Three men, one name, a date II XII MDCCCI (part one)
With its growing mercantile ambitions, the city of Glasgow c1736 built its first Town Hall adjoining the old Tolbooth on the Trongate. But in just thirty short years these ambitions would outgrow the space when the council sought the assistance of Parliament to expand.
In 1768 by Act of Parliament the Magistrates of Glasgow obtained the following permissions:
‘They are hereby Empowered and Authorised to make and complete a convenient Passage or Street, from the said Street called the Saltmarket Street, to the said new Church called St. Andrew’s Church, not exceeding 70 feet in Breadth,.’
‘To open and complete the Area or Churchyard of the said Church ; and likewise to Make, Erect, Build and Complete a commodious Exchange or Square upon the North side of the said Town Hall and Tolbooth.’
On McArthur’s map of 1778, Baxter’s Wynd was identified for this new street as evidenced by the dotted lines projected on the map. Fleming’s Map of 1807 shows the completed plan pretty close to what we’d recognise today.
Figs.1 & 2: McArthur’s 1778 Map v Fleming’s map of 1807.
As for the second condition, the council had attempted to purchase buildings on the north side of the Town Hall and Tolbooth prior to the Act but it was recognised that these were not sufficient to realise the vision. What is striking is the Act permits a commodious Exchange or Square. It would appear Glasgow built both. The Act also, intended or not, links both endeavours. This might explain why one architect was ultimately engaged to realise both the expansion of the Town Hall and gentrify the area surrounding St Andrews Church.
At the time of this Act being passed, James Craig, the mastermind behind the 1767 layout of the Edinburgh New Town would have been hot property in Scotland.
Edinburgh New Town 1767
Fig.3: Edinburgh New Town by James Craig, architect. Drafted for the city planning committee in 1768. Courtesy of Geogrphicus. Public Domain Fig.4: James Craig (1739 -1795), architect. Painter David Allan c1781. Courtesy of the Royal Scottish Academy. Artwork photographed by Antonia Reeve
A dedication to King George III illustrates the lower part of the map. Lines from James Thomson’s poem entitled ‘Rule Britannia’, (the brother of Craig’s mother), appears in a cartouche centre top. The poem became immortalised when it was used as the inspiration for composer Thomas Arne’s song of the same name.
As with all best intentions it would appear having obtained the permission in 1768 things were not fully in place to proceed until c1781 when the last of the compulsory purchases went through. By which point we know James Craig was still in the frame, as per his plans dated 1781/82. However, Craig’s plans were not to be accepted by the committee. An “architect from London” had arrived in Glasgow; William Hamilton.
When you consider what James Craig had achieved in the planning and layout of Edinburgh New Town you realise it would need to be someone pretty special, with provenance, and not simply from ‘down London town’, to supplant him from the new scheme.
The appointment of William Hamilton for the Tontine & St Andrew’s scheme then on the face of it appears bold. Only one other building in the city, the weigh-house, has been attributed to his hand. Given the importance to mercantile & civic Glasgow of the Town Hall & Coffee Rooms and the prime residential complex of St Andrew’s Square, now both regarded as pinnacles in the city of Georgian architecture it is somewhat surprising that nothing of substance has been preserved about this ‘architect from London.’
The Dictionary of Scottish Architects (DSA) database captures the following:
“William Hamilton may have trained as a wright or joiner and have studied architecture and drawing in the late 1740s. In 1751 he was in Edinburgh and was described as having worked for several architects in London. What is certain is that he practised as an architect in Glasgow in the last quarter of the 18th century. In 1781 when employed to make convert the Assembly Rooms at the Town Hall to the Tontine Hotel he was described as ‘an architect from London’. This suggests that he is the same person as the William Hamilton who trained as a joiner.”
The Glasgow historian and author, George Fairfull-Smith, writing about the fine arts, of Glasgow ‘The Wealth of a City’ (2010) makes the breakthrough. He captures that a ‘William Hamilton’ was responsible for not only these works but at least two other well known local buildings of the period.
Some have suspected a link connecting William Hamilton as captured in the DSA with Robert Adam(1728-1792); like Dr Frances Sands of the Soane Museum, London. The article cited by Fairfull-Smith provides credibility to the theory which the architecture of Charlotte Street and Spreull’s Land would seem to cement following further research of corroborating sources.
