Discover a Thomson villa and 2 villas by other architects, some of Alexander Thomson’s beautiful external detailing of 5 of his residential buildings in Glasgow and where the 7 Glasgow muses are to be found.

The Alexander Thomson Society are pleased to present a rare books event in association with The Mitchell Library.

Glasgow architect and director of the Society, Scott Abercrombie, will deliver a talk giving a historical context to the importance of these books in relation to Thomson’s work and other contemporary Glaswegian architects. He will discuss built examples where the influence of these texts can be found in the architecture of Glasgow or where the ideas that they present have influenced the Thomson’s design philosophy.

Following this introduction a number of rare editions of these books will be made available for your perusal by The Mitchell Library. Due to the sensitivity of some of these texts the we have had to limit the number of tickets for this event, so book early to avoid disappointment.

Architect and deputy director of Glasgow City Heritage Trust, Niall Murphy, will deliver a talk focussing on the life and work of Sir John James Burnet. His works include Charing Cross Mansions and the Clyde Navigation Trust building in Glasgow, and works to British Museum and Selfridges in London.

Art historian and actor Paul O’Keeffe joins the Society to perform John Ruskin’s ‘Architecture’ lecture, from the Ruskin’s 1853 series of lectures originally delivered to the Philosophical Institution in Edinburgh.

Nominated for the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards in 2017 for his research into James Sellars and his Kelvinside Academy building, Dominic Ferrie will present his ongoing research into the life and work of Sellars, and his link to Alexander Thomson.

Iain McGillivray will discuss the ongoing and planned restoration work at Holmwood, one of Thomson’s finest interiors. Followed by Helen Kendrick who will deliver a talk drawing from her fantastic book, Glasgow Interiors, prepared in collaboration with Neale Smith.