John Gray was born in Carluke, Scotland, July 4, 1889, the son of Rev. John Gray, a minister of the United Presbyterian Church in Rothesay, Scotland. Young Gray attended high school in Stirling, Scotland. His earliest office training was with James Kerr, an architect in Lanark, and Sir John J. Burnet, an architect in Glasgow and London. Gray was associated with these two firms from 1904-1912. During the years 1909-1910, he studied architecture at the Glasgow School of Art.
In 1912 he came to Chicago where he worked for Holabird and Roche, Architects (1913), and Shipley, Rutan, and Coolidge, Architects (1914-1915). During this period he also attended night classes at the Art Institute of Chicago (1912-1913). While in Chicago he worked on new buildings for the University of Chicago, notably the Ida Noyes Hall for Women.
During World War I, Gray served as a warrant officer in the Canadian 5th Battalion Engineers, 2nd Division, and was awarded a meritorious service medal in France in 1918.
He returned to Chicago in 1919 where he was associated with Schmidt, Garden and Martin. From 1920-1922 Gray was employed by Coolidge and Hodgdon. With this firm her again worked on buildings of the University of Chicago, especially the Bond Memorial Chapel.
In 1922 Gray moved to Colorado for health reasons, and became associated with William White Stickney of Pueblo. During his three years with the Pueblo firm he designed the Colorado Springs Day Nursery, a gift of Alice Bemis Taylor in 1923. Later he was employed by the Allied Architects of Denver and M. H. and B. Hoyt of Denver. Gray designed many schools in southern Colorado including the oldest building on the University of Southern Colorado campus. He also worked on St. Martin's Chapel in Denver and the Denver Civic Center.
In 1929 Gray established a private practice in Pueblo. Shortly afterwards he submitted his designs for a chapel at Colorado College, and was selected from a group of nine architects in a national competition. Apart from small residences, Shove Memorial Chapel was Gray's first commission completed in his own name.
During World War II, he was commissioned as Flying Officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force. After the war, Gray moved to New England where he designed a number of public buildings.
Upon his retirement, Gray and his wife returned to Pueblo. They moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico shortly before his death in 1975.
1889 Born July 4, Carluke Scotland
1889-1904 Attended high school of Stirling, Scotland
1909-1910 Attended Glasgow School of Art, Scotland
1913 Employee of Holabird and Roche, Chicago
1914-1915 Employee of Shipley, Rutan and Coolidge, Chicago
1915-1919 Served with Royal Canadian Engineers during WWI
1919-1920 Employed Schmidt, Garden and Martin, Chicago
1920-1922 Employed Coolidge, and Hodgdon, Chicago
1922-1925 Associated with W.W. Stickney, Pueblo, Colorado
1925-1926 Associated with Allied Architects of Denver
1926-1927 Associated with M.H. and B. Hoyt of Denver
1927-1929 Associated with Allied Architects of Denver
1929 Selected in a national competition to design Shove
Memorial Chapel at Colorado College
1931 Received Honorary Master of Fine Arts Degree, Colorado College
ca 1941 Commissioned as Flying Officer in Royal Canadian Air Force during WWII
Retired to Pueblo
1975 Died October 26, at Los Alamos, New Mexico
The collection consists primarily of John Gray's correspondence and related items pertaining to the design and construction of Shove Memorial Chapel. Correspondence with college officials, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and artists comprise the bulk of the collection. Architectural drawings and photographs are also included.
An unpublished manuscript for a guidebook to Shove Memorial Chapel written by John Gray in 1975 is one of the most significant items in the collection since it represents the architect's own concepts for the chapel. The guidebook describes in detail the development of each of the stained glass windows, the memorial tablets, the bells and clock, the lighting, acoustics and public address system, heating and ventilation system, and the electrical system.
As much as possible John Gray's own arrangement has been maintained in the collection. Most of the file titles are taken directly from the original folders. However, during the course of the processing it was noted that in some cases the folders also included material about subjects not indicated by the title. For example, a folder titled "Colorado College Officials" contains correspondence on a variety of topics. This file was used apparently by the architect for letters which dealt with more than one subject, such as the organ and a particular window. Several other folders have this "catch-all" character and should be consulted by the researchers desiring complete coverage of particular topics.
