Key Information
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Garrow, James Ranken
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- Garrow, James Rankeen
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Dates of existence
1870-1937
History
James Ranken Garrow attended Glasgow High School where he gained a scholarship to study at GSA, but his father Robert, (partner and successor to Sir James Lumsden, founder of James Lumsden & Sons, book publishers in Glasgow) advised him to study science, which he felt offered better prospects.
James continued his interest in art as an evening class student at GSA and in 1892 he opened ‘The Laboratory Stores’, 175A West George St, Glasgow, where he designed and supplied glass apparatus for research chemists. The premises also served as a showroom for his artistic, lamp blown glass, which was much admired. Some pieces were supplied on request for display at the Art Gallery on Glasgow Green, (now known as Peoples Palace) and Fra Newbery ordered some for the GSA Arts & Crafts room. The wife of the artist G F Watts and the artist Catherine Kerr-Lawson also collected his work.
Garrow later moved to Leeds, then London, and enjoyed a very successful scientific career, latterly focussing on composition building materials, with several patents for ‘Novocrete,’ ‘Garrocrete’ and others, which were used in the manufacture of pre-fabricated homes.
He also maintained an active interest in artistic work, including painting and repousse work , and was in contact with Charles Sargeant Jagger and other sculptors who were interested in his composition stone.
James Garrow’s niece, Jessie Garrow, also attended GSA.
Examples of his artistic glass are held by the V&A.
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Sources
Information supplied by his son, Robert J S Garrow