Having written about Charlotte Street and Spreull’s Land previously this evidence suggests William Hamilton, who had been a senior draughtsman (fl.1765-1774) for Robert Adam, was also responsible for these prestigious addresses. There is also some suggestion that he may have taught architecture in Glasgow. The article is corroborated in the London press, about another William Hamilton. He was William Hamilton R.A. (1751-1801), his son; the numerous articles his obituary.
The Glasgow Courier touched on the death of his son, a history painter of repute. Crucially, the article introduces Spreull’s Land and David Dale’s house at 76 Charlotte Street as by Mr Hamilton’s hand, they were:
“Specimens of his style, and afford ample proofs of both his industry and ability”
“We may add, that a genius for the arts seems to rest on this family. Mrs Bell, sister of the deceased possesses no small portion of her brother’s talents. As a copyist, in the opinion of the late Sir Joshua Reynolds and Fuseli, the brightest ornaments of the English School, she has no equal; and her original compositions, whether historical or fanciful, portraits or drawings, rival the most finished performances of the Masters of the Academy.”
…As a city, Glasgow was,
”So much indebted for its elegance. If indeed it challenges the admiration of strangers, we may thank him, for it was he, during a residence of ten years, first inspired us with a taste for design, and taught us to relish the various beauties of Architecture.”
Possibly the provenance of working as a draughtsman in the Adam office for about ten years gave the Tontine committee the courage to pass over James Craig. William’s hand is noted against numerous drawings in the Soane collection alongside those of Italian Joseph Bonomi(1739-1808) and fellow Scots Robert Morison (c1748-1825) and Robert Nasmith( -1793). However, he must also have served as a clerk of works and/or built a reputation in his own right. That interim period between working in the Adam office and Glasgow remains elusive although the little we do know suggests it was in the south.
This new evidence explains in part the persistent speculation around Charlotte Street or indeed David Dale’s house at number 76 being the work of Robert Adam (1728-1792).
It also may help explain how knowledge of the Adams practice was disseminated in the city without the benefit of any sustained presence as in the case of London and Edinburgh. A residence of ten years or so suggests there was ample time for a transfer of knowledge prior to the Adams arriving to begin work on the Trades House.
It is curious that another Hamilton, a wright from Edinburgh arrives in the city briefly at the same time that William is resident. His name was Thomas Hamilton and he with his wife Jean Stevenson had a son whilst residing in Glasgow, also Thomas. The son would go on to make a name for himself as one of Edinburgh’s finest Georgian architects. Joe Rock a biographer of Thomas Hamilton(1784-1858), suggests his father worked on St Andrew’s Square.
Robert Scott (c1770-1839), a ‘classicist’, and proprietor of Glasgow’s first known dedicated Architectural Academy which opened c1803 may have benefited from William Hamilton’s sojourn north. William Stark (1770-1813), David Hamilton(1768-1842) and Thomas Hamilton snr(1754 -1824) were also well placed to do so. One can imagine William being sought out and queried by the next cohort. His work at St Andrew’s, the Tontine, Charlotte Street & Spreull’s Land an ample résumé if one were needed.
William Hamilton’s brief visit aside, there were already established links with the Adams family in the city. Their nephew John Robertson was responsible for building extensively in Glasgow; amongst other buildings, he is credited with the Black Bull Inn (b1759) of Robert Burns fame and the matching tenement built on the SW of Virginia Street (where William Cunningham of the Lainshaw Mansion [GoMA] had his office). Glasgow’s John Adam, mason( -1790), his work hews a similar seam to that of his namesake Robert Adam’s eldest brother John(1721-1792) including being consulted with respect to bridge building.
Newspaper articles of the time should be treated with a pinch of salt when it comes to attributions. After all some articles suggest that architect Thomas Hamilton (1784-1858), was the son of fellow Glasgow architect David Hamilton(1768-1843). He was not. However, this article was contemporaneous and one suspects written by someone with direct knowledge of William Hamilton. It captures the brevity of his stay in the city which has obviously contributed to the dearth of knowledge. And of course there is mention of a Royal Academy fellow, his son.
Laying out what is known the following tacit timeline can now be established:
c1730 Potential dob.
c1745 William Hamilton of Edinburgh in London.
c1750 Marries Sarah
c1751 William Hamilton jnr, born, London. (possibly 1747)
1751 William Hamilton, Edinburgh.
1754-1758 Robert Adam on Grand Tour.