Box 1
I COMPETITION DATA
Fd. 1 Preliminary sketches of Colorado College 61 items
Fd. 2 Competition materials 12 items
Fd. 3 Early correspondence with college officials and others 21 items
II SPECIFICATIONS
Fd. 4 "Outline specifications for Colorado College Chapel" 1 item
Fd. 5 "Specifications for the General Contract" 1930 (3 copies) 3 items
Fd. 6 "General Contract Specifications," 1930 with Addenda No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3. 1 item
Fd. 7 "Electrical Contract Specifications" (2 copies); “Heating and Ventilating Specifications"; "Specifications for Pews and Interior Furnishings", 1931 (2 copies); "Proposal form" 6 items
Fd. 8 Cost estimates; Notes, correspondence, and final version 37 items
Fd. 9 Architect's agreement and bills 67 items
Fd. 10 Finances 23 items
III CONTRACTS
Fd. 11 Contractors before bids 24 items
Fd. 12 General contract bids 12 items
Fd. 13 Platt Rogers Monthly estimates 82 items
Fd. 14 Platt Rogers correspondence, invoices, additions, and deductions to original contract 72 items
Fd. 15 J. W. McCullough, civil engineer 35 items
Fd. 16 Sub‑bidders 46 items
Fd. 17 Concrete tests 14 items
Box 2
IV ELECTRICAL LIGHTING
Fd. 18 Electrical bids 9 items
Fd. 19 Sturgeon Electric Co. 72 items
Fd. 20 George Mills and Curtis Lighting Co. 84 items
Fd. 21 Lighting fixtures 48 items
Fd. 22 Lighting 68 items
V HEATING, VENTILATION, AND PLUMBING
Fd. 23 Bids 38 items
Fd. 24 Heating and Ventilation contract, McCarthy & Co. 34 items
Fd. 25 Heating and Ventilation, Sept. 1929‑ Feb 1930 57 items
Fd. 26 Heating and Ventilation, Mar. 1930‑ Dec. 1931 58 items
VI ROOF, HARDWARE, FLOORS, ETC.
Fd. 27 Roof 29 items
Fd. 28 Hardware 6 items
Fd. 29 Floors, tiles, etc. 9 items
Box 3
VII INTERIOR
Fd. 30 Interior decoration 77 items
Fd. 31 Wood carving, balcony fronts 28 items
VIII TABLETS AND INSCRIPTIONS
Fd. 32 Bronze tablet, etc. 100 items
Fd. 33 Inscriptions 20 items
IX FURNISHINGS
Fd. 34 Pews 76 items
Fd. 35 Pews 68 items
Fd. 36 Lecture room furnishings 50 items
Fd. 37 Cushions, choir rail, pulpit, etc 63 items
Fd. 38 Visitors' desk 40 items
Fd. 39 Sign board, document frames 55 items
Fd. 40 Choir robes 5 items
Fd. 41 Communion set 22 items
Fd. 42 Radio, public address system 73 items
Fd. 43 Acoustics 27 items
Box 4
X ORGAN
Fd. 44 Frederick Boothroyd 38 items
Fd. 45 Organ companies 76 items
Fd. 46 Bid file 15 items
Fd. 47 Bids and Correspondence 39 items
Fd. 48 Reuter organ 29 items
Fd. 49 Welte‑Tripp Organ Co., 1930 66 items
Fd. 50 Welte‑Tripp Organ Co., 1931 83 items
Fd. 51 Welte‑Tripp Organ Co., 1932 32 items
XI BELLS
Fd. 52 Bells, chimes 66 items
Fd. 53 Gillette and Johnson 90 items
Fd. 54 Gillette and Johnson 45 items
Fd. 55 Bells and Organ (heating) 28 items
Fd. 56 Extras in the general contract, hoisting bells, organ installation 27 items
Box 5
XII WINDOWS
Fd. 57 General Correspondence 85 items
Fd. 58 Carlton window 26 items
Fd. 59 Jackson window 32 items
Fd. 60 Shove Memorial Window 76 items
Fd. 61 Nave windows 42 items
Fd. 62 Nave windows, stained glass 77 items
Fd. 63 Aisle windows 24 items
Fd. 64 Other windows 41 items
XIII STAINED GLASS
Fd. 65 Drafts 9 items
Fd. 66 Contracts and payments 48 items
Fd. 67 Correspondence 72 items
Fd. 68 Clippings 4 items
Fd. 69 Leaded glass 49 items
Box 6
XIV ANCIENT STONES
Fd. 70 Requests for stone, Nov. 1929‑Feb. 1930 49 items
