Thomas Turnbull (1824–1907) was a New Zealand architect. Turnbull was born in Scotland and articled to various practices in Britain before establishing his own practice in Melbourne. Turnbull later moved to San Francisco until discontent with the profession in America lead him to move and work in New Zealand. In New Zealand Turnbull designed over 300 buildings, primarily around Wellington but also in the Wairarapa, New Plymouth, Nelson, and Blenheim. Many of his surviving works have heritage registration with his most notable building being the General Assembly Library.
Thomas Turnbull was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland on 23 August 1824.
After finishing school Turnbull was articled to a carpenter, his cousin, to help him learn about construction. The intention was always for Turnbull to get into architecture and not carpentry. Turnbull then worked as a draughtsman in David Bryce's Edinburgh office. Turnbull later worked as clerk of works for F & G Holme in Liverpool.
Turnbull moved to Melbourne in 1851 and worked as an architect in the surrounding Victorian gold mining towns. Then in 1861 he moved to San Francisco, going into partnership with firstly, A H Jordan, and then with Thomas England, taking over the business in 1869 when England died. During his time in San Francisco Turnbull designed several prominent buildings including the first Cliff House (1863), Trinity Church and the Market Street Presbyterian Church. After a large earthquake in 1868, local architects formed the Architectural Association of San Francisco and held a conference to discuss how to build to resist earthquakes. Turnbull became the association's secretary. In 1869 Turnbull designed a large building of four storeys plus a basement and an attic for H H Bancroft & Co, a printing company. The building was brick with an iron front and floors bolted with long iron rods. The San Francisco Chronicle reported:<blockquote>"The style of architecture will be entirely different from any other building in this city.[...] Every precaution has been made to procure the best material and erect the structure in a manner which will render it as thoroughly earthquake-proof as possible."</blockquote> Turnbull moved to New Zealand in 1871 due to the pressure of the American architectural profession and settled in Wellington. He worked for a year for the government's Colonial Architect William Clayton before setting up his own practice. Turnbull's services were in demand due to his history of practice in earthquake-prone California. Turnbull was Wellington Education Board architect and designed several schools in this role.
Turnbull maintained his interest in earthquake-proofing buildings after his arrival in New Zealand. In 1888 he presented a paper at the Philosophical Society in Wellington, asserting that masonry buildings properly constructed with good bricks and mortar, reinforced with iron built into the walls and joists fitted with wrought-iron anchors, would survive a large earthquake.
Turnbull was a member of the Wellington City Council in 1891, became the first president of the Wellington Association of Architects in 1892, and was a member of the Board of Examiners for the Royal Sanitary Institute in January 1907. He designed three of the four buildings which make up the Old Bank Arcade, St John's Church and St Peter's Church in Willis Street, Wesley Methodist Church in Taranaki Street as well as many other commercial premises in Wellington.
Turnbull's son, William Turnbull, joined his practice in 1891 after his father's death in 1907 William took over the practice and operated as Thomas Turnbull & Son.
Turnbull had a substantial library and upon his death his collection primarily went to Alexander Turnbull.
Turnbull died in 1907, survived by his wife and five children.