Thomas Hamilton (architect)

Thomas Hamilton (11 January 1784 – 24 February 1858) was a Scottish architect, based in Edinburgh. Born in Glasgow, his works include: the Dean Orphan Hospital, now the Dean Gallery; the Royal High School on the Calton Hill, long considered as home for the Scottish Parliament; Bedlam Theatre; the George IV Bridge, which spans the Cowgate; the Royal College of Physicians; Cumstoun, a private house in Dumfries and Galloway; and the Scottish Political Martyrs' Monument in Old Calton Cemetery, Edinburgh.

The Scottish Political Martyrs' Monument is a 90-foot (27 m) tall obelisk which is a prominent feature on the Edinburgh sky-line. It was funded by public subscription raised by the radical MP Joseph Hume.

The monument speaks for itself:

To The Memory Of Thomas Muir, Thomas Fyshe Palmer, William Skirving, Maurice Margarot and Joseph Gerrald. Erected by the Friends of Parliamentary Reform in England and Scotland, 1844.

It includes the following quotations:

I have devoted myself to the cause of The People. It is a good cause - it shall ultimately prevail - it shall finally triumph.

(Speech of Thomas Muir in the Court of Judiciary on 30 August 1793.)

He also produced the Doric column for the statue of John Knox (1825) in the Glasgow Necropolis (see Glasgow's public statues).

List of architectural works^[1]

• 1820 Norwich Union Insurance Society, 32 Princes Street, Edinburgh, demolished
• 1820 Burns Monument, Alloway, Ayrshire
• 1822 The Town House, Kinghorn, Fife
• 1824 Hopetoun Rooms, 72 Queen Street, Edinburgh, demolished
• John Knox Monument, Glasgow Necropolis
• 1825-29 Royal High School, Edinburgh
• 1826 1 to 12 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh
• 1827-30 Assembly Rooms, Ayr
• 1828 Cumstoun House, near Kirkcudbright
• 1829-32 George IV Bridge, as part of the improvements to the Lawnmarket, Edinburgh
• 1829 John Knox Church, Edinburgh, not executed
• 1829 Monument to Sir Robert & Lady Liston, Churchyard Gogar
• c.1830 Falcon Hall, Morningside Road, Edinburgh, demolished
• 1830 Monument to French Prisoners, Valleyfield Mills, Penicuik
• 1830 Arthur Lodge (attributed), Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh
• 1830 Blackwood's Shop, 45 George St, Edinburgh
• 1830-32 The Manse, Coldstream
• 1831 Dean Orphanage, Edinburgh
• 1831 The Burns Monument, Edinburgh
• 1831-34 Wallace Tower, Ayr
• 1836 Alyth Parish Church, Perth & Kinross
• 1842 Episcopal Chapel, Bath St, Dunfermline
• 1844 Physicians Hall, 9 Queen St, Edinburgh
• 1843 New North Free Church, Forrest Road, Edinburgh
• 1844 St. John's Free Church, Johnston Terrace, Edinburgh
• 1844 Martyrs' Memorial, Old Calton Cemetery, Edinburgh
• 1848 rebuilding of St. Mary's Church, South Leith
• 1850 Free Church, Dunbar
• 1850 Kennoway Church, Fife
• 1858 additions to Dunbeath Castle, Caithness

Gallery of architectural works

References