Fd. 71 Requests for stone, Mar.‑May 1930 46 items
Fd. 72 Requests for stone, Jun. 1930‑Feb. 1931 70 items
Fd. 73 Stone, authenticity documents 16 items
Fd. 74 Stone 22 items
Fd. 75 Cornerstone laying 31 items
Fd. 76 Models for stone carving 71 items
XV PUBLICITY
Fd. 77 News releases 11 items
Fd. 78 Clippings 24 items
Fd. 79 Correspondence 63 items
Fd. 80 Clippings, calendar, booklet 6 items
XVI MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE
Fd. 81 Shove family 32 items
Fd. 82 Site preparation and landscaping 17 items
Fd. 83 Dedication of Shove Chapel 13 items
Fd. 84 Description, 1940 2 items
Fd. 85 Description of Architecture and Color Decoration 22 items
Fd. 86 Colorado License 5 items
Fd. 87 Publishers 25 items
Fd. 88 Honorary degree 5 items
Fd. 89 Laura Gilpin 4 items
Fd. 90 Colorado College officials 81 items
Fd. 91 Shove Chapel misc. including windows and weather vane, 1933‑41 58 items
Box 7
XVII PROPOSED GUIDEBOOK
Fd. 92 "The Shove Memorial Chapel of Colorado College: The Iconography of the
Stained Glass Windows," 1975 (original typescript) 1 item
Fd. 93 Shove Guidebook (unnumbered chapters of original typescript) 1 item
Fd. 94 Data for guidebook "Painted ceilings" by Robert Wade, "Description of building" 2 items
Fd. 95 Data for guidebook 10 items
Fd. 96 Clippings 10 items
Fd. 97 Manuscript draft 1 item
Fd. 98 Manuscript draft 1 items
Fd. 99 Correspondence with Lloyd Worner concerning proposed guidebook, 1975 23 items
XVIII DRAWINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
Mounted drawings and photographs of window designs. (Three oversize photographs of rose
windows placed with architectural drawings) 22 items
Fd. 100 Photographs 62 items
Shove Chapel under construction (interior and exterior details)
2 3/4" x 4 1/2" b. & w. (25 items)
Shove Chapel cornerstone ceremony
5" x 7" b. & w. (11 items)
Colorado College buildings
postcard views, col. (9 items)
Campus buildings and views by H. L. Standley
8" x 10" b. & w. (3 items)
5" x 7" b. & w. (3 items
6 1/2" x 14 1/2" b. & w. (1 item)
The Ealde Chirche
5" x 7" b. & w. (5 items)
Fd. 101 Negatives 49 items
Shove Chapel under construction
2 5/8" x 4 1/4" b. & w. (40 items)
Shove Chapel, exterior views
2 5/7" x 4 1/4" b. & w. (9 items)
XIX ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS 153 items
FULL SIZE DRAWINGS
Box 8
Fd. 1
500 Section thru exterior base courses, Plan at Entrance portico, West elevation, Window W2, Basement floor
501 Full size detail of door to lecture room (ED 5)
502 Section through arch entrance portico window, W136 Men's Toilet, Inscription panel recesses at Entrance portico west elevation
503 Full size sill, Louvre openings 01,02,03, Full size windows W8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15, Fresh air intake universal heater lecture room
504 Section coping on tower, Profiles of cap course, sill and buttresses, Morning chapel and tower
505 Details of upper and lower recesses, string courses of pinnacles on west elevation
506 Side elevation of Col. Capitals, entrance portical, west elevation
507 Front elevation of Col. Capitals, entrance portical, west elevation
508 Full size detail of windows 135 in north vestibule
509 Full size detail of windows 135 in north vestibule
Fd 2
510 Detail of entrance doorway ED 7 North Vestibule
511 Section thru Arch doorway ED7 North Vestibule, Plan at jamb, Exterior elevation
