John James Stevenson FRSE FSA FRIBA (24 August 1831 – 5 May 1908), usually referred to as J. J. Stevenson, was a British

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

of the late-

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

. Born in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, he worked in Glasgow,

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

and

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. He is particularly associated with the British Queen Anne revival style.

Early life and education

(1)St Peters Anglican Church Campbelltown

The grave of J J Stevenson, Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh

Stevenson was born in

on 24 August 1831, the sixth of ten children of Jane Stewart Shannan (daughter of Alexander Shannan, a Greenock merchant) and James Stevenson, a merchant of Glasgow. His siblings included

Flora Stevenson Flora Clift Stevenson (30 October 1839 – 28 September 1905) was a British social reformer with a special interest in education for poor or neglected children, and in education for girls and equal university access for women. She was one of t ...

, James Cochran Stevenson and

Louisa Stevenson Louisa Stevenson (15 July 1835 – 13 May 1908) was a Scottish campaigner for women's university education, women's suffrage and effective, well-organised nursing. Family Stevenson was born at Glasgow, the daughter of Jane Stewart Shannan, ...

; James Croesus Stevenson was his cousin. His early education was at Glasgow High School.

Career

Stevenson trained as an architect with

David Bryce David Bryce FRSE FRIBA RSA (3 April 1803 – 7 May 1876) was a Scottish architect. Life Bryce was born at 5 South College Street in Edinburgh, the son of David Bryce (1763–1816) a grocer with a successful side interest in buildi ...

and

Sir George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started ...

. He then worked with

Campbell Douglas Archibald Campbell Douglas (usually simply referred to as Campbell Douglas) (14 June 1828 – 14 April 1910) was a Scottish architect based primarily in Glasgow. He designed many churches in Glasgow and Edinburgh, especially those for the Fre ...

in Glasgow, becoming a partner in 1860, they then jointly moved to a property at 24 George Street in

, sharing the space with the stained glass artist

Daniel Cottier Daniel Cottier (1838–1891) was a British artist and designer born in Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland. His work was said to be influenced by the writing of John Ruskin, the paintings of the Dante Gabriel Rossetti and the work of William Morris. H ...

. From 1870 he worked in

. Here he built the "Red House" in Bayswater Hill as his own home. Author of the architecture text, ''House Architecture'' (1880), Stevenson also wrote on town planning and the preservation of historic buildings, criticising the "dull and uninteresting" architecture of his age and the "infatuation for making streets straight". He also designed the interiors of several ocean liners. In 1868 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, his proposer being Alexander Keith Johnston.

Buildings

Stevenson's work in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

was mainly ecclesiastical, including the design of churches in

Gilmerton Gilmerton ( gd, Baile GhilleMhoire, IPA: �paləˈʝiːʎəˈvɔɾʲə is a suburb of Edinburgh, about southeast of the city centre. The toponym "Gilmerton" is derived from a combination of gd, Gille-Moire– a personal name and later surnam ...

Crieff Crieff (; gd, Craoibh, meaning "tree") is a Scottish market town in Perth and Kinross on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich, and the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins the A823 to Dunfermline. Crieff has becom ...

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...

, and

. His work in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

was mainly domestic and educational buildings in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

and

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...

. His buildings include: *

Kelvinside Kelvinside is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde and is bounded by Broomhill, Dowanhill and Hyndland to the south with Kelvindale and the River Kelvin to the north. It is an affluent area of Gl ...

Parish Church, Great Western Road, Glasgow (1862) * Campsie Free Church (1863) *

Clola Clola is a hamlet in Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Clola is situated on the A952 road. There is considerable evidence of local habitation by early man in the vicinity of Clola. Some of these nearby human traces are evident in Catto Long Barr ...

Free Church (1863) *

Dunoon Dunoon (; gd, Dùn Omhain) is the main town on the Cowal peninsula in the south of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is located on the western shore of the upper Firth of Clyde, to the south of the Holy Loch and to the north of Innellan. As wel ...

Pier and Offices (1867) *

Palace Gate Palace Gate is a street south of Kensington Gardens in London, England. It was previously part of Gloucester Road, and was initially developed in the 1860s. 1a Palace Gate and 10 Palace Gate are both Grade II* listed buildings. The street is ...

, Kensington,

(1873–75) *

Jamaican High Commission in London The High Commission of Jamaica in London is the diplomatic mission of Jamaica in the United Kingdom. History The High Commission had its beginnings in 1962. Among the first diplomatic missions to be established after the attainment of independe ...

Exhibition Road Exhibition Road is a street in South Kensington, London which is home to several major museums and academic establishments, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. Overview The road gets i ...

, Kensington, London (1876) *University Laboratories,

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...

(1876–79) *Lugar Lodge, 14 Melbury Road, Kensington, London (the home and artist's studio of Colin Hunter; 1876) *South side of

Cadogan Square Cadogan Square () is a residential square in Knightsbridge, London, that was named after Earl Cadogan. Whilst it is mainly a residential area, some of the properties are used for diplomatic and educational purposes (notably Hill House School) ...

, London (1879–85) *Green House,

Banbury Road Banbury Road is a major arterial road in Oxford, England, running from St Giles' at the south end, north towards Banbury through the leafy suburb of North Oxford and Summertown, with its local shopping centre. Parallel and to the west is the ...

(home of T.H. Green; 1881) * St Leonard's-in-the-Fields Church, Perth (1882–1885) *Parish Church,

Fairlie, North Ayrshire Fairlie is a village in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Location and status Fairlie sits on the eastern shore of the Firth of Clyde and looks across to the Isle of Arran and the Cumbraes. It is currently little more than a commuter village, with few ...

(1883) *

Forgandenny Forgandenny (Scottish Gaelic ''Forgrann Eithne'', 'Over-Bog of Eithne' n ancient female Gaelic name is a small village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, located four miles south of Perth, Scotland, Perth. Perth is a 20-minute bus ride from Forg ...

Free Church (1885) * Balliol Croft (now Marshall House), off

Madingley Road Madingley Road is a major arterial road linking central Cambridge, England with Junction 13 of the M11 motorway. It passes by West Cambridge, a major new site where some University of Cambridge departments are being relocated. The road is design ...

(home of Alfred Marshall; 1886)Cambridge 2000: Lucy Cavendish College: Madingley Road: Marshall House (Balliol Croft)
* Heycock Wing,

New Museums Site The New Museums Site is a major site of the University of Cambridge, located on Pembroke Street and Free School Lane, sandwiched between Corpus Christi College, Pembroke College and Lion Yard. Its postcode is CB2 3QH. The smaller and older of ...

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world's third oldest surviving university and one of its most pr ...

(1886–88) * Stevenson Building, Christ's College, Cambridge (1888–89) *

Kelvin Stevenson Memorial Church Kelvinbridge Parish Church, also known as the Kelvin Stevenson Memorial Church, is a Church of Scotland parish church, serving part of the North Kelvinside area of Glasgow, Scotland. The church is within the Church of Scotland's Presbytery of G ...

, Belmont Street Bridge, Glasgow (1898–1902)

Personal life

In 1861, he married Jane Omond (1839–1932), daughter of Mary Eliza Traill and Robert Omond. His brother-in-law was Robert Traill Omond. He died at his home, 4 Porchester Gardens in

on 5 May 1908 and his body was returned to

for burial in Dean Cemetery. The grave lies against the southern boundary. He is buried with his wife Jane and their children.

References

External links

Dictionary of Scottish Architects: John James Stevenson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson, J.J. 1831 births 1908 deaths Architects from Glasgow Scottish architects