1755 Maria his daughter is born. (Painter & sculptor. Future Lady Bell.)
1756 St Andrews Church Completed.
1760-1763 James Adam on Grand Tour.
1761 1761 King George appoints Adam, (& William Chambers, as joint) architects of His Majesty’s works
1765-1774 William Hamilton snr draughtsman in the Adams’ London practice.
1766 Antonio Zucchi, arrives in London.
1767-1768 William Hamilton jnr in Italy training under Zucchi.
1769 William Hamilton jnr enrolled in Royal Academy School, London.
1769-1773 William Hamilton jnr worked as decorative painter in London office.
1774 William Hamilton jnr first exhibited in R.A.
1774 William Hamilton snr leaves the London office.
1780 Charlotte Street projected.
1782 James Craig plans dated 1781-82 for the Tontine rejected.
1782 David Dale’s house, 76 Charlotte Street built.
1784 Tontine Hotel complex completed.
1784 Thomas Hamilton (1784-1858), architect born.
c1785 Spreull’s Land built.
1785 Weigh House at Montrose & Ingram built.
1786 St Andrews Square projected.
1787 Hamilton paid £21 for St Andrews plans. Completed c1789 as per PO Directory.
1787 David Dale buys first plot for Royal Bank of Scotland.
c1787 William Hamilton snr exits Glasgow.
1788 William Hamilton jnr elected an Academician of R.A.
1801 William Hamilton jnr dies.
If c1787 brings an end to William Hamilton’s time in Glasgow, the article’s assertion that he spent about a decade in the city would appear to stack up. Frustratingly he doesn’t appear in any street directory that survive.
Who induced him to come to Glasgow? The truth is we don’t know.
This new information, with respect to Charlotte Street and the inclusion of St Andrew’s Street, points to a concerted and diligent effort to create a much larger, cohesive residential areas around St Andrews Square with the Church itself at the centre. It presents a different narrative to the often quoted ‘merchants on the make’ argument to Glasgow’s approach to urban planning. The uniformity (& elegance) of the scheme didn’t happen simply by chance. Taking almost twenty years from approval to realisation suggests a long view was required that private enterprise wouldn’t necessarily entertain if it was simply only about profit. Employing one hand to project a single vision attests to a higher motive.
William Hamilton was not the first to try and stamp a uniformity to the street scape of Glasgow. John Miller of Westerton in feuing Miller Street in the 1750s was the first to stipulate in the deeds of his plots the height, aspect and form (Palladian), with additional codicils. It’s no wonder then that Miller street became known as the ‘aristocratic street’.
The ambitious building scheme of Dugald Bannatyne and partners of the company imaginatively named ‘the Glasgow Building Company’ along with others like John Robertson would also attempt to replicate on a less grand but no less impressive undertaking around George Square, Wilson, Ingram and John Streets. A prime example remains at 64 Wilson Street.
The development of tenements around Wilson Street talk to a mercantile vision of elegance where the privileged class could work, shop & relax. However, the success of these mercantile endeavours at the start of the Industrial Revolution would quickly put paid to any utopian vision of urban planning meaning that this experiment barely lasted fifteen years. Bannatyne would vacate his own house at the head of the newly projected Glassford Street literally for greener pastures at Carlton Place then later 26 Blythswood Square. His Ingram Street property would be cannibalised by the Star Inn.
Figs.5 & 6: ‘Consumption of Smoke: Present versus Future’, Northern Looking Glass 17 September 1825. Source: Glasgow University Library, Special Collections Sp Coll Bh14-x.8
It is interesting that around Wilson Street and George Square the two buildings that were recognised at the time as being of the best quality and most elegant were located on the north side. (at Charlotte Square Edinburgh, Adam built on the north side). People today forget, that before electricity, sunlight provided both Illumination and solar gain so crucial in a Scot’s winter. This would have been captured best in south facing apartments.
The scale and variety of the St Andrew’s complex around the church; the square, St Andrew’s & Charlotte streets… Given the experimentation in tenement design with Spreull’s Land, the success of the Tontine at the Cross… it is now time to re-appraise the impact one William Hamilton, ‘architect from London’, had on Georgian Glasgow.