512 Plan and section at jamb, entrance doorway, ED 4 south hall, Section thru sill, entrance doorway ED 6, north hall, Interior Elevation of door ED 6
513 Detail of coping & buttress offsets, N & S vest. & south hall, Section Gable coping
514 Stone corbel under wood bracket entrance to north hall, Side elevation, End elevation
515 1/2 elevation of arch windows W115, 116, 117 Morning Chapel
516 Full size section thru windows W115, 116, 117 Morning Chapel
517 Full size section thru windows in North & South Aisles
518 Plan arched opening Narthex & North Vestibule, Section thru cap course NJ & S walls of entry section thru cap course Nave Piers, Elevation of camfer stop, base or arch opening, Plan of stone jamb, door D 106, Plan of jamb of openings between narthex & entry
519 Details of window W114 South Hall, Details of window 218 & 219 upper part of South Hall
Fd 3
520 Details of window W112 & 113 South Hall
521 Full size detail of corner stone
522 Full size detail of clerestory windows
523 Elevation base of Col. Ent. door ED7 to North Vestibule
524a Full size detail east windows morning chapel W118
524b Full size detail east windows morning chapel W118
524c Full size detail east windows morning chapel W118
524d Full size detail east windows interior elevation of head
Fd 4
526a Full size detail west entrance ED 1 & ED 2
526b Full size detail west entrance ED 1 & ED 2
526c Full size detail stone inscription
527 Full size detail radiator grilles in entry west end
528a,b,c West Window
529 Panels of pinnacles, west elevation
530a,b Inscription east wall exterior morning chapel
Fd 5
531 Full size detail of stone finial on coping of west gable
532a,b Full size detail of recess for bronze tablet in north hall of morning chapel
533 Full size detail of stone recess sill east, elevation of pinnacles
534 Full size detail of offset in corner of pinnacles at elevation window sill on west elevation
535 Full size detail of stone coping on west gable
536 Full size detail of light recess in north wall of morning chapel
537 Full size detail of stone scupper south wall of morning chapel
538 Full size detail of stone opening between radio operators room and chancel
539 Full size detail of opening morning chapel & radio operators room
Fd. 6
540 Full size detail of kick plates ED 1,2,3,4,7 D 111-117
541a,b,c Full size detail of arched opening morning chapel to chancel
542a,b Arch entry to South Transept
543a,b Arch entry to Morning Chapel
544a,b,c Full size detail of column of crossing arch to chancel
Fd. 7
545 Full size detail of stone arch at D117 from north transept to north hall
546a,b,c Full size detail of stone arches at D112 & D113 from chancel
547a,b Full size detail door & frame at D109 -110
548a,b Full size detail door & frame at D111
549 Full size detail door & frame D117
550 Full size detail of Door 201-203
Box 9
Fd.8
551a,b Full size detail of W1 upper ED3,4,7 and lower
552a,b Full size detail of rose windows in north transept W 235
553a,b Full size detail of rose windows in south transept W 217
554a,b Full size detail of rose windows in chancel W226
555 Full size detail of door & frame D112, D113, D114
556 Full size detail W-3-3,403, 501, 502
Sill W 301, 302, 304, 305, 401, 402, 404,405
String course elevation 37'9" in crossing;
String course at elevation 45' 10" in crossing
