Thomas Marriott James (May 18, 1875 – July 8, 1942) was an American architect, active in the Boston area, best known for his bank buildings in styles ranging from Neoclassical to Spanish Renaissance to Art Deco.
Life and career Thomas Marriott James was born May 18, 1875, in Cambridge to Joseph K. James, a soap manufacturer, and Elizabeth Troy James. He was not formally educated past grammar school, finishing at the Morse School in Somerville in 1890. He was trained in architecture in the office of Samuel J. Brown before joining that of Eugene L. Clark as a drafter. Both Brown and Clark had low-profile practices specializing in the design of single family homes. Brown's contemporary work includes the Adams Claflin House (1890)."Thomas Marriott James," Back Bay Houses, no date. Accessed November 23, 2024.Roger G. Reed, "Hill & James - Beaux Arts Splendor in a Suburban Setting" As a teenager employed by Clark, James was responsible for homes in Somerville for Mina J. Wendell (1893), principal of the Morse School,"Somerville," Boston Post, January 23, 1893. and for his parents (1894).
In 1897 he and his employer formed the partnership of Clark & James. In 1898 he opened his own office. In 1905 he formed a new partnership, Hill & James, with Clinton M. Hill. Circa 1908 they were joined by a third partner and the firm was briefly known as Hill, James & Whitaker. In 1909 Hill moved to New York City to join the firm of John Jardine, and James continued alone. For the first fifteen-odd years of his professional career, James had a general practice focusing on the design of homes and schools. After performing alterations for several banks, his first entirely new bank building was for the East Boston Savings Bank (1914), and by the time of World War I his practice was almost entirely focused on bank projects.Engineering News (April 24, 1913): 48.
In 1920 he incorporated the Thomas M. James Company with offices in Boston, Springfield and Cleveland."Business" in American Contractor 41, no. 33 (August 14, 1920): 32. Within a year a fourth office was opened in New York City. The Springfield and Cleveland offices soon closed but the New York City office was maintained until the start of the Great Depression. James retired from practice about the beginning of World War II,"Thomas M. James, architect, of Cohasset, dies," Boston Globe, July 8, 1942. and the firm was continued by partners William H. Jones and Frank H. Colony Jr. until the latter's death in 1973."Frank Colony, architect, 88," Boston Globe, December 6, 1973.
Personal life James was married in 1897 in Everett to Ruth Lyra Dodge. They lived in Boston and Sherborn before settling in Cohasset. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Boston Society of Architects, the Algonquin Club and the Boston Athletic Association and was a parishioner of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Cohasset. He died July 8, 1942, in Cohasset at the age of 67.
Architectural works 1894 – Joseph K. James House, 83 Belmont St, Somerville, Massachusetts NRHP-listed 1907 – Oren C. Sanborn house, Aigremont, 15 High St, Winchester, Massachusetts NRHP-listed 1909 – Joseph Remick House, 4 Swan Rd, Winchester, Massachusetts NRHP-listed 1910 – Shubert Theatre, 263-265 Tremont St, Boston NRHP-listed 1910 – United Electric Co. Building, 73 State St, Springfield, Massachusetts NRHP-listed, but substantially demolished to build MGM Springfield 1911 – Guy P. Gannett House, 184 State St, Augusta, Maine"Augusta's 1911 building record totals $357,500," Kennebec Journal, January 3, 1912. NRHP-listed 1914 – East Boston Savings Bank building, 10 Meridian St, East Boston, Boston 1915 - West Newton Savings Bank, 1314 Washington Street. Included in West Newton Village Center NR Historic District. 1916 – Eliot Savings Bank Building, 165 Dudley St, Roxbury, Boston 1917 – Rockland Trust Company building, 288 Union St, Rockland, Massachusetts NRHP-listed 1920 – Warren Institution for Savings Building, 3 Park St, Boston 1922 – National Bank of Commerce building, 250 State St, New London, ConnecticutAmerican Contractor (January 22, 1921): 43. A contributing resource to the NRHP-listed Downtown New London Historic District 1922 – Seymour Trust Company building, 115 Main St, Seymour, ConnecticutAmerican Architect (August 6, 1924)https://www.stcroixarchitecture.com/products/seymour-trust-company-seymour-ct-1924-lithograph-thomas-m-james-co A contributing resource to the NRHP-listed Downtown Seymour Historic District 1923 – Deering High School, 370 Stevens Ave, Portland, MaineAmerican Contractor (April 29, 1922): 55 Designed by Poor & Thomas, architects, with the Thomas M. James Company, consulting architects. 1924 – Atlantic National Bank Building, 10 Post Office Sq, Boston 1926 – Woonsocket Institution for Savings building, 144 Main St, Woonsocket, Rhode IslandMain Street Historic District NRHP Registration Form (1991) A contributing resource to the NRHP-listed Main Street Historic District 1927 – Old Colony Cooperative Bank building, 58 Weybosset St, Providence, Rhode IslandWilliam McKenzie Woodward and Edward F. Sanderson, Providence: A Citywide Survey of Historic Resources, ed. David Chase (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1986): 243. A contributing resource to the NRHP-listed Downtown Providence Historic District 1927 – Stafford Savings Bank building, 2 Furnace Ave, Stafford Springs, Connecticut"New building is begun for Stafford bank," Hartford Courant, August 29, 1927. 1929 – Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company building, 162 Main St, Woonsocket, Rhode Island A contributing resource to the NRHP-listed Main Street Historic District 1929 – Second National Bank Building, 75 Federal Street, Boston 1930 – Savings Bank of Newport building, 10 Washington Sq, Newport, Rhode Island"Work progressing fast," Newport Mercury, October 11, 1929. 1931 – East Cambridge Savings Bank building, 292 Cambridge St, Cambridge, Massachusetts NRHP-listed 1931 – Lynn Bank Block addition, 21–29 Exchange St, Lynn, Massachusetts NRHP-listed 1933 – Springfield Safe Deposit and Trust Company building, 127-131 State St, Springfield, Massachusetts 1934 – Safety Fund National Bank building alterations, 470 Main St, Fitchburg, Massachusetts NRHP-listed. 1935 – Arlington Cooperative Bank Building, 699 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, Massachusetts 1935 – United States Post Office, 650 Dwight St, Holyoke, Massachusetts Designed by the Thomas M. James Company and George P. B. Alderman, associated architects. NRHP-listed
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