To celebrate the bicentenary of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson‘s birth a programme of events and activities have been planned to take place throughout 2017. We will continue to update this calendar throughout the year with more and more exciting events as these are confirmed so please keep checking back. You can also sign up to our e-mail newsletter here to stay up to date.
Apr
8
Sat
BALFRON’S “GREEK” THOMSON BICENTENARY EXHIBITION:
Hosted by Balfron Heritage Group, FREE Exhibition of the photographs of Phil Sayer and other complementary images. From 8th April to 6th May 2017 in Balfron Library during normal Library hours.
Apr
10
Mon
Balfron Heritage Group and Balfron Community Singers’ are hosting a finale concert to mark the conclusion of Balfron’s bicentenary celebrations.
A new Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson pipe tune, written by piper Daniel McDermott and commissioned by Jim Thomson of Balfron Heritage Group will be premiered at the event.
This concert will be at 7pm on Saturday 29th April in Balfron Church with tickets (£4/£2) available from Balfron Library (01360 440407) during normal library hours.
Apr
13
Thu
“SPECULATIONS ON INFINITY”:
Short one-man play narrated by the man himself. This will be accompanied by a 1960s film on Thomson’s architecture from the NLS Film Archive. Thursday 13th April : 7.30pm in the John McLintock Hall, Dunmore St., Balfron. FREE but ticketed in advance (due to numbers). Tickets from Balfron Library
Apr
15
Sat
Organised by the Balfron Heritage Group.
Meet at the Balfron Library.
Organised by the Balfron Heritage Group.
Meet at the Balfron Library.
Apr
20
Thu
Organised by the Balfron Heritage Group.
Meet at the Balfron Library.
Jul
25
Tue
Jul 25 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
In the bicentenary of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson’s birth, join Glasgow City Heritage Trust & The Alexander Thomson Society to ‘talk Thomson’ and decide: what is Thomson’s best building?
One of the Glasgow’s greatest architects, Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson is praised for his originality, use of modern technologies and his personal Graeco-Egyptian style. Following on from the heated debates of our Battle of the Architects series and in the bicentenary of his birth, join Glasgow City Heritage Trust & The Alexander Thomson Society to ‘talk Thomson’ and decide once and for all: which of Thomson’s iconic works is really top of the pile? Can our speakers make a convincing argument for their favourite Thomson masterpiece in this architectural face-off?
ATS members receive free entry to this event, contact info@alexanderthomsonsociety.co.uk to receive your unique password.
Aug
18
Fri
Lines of Thought is an exhibition about architectural drawing and representation and is devoted to the work of Alexander Thomson, one of Glasgow’s most renowned nineteenth century architects. Curated and organised by the Alexander Thomson Society it celebrates the bicentenary of Thomson’s birth in April 1817 through a selection of original drawings by the architect and those of others who have later recorded or interpreted his work in a range of media including pen and ink measured studies, detailed digital renderings, precision models, journals, publications, sketches, film and the more abstract work of artists. The intention is to reveal the industrious, creative as well as the more complex side of the architect, his prolific imagination and uniquely creative architectural contribution to the architecture of the city of Glasgow and the Clyde estuary.
The exhibition is timed to coincide with the 13th biennial International Conference of the European Architectural Envisioning Association with a 3 day conference titled Space Time & Meaning hosted by the Glasgow School of Art and organised by the Mackintosh School of Architecture and the School of Simulation and Visualization.
Aug
30
Wed
As part of our 2017 lecture series, Mark Baines will discuss Alexander Thomson’s urban architecture and his lasting legacy in the city of Glasgow.
Sep
21
Thu
Sep 21 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Lost Thomson: Glasgow’s Loss
Thursday 21 September, 6pm
£10 (£5 discounted rate for members of the Glasgow Art Club)
In his bicentenary year, Fiona Sinclair gives an insightful talk on the lost works of the eminent architect Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson.
Please arrive at 6pm for a welcome drink, with the talk commencing at 6.30pm sharp.
Alexander Thomson was born in Balfron, Stirlingshire, on 9th April 1817 and died in Glasgow on 22nd March 1875 at his home at no.1 Moray Place in the terrace he had himself designed.
Thomson was extremely successful with a large clientele for medium-sized villas and terraces of cottages in Pollokshields, Shawlands, Crossmyloof, Cathcart, Langbank, Bothwell and Cove and Kilcreggan.
In his day, Thomson was conspicuous for his originality in producing a distinctive modern architecture from the lessons and precedents provided by the Greeks, Egyptians and other ancient civilisations, and made extensive use of new materials like cast-iron and plate-glass.
His personal Graeco-Egyptian style was almost entirely confined to Glasgow, where he designed commercial warehouses, blocks of tenements, terraces of houses, suburban villas and three extraordinary Presbyterian churches, of which the St. Vincent Street Church is the only intact survivor.
Other important works still standing include Moray Place, Great Western Terrace, Egyptian Halls in Union Street, Grecian Buildings in Sauchiehall Street, and his villa, Holmwood, at Cathcart, which is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.
Whilst a wealth of Thomson buildings remain there are also a significant number that have been tragically lost over the years. The reasons for these losses are several, from Thomson demolishing his own buildings – as with the Scottish Exhibition Rooms on Bath Street, through to bombing during World War II – as with Queens Park Church. The most common reason for the loss of these buildings however was redevelopment during the 1960s and 70s.
The losses were primarily tenemental properties spread throughout the city, however also included were two hotels, a printing works, a sculpture yard and two churches; Chalmers Memorial Free Church in the Gorbals and Queen’s Park Church.
Following his death in 1875, a marble bust of the architect by John Mossman was presented to the Corporation (now in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery) and the Alexander Thomson Travelling Studentship established, of which the second winner was Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
A map of the ‘lost’ buildings can be viewed here
Fiona Sinclair, is a Glasgow based architect and author with a passion for historic buildings.
If you wish to find out more about becoming a member of The Glasgow Art Club please visit our website
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