string course at elevation 57' 10 1/2" tower
Fd. 9
557 Full size detail and 1 1/2" scale details of shed roof at exterior door to north hall
558a,b,c Full size detail of louvered openings in bell chamber
559 Full size detail of engaged column at three corners of tower and tower coping
560 Full size detail of oak louvers in arched openings to bell chamber
561 Full size detail of copper gutters and lead conductor strops
562 Full size detail of inscription on tower (blue print in case)
563a,b,c,d,e,f,g Full size detail of inscription on tower
Fd. 10
564 Full size detail of W1 railing chancel & morning chapel
565 Full size detail of fir beams morning chapel
566a,b Full size detail of turret above tower roof (blue print)
567a,b,c,d Full size detail of narthex screen
567e Detail of center beam of narthex screen
568 Full size detail of conductor head
569 Full size detail of W.1 straps ED5, push bars D 108,109,110 hinge plate D106,107
Fd. 11
570 Full size detail weather vane
571a Full size detail W1 straps ED1, 2 (upper) b Full size detail W1 straps ED1, 2 (lower)
572 Full size detail of Roll molds at crossing of chancel ceilings
573 Full size detail of blackboard and picture mold, west wall of lecture room
574 Full size detail of W1 stair rail at north stairs to west balcony
575 Full size detail of W1 stair rail- south hall & W. rail north & south balcony
576 Full size detail of W1 stair rail north hall a wings at side canopies
577 Full size detail base of organ case
Fd. 12
578 Full size detail choir rail Wing at side canopies of organ case
579 Lower spindrel between canopies
580 Base of center canopy
581 Top of center canopy
582 Carved grilles at side of organ case & cornice over fabric screens
583 Full size plan and elevations of pulpit
584 Full size sections through pulpit
585 Rear end details
586 Part elevation upper L.H. carved oak spandrel between canopies of organ case
Fd. 13
587 Part elevation upper L.H. carved oak spandrel between canopies of organ case
588 Organ screen details (Pinnacle)
589 Organ screen details (Pinnacle)
590 Organ screen details (canopies)
591 Organ screen plan
592 Full size detail W. I ? grille in crossing
593 Full size detail of communion table
594 Full size detail of communion table
595 Full size detail center seat at pulpit & seat at Morning Chapel
596 Full size detail side seats at pulpit
Fd. 14
597 Lectern in Morning Chapel
598 Full size detail of copper enclosures at west balcony
599 Full size detail of upper part of oak memorial tablet in Morning Chapel
600 Full size detail of lower part of oak memorial tablet in Morning Chapel
601 Full size detail W 1 notice board
602 Full size detail Thatcher memorial tablet
603 Full size detail frame for document
604 Full size detail visitor's desk
605a Full size detail sign board east front, ironwork
b Full size detail sign board, upper part
c Full size detail sign board, lower part
d Full size detail signs
ADDITION TO JOHN GRAY PAPERS
Box 10
Fd. 1 Correspondence, 1975
Fd. 2 Correspondence, 1929‑30
24 items photocopied from materials held by Mrs. Gilmore
Fd. 3 Manuscript, 1981
Guidebook prepared by Timothy Fuller
Photographs
See photograph collection guide for additional photographs of Shove Chapel. Copies made, Sept. 1983 from originals held by family members.
Box 11 (oversize)
#314 Welte- Tripp Organ Co.
