Inverness 'true gent' will live on in prominent city buildings
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An Inverness designer who was involved in a number of prominent city buildings and others around the world has died.
Former Inverness Royal Academy pupil William John ‘Jack’ Bosworth died on October 22, aged 81.
Described by those who knew him as a “true gentleman,” Mr Bosworth most recently worked with GH Johnston architects in Inverness, but also spent much of his working life in the Middle and Far East.
His daughter, Emma, said: “Dad was born on March 3, 1939, at Rosedene Nursing Home on the corner of Island Bank Road and Stratherrick Road, to Daisy and John William Bosworth.
“He attended Central School then went on to the Inverness Royal Academy.
“After leaving school he worked at Soutar and Jaffrey, a quantity surveyors in Queensgate.
“At the same time, he started a correspondence course in surveying, for which he was given a day off work a week to study.
“He finished the last few years of his degree at Edinburgh University.”
During the 1960s he worked in London before the firm he was with obtained a contract in Kuwait.
“It was from there that he pursued his work in Dubai, Qatar and all over the Middle East until ending up in Beirut, where he was based for three years,” Emma said.
In 1980 Mr Bosworth’s work took him to Hong Kong, where he worked in architectural maintenance for the government.
Among numerous projects, he designed a gazebo for the then UK colony’s governor, which can still be seen at Government House today.
Emma continued: “Although he was a qualified chartered surveyor, his love of architecture led him to work at Hector Macdonald Associates Architects.
“This was where he met Gary Johnston, whom he would work with later in his life.
“He collaborated with an actor, the late Robert Urquhart, on the Ceilidh Place in Ullapool, among many other properties.
“He returned to Inverness in 1996 where he joined GH Johnston, working as a designer until 2011, designing and building Islands House, Ness Castle fishing lodges, offices at the Stoneyfield development and the design of the housing development on Strothers Lane, including the walkway through to Farraline Park, as well as his own family home at 80 Haugh Road.”
Outside of work, Mr Bosworth was an avid photographer who also liked to draw and paint.
“Dad always had a Nikon camera around his neck,” Emma said.
“He was an excellent artist and we have some lovely drawings of Inverness from 1958 to 1970, and some canvas paintings of parts of the Highlands which he did.”
A dapper gent, she added: “He was always impeccably dressed, usually sporting a silk handkerchief in his jacket pocket.”
Gary Johnston of GH Johnston, also had fond memories of the man he worked closely with.
Paying tribute, he said: “He was a true gentleman who lived life well.
“Everything he worked on was done well.
“He was old school and nothing would leave his desk until it was perfect.
“He was a wonderful colleague and friend to many.
“He will be greatly missed.”
Mr Bosworth had been living with dementia.
He is survived by his wife, Chrysanne, and Emma, who lives in Australia.
