Sydney Mitchell
Encyclopedia
Arthur George Sydney Mitchell (7 January 1856 – 13 October 1930) was a Scottish
architect
. He designed a large number of bank branches, country houses, churches and church halls. His most significant commissions include the housing developments at Well Court and Ramsay Garden
, both in Edinburgh.
, Stirlingshire
, he was the only son of Dr Arthur Mitchell
and Margaret Hay Houston. Dr Mitchell served as Commissioner for the Board of Lunacy for Scotland, Chairman of the Scottish Life Assurance Company, President of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
, and was a director of the Commercial Bank of Scotland
. After private tutoring, Sydney Mitchell attended Edinburgh University, and completed his training in the office of Robert Rowand Anderson
, where he was articled from 1878 to 1883.
From being an apprentice, Mitchell went straight into professional practice in 1883, utilising family contacts to gain commissions. His first came in 1883, for the proprietor of The Scotsman
newspaper, John Ritchie Findlay
, whose home he remodelled. Another significant early commission from Findlay was for Well Court, a housing development in Dean Village
, Edinburgh, which he worked on between 1883 and 1886. The same year, Mitchell undertook work for the Commercial Bank, and in 1884 was appointed architect to the Bank, taking over from David Rhind
who had retired in 1881. This brought him a steady stream of work, and he designed or remodelled over 20 branches over the following years.
In 1885, Mitchell was engaged to restore Edinburgh's Mercat cross
. This led to a commission to recreate several of Edinburgh's demolished medieval buildings, including the Netherbow, as part of the Edinburgh Exhibition of 1886. He continued to draw on the Scots Renaissance style, which he had employed at Well Court, in such projects as Duntreath Castle (1890).
Mitchell took his assistant, George Wilson, into partnership in 1887. Practicing as Sydney Mitchell & Wilson, they were appointed by the Board of Lunacy in Scotland, with commissions for Craighouse in Edinburgh, the Crichton Royal Institution
in Dumfries, Melrose
Asylum, and the Royal Victoria Hospital
in Edinburgh. Later works, such as Ramsay Garden
close to Edinburgh Castle, incorporated more Arts & Crafts
influences. His last major project was the Church of Scotland Offices
on George Street, Edinburgh (1908).
George Wilson retired in 1907, and Sydney Mitchell sold the practice around 1910. He retired to Gullane
, East Lothian, where he died unmarried in 1930. He was buried in the family plot at Rosebank Cemetery
in Edinburgh.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
. He designed a large number of bank branches, country houses, churches and church halls. His most significant commissions include the housing developments at Well Court and Ramsay Garden
Ramsay Garden
Ramsay Garden is a block of sixteen private apartment buildings in the Castlehill area of Edinburgh, Scotland. They stand out for their red ashlar and white harled exteriors, and for their prominent position, most visible from Princes Street.Developed into its current form between 1890 and 1893 by...
, both in Edinburgh.
Biography
Born in LarbertLarbert
Larbert is a small town in the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The town lies in the Forth Valley above the River Carron which flows from the west. Larbert is 3 miles from the shoreline of the Firth of Forth and 2.5 miles northwest of Falkirk, the main town in the area...
, Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
, he was the only son of Dr Arthur Mitchell
Arthur Mitchell (physician)
Sir Arthur Mitchell K.C.B., M.D. was a Scottish doctor involved in the study and care of patients with mental illness. He served on several public commissions, and also wrote a number of works on historical subjects.-Biography:...
and Margaret Hay Houston. Dr Mitchell served as Commissioner for the Board of Lunacy for Scotland, Chairman of the Scottish Life Assurance Company, President of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is the senior antiquarian body in Scotland, with its headquarters in the National Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh...
, and was a director of the Commercial Bank of Scotland
Commercial Bank of Scotland
The Commercial Bank of Scotland Ltd. was a Scottish commercial bank. It was founded in Edinburgh in 1810, and obtained a royal charter in 1831. It grew substantially through the 19th and early 20th centuries, until 1959, when it merged with the National Bank of Scotland to become the National...
. After private tutoring, Sydney Mitchell attended Edinburgh University, and completed his training in the office of Robert Rowand Anderson
Robert Rowand Anderson
Sir Robert Rowand Anderson RSA was a Scottish Victorian architect. Anderson trained in the office of George Gilbert Scott in London before setting up his own practice in Edinburgh in 1860. During the 1860s his main work was small churches in the 'First Pointed' style that is characteristic of...
