William Stewart Cruikshank came to Edinburgh and founded the building firm of W. S. Cruikshank & Son, which was responsible for the building of Lemington Terrace, Viewforth Gardens and Terrace, Montpelier, Montpelier Park Road, Lauderdale Street, the Commercial Bank at the West End, the United Services Club, James Gillespie’s School (then Boroughmuir School), and the Cavalry Barracks at Dunbar. For fifteen years the firm was engaged in building contracts in different parts of Scotland.

One of the biggest contracts obtained by the firm was the building of the Edinburgh King’s Theatre – begun in 1905.

His son, Alexander Stewart Cruikshank became chairman and managing director of Howard & Wyndham Ltd until his tragic death when he was knocked down by a motorcycle in 1949. By this time, he was in control of a large chain of theatres across Scotland and England through the Howard & Wyndham Group, which he administered through headquarters at the King’s Theatre.

John Daniel Swanston was a project architect for the King’s Theatre. Like many other architects, Swanston was an enthusiastic volunteer and was commissioned in the 1st Forth Royal Garrison Artillery. After the First World War broke out, he was commissioned as a captain in the Black Watch and was for a time commandant of Lewes prisoner-of-war camp in Sussex. Swanston was admitted FRIBA in February 1925. 

James Davidson was born in Airdrie in 1848, the son of a weaver. He was educated at Airdrie Academy and initially trained as a joiner. In his teens he moved to Glasgow to attend the classes in the Athenaeum in Ingram Street, and while acting as foreman joiner on Flowerhill Parish Church in 1875 he impressed sufficiently to be made master or works for other Baird Trust church building projects.

Davidson was elected FRIBA on 3 December 1906, his proposers being James Milne Monro, Alexander Cullen and David Barclay. He was a very competent free Renaissance designer and a specialist in the design and construction of theatres. 

John Tulloch was born in January 1847 to Agnes and Robert Tulloch in Haddingtonshire.  His father was a successful Master Mason, and at the age of 14, Tulloch had already trained as a mason. By 1871, Robert Tulloch has expanded his business to employ 20 men and 4 apprentices, and his 3 eldest sons (including John) have followed him into the masonry trade.

By 1901, John Cameron worked as an architect’s apprentice living with his parents at 105 Henderson Row in Edinburgh. In 1905-1906, Cameron served as draughtsman for the King’s construction.

George King was born in Edinburgh in 1873, the eldest of 7 children of plasterer George King and his wife Phillis. In 1891, at 18, he had become a plasterer’s apprentice, likely to his father, along with his younger brother James. The family were living at 117 Morrison’s Close in Canongate at this point. His 12-year-old sister was also working as a messenger girl at this point, showing that they were not financially well off – likely due to the size of the family – so the children were sent to earn their share for the family at a young age.

Wiliam Oag Begg was born in 1860 the son of John and Elizabeth Begg in Wick. He married Sidney Isabella McKay in 1883 and together they had four children. He died in 1948 in Haymarket. 

Born in 1876 in Leith, John Hutchinson was a plasterer by trade. In 1901, he was living with his wife Margaret at 12 Jane Street in Edinburgh.

George was born the son of John and Sarah King in June 1844 in Inveresk and Musselburgh. He worked as a plasterer before passing down his job to his son, George King Junior. He died in 1924 in Colinton at the age of 80.

Andrew S. Law was born in Edinburgh in 1852. He married by 1881 and had six children. He passed suddenly in 1933.

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William was born in 1880 in Innerleithen to Agnes and William Hunter – a plasterer. In 1914, his brother James joined up as a Private in the Kings Own Scots Borderers. He survived the war due to being discharged unfit for active service in May 1916.

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