Fig.7: SM Adam volume 11/234 – Record drawing for the ceiling for the round drawing room, 1766. possibly William Hamilton or Giuseppe Sacco
Figs.8-11: Possibly by hand of William Hamilton or Joseph Bonomi Courtesy of http://www.soane.org All images copyright.
It may have been William’s birth, c1751 that prompted his fathers trip home in 1751, before returning back down south. Later, whilst still a child, he traveled to Italy to study under his father’s friend Antonio Zucchi (1726-1795). Recorded in the Piazza Mignanelli in 1767 was:
“Monzu Hamilton – studente inglese – 15”
The Venetian artist’s skill was admired by Robert Adam who his brother James had met in 1761 whilst he was on his Grand Tour(1760-1763); Zucchi would accompany James to Rome. Indeed his skill as an artist was admired so much that c1765 Zucchi was enticed to the UK with the Adams’ promise of work & commissions. Given that both Zucchi and Hamilton snr worked in the Adams office it suggests more than a professional acquaintance, possibly a mutual bond of respect between the two and/or possibly it was William who assisted Zucchi on arrival in England. Whatever the bond, it was enough for one man to entrust his son to the other.
William jnr. on his return from Italy in 1768, was admitted to the Royal Academy Schools on 14.II.1769 and also that same year began working as a decorative painter for the Adams office. A post he would retain until 1773. He exhibited portraits and other paintings at the Royal Academy from 1774, becoming an associate in 1784 and a full Royal Academian in 1789. He was considered one of the country’s leading history painters of his time.
( The term ‘history painting’ was introduced by the French Royal Academy in the seventeenth century. It was seen as the most important genre of painting above portraiture, landscape and still life painting. Initially used to describe paintings with subjects drawn from ancient Greek and Roman classical history, classical mythology, and the Bible; towards the end of the eighteenth century it included modern historical subjects. The style was classical and idealised – known as the ‘grand style’ – and the result was known overall as High Art.)
He also worked on book illustration for Boydell’s Shakespeare Gallery, and between 1780 and 1792 he specialised in theatrical portraits and scene painting (Drury Lane, Covent Garden). Hamilton only infrequently painted portraits, he did, however, paint a number of leading actors including Kemble and Sarah Siddons in costume.
On 25.10.1779, at St George’s Hanover Square, he married Mary (c1762–1837), the daughter of Captain Peter Aylward. The couple befriended Thomas Lawrence on his arrival in London from Bath; in 1788 Lawrence captured the couple in pastel, and the following year a chalk drawing of Mary now in the British Museum.
He lived in Dean Street, Soho, from 1776 and died there of a fever in December 1801. He is buried in St Anne’s Church, Soho, a Wren church, sadly mostly destroyed by a bomb in 1940.
His daughter, Maria Hamilton (1755-1825) [Lady Bell]
Fig.17:Maria Hamilton (1755-1825) [Lady Bell]. Artist unknown
Maria Bell (née Hamilton; 26 December 1755 – 9 March 1825) She was born in Chelsea, London, the daughter of William and Sarah.
Initially she was the pupil of her brother William Hamilton R.A. Later she received instruction from Sir Joshua Reynolds, whose pictures she is said to have copied with much skill. She copied likewise the works of Rubens at Carlton House, including the ‘Holy Family,’ which was highly commended. Accomplished, she did not limit herself to oils, and could also sculpt.
Around 1808 she married Thomas Bell (1751-1824), leather merchant and later sheriff of London, who was knighted in 1816, and whose portrait was engraved by William Dickinson after a painting by her. Between the years 1809 and 1824 she exhibited at the Royal Academy and elsewhere several figure-subjects and portraits, among the latter in 1816 those of Sir Matthew Wood, 1st Baronet, lord mayor of London, and of her husband by then Sir Thomas Bell. She also exhibited two busts at the Royal Academy in 1819.1
Her own portrait was engraved by Edward Scriven from a miniature by W. S. Lethbridge.
Lady Bell died in Dean Street, Soho, in 1825.
Drawing lessons from Joshua Reynolds don’t get much more impressive. Were her father & Reynolds acquainted? The artistic circles he was moving in London via the Adams & Zucchi do not put it beyond reason. Or did Reynolds feel a debt of gratitude to the Hamilton clan since it was his portrait of Capt. The Hon. John Hamilton in 1746 which brought the artist his initial fame.
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