettercairn Fettercairn (, gd, Fothair Chàrdain) is a small village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, northwest of Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire on the B966 from Edzell. Fettercairn is also reached via the Cairn O' Mount road (B974) from Deeside. The name com ...

(1896) *

Drill Hall (1896) *Infectious Diseases Hospital, Brechin (1897) *

United Free Church The United Free Church of Scotland (UF Church; gd, An Eaglais Shaor Aonaichte, sco, The Unitit Free Kirk o Scotland) is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland (or UP) and ...

(1900) *Clubhouse for the new curling pond at

Balruddery Balruddery House by Longforgan in Perthshire, Scotland, was designed by David Neave for James Webster circa 1820. In about 1879 it was bought by James F White, who had previously leased Castle Huntly in Longforgan. James White and his son J Marti ...

House (1901) *

Parish Church (1902) *Grange Golf Clubhouse,

(1902) *South United Free Church,

Kirriemuir Kirriemuir, sometimes called Kirrie or the ''Wee Red Toon'' ( gd, An Ceathramh Mòr; IPA: nˈkʰʲɛɾəvmoːɾ, is a burgh in Angus, Scotland. It reaches back to earliest recorded times, when it is thought to have been a major ecclesiastical ...

(1902) *Baldragon, Downfield,

(1904) *Bowling Green Clubhouse,

Invergowrie Invergowrie () is a village on the northwest bank of the Firth of Tay to the west of Dundee. Historically part of Perthshire, it was formerly incorporated as part of the city of Dundee, but is now administered as part of Perth and Kinross. H ...

(1904) *Offices, Monifieth Foundry (1904) *The Hirsel, Ninewells, Dundee (1904) *Grayburn House, Benvie, Dundee (1905) for his father - later his own home *Morar, Ninewells, Dundee (1905) *UF Church,

Newburgh, Fife Newburgh is a royal burgh and parish in Fife, Scotland, at the south shore of the Firth of Tay. The town has a population of 2,171 (in 2011),Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC – Usually Resident Population, publ. by National Records of Scot ...

(1905) *

Kinpurnie Castle Kinpurnie Castle is a stately home located west of Dundee, close to Newtyle, near Blairgowrie, Angus in Scotland. The Kinpurnie estate was historically a property owned by William Oliphant, Lord of Aberdalgie by grant from King Robert the Bruce ...

and Lodge (1906) *Nyora, Dundee (1906) *Major extension to

Cupar Cupar ( ; gd, Cùbar) is a town, former royal burgh and parish in Fife, Scotland. It lies between Dundee and Glenrothes. According to a 2011 population estimate, Cupar had a population around 9,000, making it the ninth-largest settlement in Fif ...

County Buildings (1907) *The Elms,

Longforgan Longforgan is a village and parish in the Carse of Gowrie, in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It lies west of Dundee on the main A90 road. History A record survives of Sir Patrick Gray, as Baron of Longforgan, holding a baronial court here in 13 ...

(1910) *1 Hazel Drive, Dundee (1910) *1 Lawside Drive, Dundee (1910) *Westerlea,

(1910) *The Boreen, Dundee (1911) *4 Farington Street, Dundee (1913) *Ferncroft, Barnhill, Dundee (1913) *Fleuchar Craig Works Office, Dundee (1913) *Scott Street Works, Dundee (1913) *The Priory,

Crail Crail (); gd, Cathair Aile) is a former royal burgh, parish and community council area (Royal Burgh of Crail and District) in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. The locality has an estimated population of 1,630 (2018). Etymology The name ''C ...

(1915) *Drumgarth near Dundee (1916) *War Memorial for 4th Battalion

Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...

, St Paul's South Church, Dundee (1920) *

Lochee Lochee () is an area in the west of Dundee, Scotland. Until the 19th century, it was a separate town, but was eventually surrounded by the expanding Dundee. It is notable for being home to Camperdown Works, which was the largest jute production ...

Bedding Factory, Dundee (1922) *Victoria Cafe and Tea Garden,

(1922) *War Memorial, Wallacetown Parish Church, Dundee (1922) *Hamewith, Dundee (1926) *

(1926) replacing his alma mater *House for Very Rev

Alan Don Alan Campbell Don (3 January 1885 – 3 May 1966) was a trustee of the National Portrait Gallery, editor of the Scottish Episcopal Church's 1929 '' Scottish Prayer Book'', chaplain and secretary to Cosmo Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury, from 1 ...

, Dundee (1927) *Aerated Water Factory and Offices, Dundee (1929) *Grey Walls, Dundee (1929) as his own home *Various houses on the Rosemount House estate, Blairgowrie (1929) *St David's in the North, Dundee (1929) *Bellfield Street RC School, Dundee (1930) *Sunningdale, Stannergate, Dundee (1933) *Draffen's Department Store, Nethergate, Dundee (1934) *A second house for Very Rev

, Dundee (1937) *Extension to the Tay Ropeworks, Dundee (1937) *St Margaret's Episcopal Church and Hall, Lochee, Dundee (1939-1947) delayed due to war, completed after his death

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thoms, Patrick Hill 1873 births 1946 deaths People from Dundee Scottish architects