James Lindsay Grant
- Born : 1866 at Edinburgh
- Married : 1894 to Mary Marguerite Leach at Leeds
- Died : 29 March 1938 at Church House Northenden
- Interment : Northenden Parish Church
James Lindsay Grant was born in 1866 the son of Mr J Lindsay Grant of Edinburgh and grandson of Mr Grant of Balmullo, Fife. He was educated in Edinburgh and articled to George Morham, engineer and surveyor in 1881. At the end of his articles he found a place as junior assistant in Hippolyte Blanc's office, remaining there for eighteen months before transferring to the office of Rowand Anderson. During this period, he attended classes at the Edinburgh School of Applied Art. To gain wider experience he moved successively to the office of William Henry Thorp of Leeds and then to Manchester as assistant to Joseph Gibbons Sankey and to Charles Henry Heathcote where he was involved with the commissions for several business and banking premises.
James Lindsay Grant commenced practice on his own account about 1902 and was premiated in various competitions, including Chadderton Carnegie Library where he was awarded first premium; and Oldham Baths, both in collaboration with Arthur Reginald Groome. Following Arthur Reginald Groome’s departure to Hereford James Lindsay Grant entered competitions on his sole name, including the public library at Taunton where he was awarded second prize; for the Congregational Schools at Stalybridge collaboration with Edward Garlick where he was awarded second prize; and Montrose Library, where he was awarded first prize. Subsequently he secured the commissions for designing the transepts at St Luke's, Poulton, and the reconstruction and an extension to North Manchester Grammar School. By 1906 Grant was also a lecturer in architecture at Manchester University. After the First World War he became head of the Municipal School of Art and under his direction the school developed into a full-time school with a five year course. Grant was noted for his fine draughtsmanship and for his scholarly work on the history of architecture. He had a detailed knowledge of Etruscan architecture and decoration, his drawings and associated papers on these subjects being presented to the RIBA in 1937. He retired as head of Manchester Municipal School of Architecture in 1931 having reached the age of 65.
Joseph Lindsay Grant died on 29 March 1938 at Church Hose, Northenden, survived by his widow.