James Archibald Morris RSA 1857-1942

James A. Morris, son of Captain A. Morris, was born in Ayr in 1857 and died on 28th November.

After his general education at Ayr Academy he chose Architecture as his profession, and was apprenticed to Mr. Leslie Miller, Glasgow, and while there he worked at the School of Art. In furtherance of his studies he removed to London, where he entered the Slade School, then under Alfonse Legros, and also attended the Royal Academy Architecture School.

He established his business in Ayer, where he remained for the rest of his life, expect for a brief period in London. His professional work was mainly domestic, but included a few churches, St. Ninian's, Troon, being one example. He was also largely engaged on preservative work, as at Crossraguel Abbey.

But the name of Mr. Morris is most widely known by his efforts to save and restore to use the "Auld Brig" of Ayr. This project, in which an intense enthusiasm for Robert Burns was united to civic, archaeological and architectural interests, was completely successful, and the bridge was reopened in 1906. Funds for the restoration came from all parts of the world, and a notable speech by the late Earl of Rosebery marked the reopening ceremony.

Mr. Morris issued a monograph on "The Brig of Ayr" ; other publications were "The Auld Toon o' Ayr" ; "Alloway" ; "Crossraguel Abbey" ; "Ayshire White Needlework" ; "John Callogan, Poet and Tutor" ; and "A Romance of Industrial Engineering." This last is a history of the firm Glenfield and Kennedy, Kilmarnock, of which Mr. Morris was a director for fifty-five years.

The Academy elected him Associate in 1916 and full member in 1931. He was appointed member of the Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments in 1930 and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the Society of Antiquaries in Scotland. As an officer of the Ayr company of Volunteers he attended the "Wet Review" in Edinburgh in 1881.

Mr. and Mrs. Morris celebrated their golden wedding in 1933. Several years ago Mrs. Morris was killed in a road accident; two sons and a daughter survive. The Academy will miss the obvious kindliness of Mr. Morris, and his courtesy.

RSA Obituary, Transcribed from the 1942 RSA Annual Report