, where he was articled from 1878 to 1883.
From being an apprentice, Mitchell went straight into professional practice in 1883, utilising family contacts to gain commissions. His first came in 1883, for the proprietor of The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
newspaper, John Ritchie Findlay
John Ritchie Findlay
John Ritchie Findlay was a Scottish newspaper owner and philanthropist.He was born at Arbroath, Angus, son of Peter Findlay and was educated at Edinburgh University...
, whose home he remodelled. Another significant early commission from Findlay was for Well Court, a housing development in Dean Village
Dean Village
Dean Village is a former village immediately northwest of Edinburgh, Scotland city centre. It was known as the "Water of Leith Village" and was a successful grain milling hamlet for more than 800 years. At one time there were no fewer than eleven working mills there, driven by the strong currents...
, Edinburgh, which he worked on between 1883 and 1886. The same year, Mitchell undertook work for the Commercial Bank, and in 1884 was appointed architect to the Bank, taking over from David Rhind
David Rhind
David Rhind was a Scottish architect, born in Edinburgh in 1808 to parents John Rhind and his wife Marion Anderson. David Rhind was married twice, to Emily Shoubridge in 1840, then Mary Jane Sackville-Pearson in 1845...
who had retired in 1881. This brought him a steady stream of work, and he designed or remodelled over 20 branches over the following years.
In 1885, Mitchell was engaged to restore Edinburgh's Mercat cross
Mercat cross
A mercat cross is a market cross found in Scottish cities and towns where trade and commerce was a part of economic life. It was originally a place where merchants would gather, and later became the focal point of many town events such as executions, announcements and proclamations...
. This led to a commission to recreate several of Edinburgh's demolished medieval buildings, including the Netherbow, as part of the Edinburgh Exhibition of 1886. He continued to draw on the Scots Renaissance style, which he had employed at Well Court, in such projects as Duntreath Castle (1890).
Mitchell took his assistant, George Wilson, into partnership in 1887. Practicing as Sydney Mitchell & Wilson, they were appointed by the Board of Lunacy in Scotland, with commissions for Craighouse in Edinburgh, the Crichton Royal Institution
Crichton Campus
The Crichton is an institutional campus in Dumfries, south-west Scotland. It incorporates part of Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, a business park, and Crichton University Campus, which serves as a remote campus for the University of Glasgow, University of the West of Scotland , Dumfries and...
in Dumfries, Melrose
Melrose, Scotland
Melrose is a small town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders, historically in Roxburghshire. It is in the Eildon committee area.-Etymology:...
Asylum, and the Royal Victoria Hospital
Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh
The Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland, is a purpose-built 247 bed hospital situated in the north-west of Edinburgh on Craigleith Road near the Western General Hospital. It is the main geriatric assessment and rehabilitation hospital for the north of Edinburgh and comprises a Medical...
in Edinburgh. Later works, such as Ramsay Garden
Ramsay Garden
Ramsay Garden is a block of sixteen private apartment buildings in the Castlehill area of Edinburgh, Scotland. They stand out for their red ashlar and white harled exteriors, and for their prominent position, most visible from Princes Street.Developed into its current form between 1890 and 1893 by...
close to Edinburgh Castle, incorporated more Arts & Crafts
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
influences. His last major project was the Church of Scotland Offices
Church of Scotland Offices
The Church of Scotland offices are located in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland at 121 George Street. These imposing buildings are popularly known in Church circles as "one-two-one". They were designed in a Scandinavian-influenced style by the architect Sydney Mitchell and built in 1909-1911 for...
on George Street, Edinburgh (1908).
George Wilson retired in 1907, and Sydney Mitchell sold the practice around 1910. He retired to Gullane
Gullane
Gullane is a town on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth in East Lothian on the east coast of Scotland. There has been a church in the village since the 9th century. The ruins of the Old Church of St...
, East Lothian, where he died unmarried in 1930. He was buried in the family plot at Rosebank Cemetery
Rosebank Cemetery
Rosebank Cemetery is a 19th-century burial ground in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the junction of Pilrig Street and Broughton Road in the Pilrig area, close to the historical boundary of Leith...
in Edinburgh.