Glasgow - City of Sculpture
By Gary Nisbet
Burnet, Boston & Carruthers
(fl. 1878-)

Frank Burnet (1846-1923) was born in Melrose, Roxburghshire.

He studied architecture at GSA before joining the staff of the City Architect's office, in 1871, under John Carrick, where he worked on projects for the City Improvement Trust.

He set up on his own as an architect and property valuator in 1879, at 65 West Regent Street, and in 1890 he was joined by William James Boston (1861-1937), as Burnet & Boston.

They later assumed their former apprentice, James Carruthers (b. 1872), as a third partner in 1901, and trained the future tenement architect, John Nisbet.

The firm produced 540 tenements from 1883-1906, and were responsible for St. George's Mansions, 10-28 Woodlands Road and 63-89 St. George's Road (1900-2), and the tenements at 231-287 High Street (1900), both for the City Improvement Trust, and the Dalnair Street tenements in Yorkhill for the Overnewton Building Company (1906-9).

Their tenements in the High Street provided new premises for the monumental and architectural sculptors J & G Mossman , at 248 High Street, which are still occupied by the firm.

Burnet & Boston's other work includes warehouses, banks, factories, schools, churches and commercial buildings, with sculpture produced by WK Brown , J M Sherriff and others.

Their commercial building at 188-92 St. Vincent Street features a fine, seated statue of Justice possibly carved by WK Brown (1897).

In 1919, Burnet's son, Frank R. Burnet (retired 1965), became a partner, followed by James Bell (c. 1911-67).

In the inter-war years, they designed 123-133 Sauchiehall Street (1923-4) and James Craig's Luncheon Rooms, 19 Gordon Street (1931-3), and during World War II, opened an office in Greenock, at 2 Wallace Street, 1943-59.

After the war the firm bought James Miller 's practice.

The firm was renamed Frank Burnet & Partners in 1961, and continues today as Burnet Bell, at 180 Hope Street.

Sources:

 
Works in our Database:
1: George Street (City Centre),
Alexander Turnbull Building, 151-9 George Street
Pediment Figures (1897)
Sculptor: unknown; Architects: Frank Burnet & Boston
2: High Street (Townhead),
Tenement building, 252-84 High Street
Relief Carvings of Animals and Floral Decoration (1899-1903)
Sculptor: unknown; Architect: Burnet, Boston & Carruthers;
Built for: City Improvement Trust
#246 3: Renfield Street (City Centre),
Castle Chambers, 59-69 Renfield Street
Four Allegorical Female Figures, Athena and Related Decorative Carving (1898-1902)
Sculptor: WK Brown;
Architect: Frank Burnet & Boston; Builders: Morrison & Mason Ltd
4: St Vincent Place (City Centre),
Former Scottish Amicable Assurance Company, 31-9 St Vincent Place
Allegorical Female Figures, Putti and Associated Decorative Carving (1870-3; 1903-6)
Sculptor: W Mossman Junior; Architects: Campbell Douglas & Stevenson (original building);
Frank Burnet & Boston (later additions); Builders: Robert McCord & Son
5: St Vincent Street (City Centre),
Comercial building, 188-92 St Vincent Street
Allegorical Figure of Justice (1897)
Sculptor: unknown; Architects: Frank Burnet & Boston
6: Trongate (Merchant City),
Retail and warehouse block, 173-87 Trongate
Neptune and Ceres (1925)
Sculptor: unknown; Architect: Frank Burnet & Boston
 
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