FRIBA
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...
(7 May 1870 – 30 March 1930) was a Scottish architect. He studied at the
Glasgow School of Art
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA; ) is a higher education art school based in Glasgow, Scotland, offering undergraduate degrees, post-graduate awards (both taught and research-led), and PhDs in architecture, fine art, and design. These are all awa ...
. In 1894 he won the
Alexander Thomson
Alexander "Greek" Thomson (9 April 1817 – 22 March 1875) was an eminent Scottish architect and architectural theorist who was a pioneer in sustainable building. Although his work was published in the architectural press of his day, it was ...
travelling scholarship which he spent in France and Italy. In 1905 he was made a partner in the firm Clarke & Bell, its name changing to Clarke & Bell & J H Craigie.
Significant works
Craigie's significant work includes the domed roof and restaurant additions to the Grosvenor Building, 72–80 Gordon Street (1902–07); Art Nouveau remodelling of early 19th century tenement, 186–188 Argyle Street (1908); the reconstruction of the Justiciary Buildings in Glasgow (1910–13); Corona Bar, Langside (1912–13); and St Mary's Parish Church,
Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch (; ; ) is a town and a Burgh of Barony (The Baron of Kirkintilloch) in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal and on the south side of Strathkelvin, about northeast of central Glasgow. Historically ...
(1912–14).
In 1929, Craigie was commissioned to design a new Department Store with of shopping space for the firm of
Lewis's
Lewis's is an online retailer and homeware brand. It was also a chain of British department stores that operated from 1856 to 2010. The owners of Lewis's went into administration several times, including in 1991. The first store, which ope ...
Limited, who had bought over an old Glasgow firm, John Anderson's "Royal Polytechnic" known to Glaswegians as "The Poly". He worked closely with Frederick Marquis (later Lord Woolton) who subsequently became Managing Director of
Lewis's
Lewis's is an online retailer and homeware brand. It was also a chain of British department stores that operated from 1856 to 2010. The owners of Lewis's went into administration several times, including in 1991. The first store, which ope ...
. They were most thorough in their planning and Craigie and Marquis toured the country inspecting all department stores with the object of ensuring that the new store would embrace everything that was good in its construction. They visited London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham and incorporated all the knowledge acquired into the plans for the Glasgow Store. Craigie's biggest difficulty was to find a sure method of keeping the River Clyde out of the basement.
Military service
Craigie served as a
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
in the
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...
during the First World War, holding a commission in the 7th Battalion of the
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881. It took part in the First World War, First and World War II, Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 t ...
from 1908, and was awarded the
Territorial Decoration
__NOTOC__
The Territorial Decoration (TD) was a military medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Territorial Army.
This award superseded the Volunteer O ...
Parish Council from 1913 and was its chairman in 1922–23. He was married three times, and had four children with his second wife. He died of
liver cancer
Liver cancer, also known as hepatic cancer, primary hepatic cancer, or primary hepatic malignancy, is cancer that starts in the liver. Liver cancer can be primary in which the cancer starts in the liver, or it can be liver metastasis, or secondar ...