Console Layout
Cable diagram
Combed ridge detail
Gillette & Johnstone: Proposed arrangement of Ting- Tang clock in tower
#4132.1 Mettowee Stone Roofing Slate Layout
#4064 G & J Proposed Carillon of 23 bells with frame for hour bell
Welte- Tripp Organ Co. - revisions
Plan of Organ screen
Plan of Organ chambers (2)
Colorado Springs Day Nursery
J. Gray's list (Not in this collection)
SCALE DRAWINGS
15 1/8" Detail partial plans and elevations showing increase in length of chancel
16 Plans showing revisions for organ installation
17 1/4" Plans of blower showing duct for organ wires as installed
200 3/8" Details of chancel and Morning Chapel
201 3/8" Section through west gable and balcony
202 3/8" Details of West elevation, nave and north vestibule
203 3/4" Plan of fresh air intake for universal heater in lecture room
Section fresh air intake
Section through east wall and robing room
Elevation at NE corner of study and robing room
Section and elevation through window W10
Elevation of windows W119, W120, W121, W122, W123, W124
Section through windows W13, W14 & W15
Eave section
Details of louvre openings
204 3/4" Detail
Plan and elevation and section, doorway ED 6 to North hall
Section through radiator recess on line W.W North hall
Section through radiator recess on line T.T North
hall
Section on line S-S
Elevation and shed roof, exterior door to North hall
Plan and elevation of window W1 and Area
205 3/4" Details of steps at exterior entrance to south hall
206 3/4" Details of gable coping, buttress offsets and flashing at North and South vestibule
207 3/4" Details of windows W115, W116, and W117 in Morning Chapel
208 1/4" Detail of entry point of steam and water mains
209 3/4" Detail of setting ancient stones
210 3/4" Details of typical clerestory window
211 3/4" Details of east wall of Morning Chapel
212 1/8" and 1/2" Details of Nave piers
213 1/4" plan 3/4" Details transformer room
214 3/4" Details of West entrance doorway
215 1/4" Scale detail of windows 201, 202, 203 & pinnacles west elevation
216 3/4" Detail of recess for bronze tablet in N. hall & Morning Chapel
217 3/4" Detail of D 109 N. vestibule and N. aisle
218 3/4" Detail of junction of Morning Chapel adn S. hall W114, W115 and W219
219 3/4" Detail arches in Morning Chapel
220 3/4" Detail west wall Morning Chapel
221 3/4" Detail entry to Morning Chapel and platform
222 3/4" Detail of south wall of chancel
223 3/4" Section entry to Morning Chapel
224 3/4" Detail stone lintels of arch between crossing and nave
225 3/4" Detail of Morning Chapel, Elevation of south wall
226 3/4" Detail wall of chancel, North elevation
227 3/4" Detail wall of chancel sections
228 3/4" Detail of D117
229a 3/4" Detail of North hall plan at 1st floor
b 3/4" Detail of North hall plan at balcony
c 3/4" Detail of North hall elevations
d,e,f 3/4" Detail of North hall elevations
230 3/4" Detail south hall
231 3/4" Detail north transept rose window
232 1" Detail nave trusses
233 3/4" Detail south transept & chancel rose windows
234 1" wall bolting nave walls
235 1" wall bolting transept walls
236 1" wall bolting transept walls
237 1" transept trusses
238 1" transept trusses hall details
240a *3/4" lower details plan at upper part crossing
b *3/4" lower details plan at motor room
c *3/4" Lower details plan at bell chamber
d *3/4" Lower details north elevation
e *3/4" lower details sections looking east and west
f *3/4" lower details east elevation lower & sect. chancel
g *3/4" lower details 1/2 sectioon lower looking north
241 3/4" detail sketch design of organ screen
242 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" details of reinforcing bell chamber floor
243 3/4" detail of reinforcing bell chamber floor
244 3/4" inscription tower parapet
245 3/4" detail of turret
246a details narthex screen and narthex plan
b details narthex screen and narthex section and elevation of screen
c details narthex screen and narthex elevations narthex & ________-----
247 3/4" and full size detail transept balcony walls
248 1/2" detail slate floors nave crossing
249 1/2" and full size detail slate floors transepts Morning Chapel
250 3/4" detail organ screen
251 3/4" i8nterior furnishings, choir rail pulpit, etc.
252 1/8" seating plan of pews
253 3/4" and 1 1/2" details of first floor pews
254 3/4" and 1 1/2" details of balcony pews
255 1/2" details of cupboards in study
256 3/4" leaded glass
257 1/4 full size nave lighting equipment
258 1/4 full size detail chancel and crossing lighting equipment
259 1/4" full size detail Morning Chapel
260 1/8" full size oak memorial tablet Morning Chapel
261 1 1/2" scale detail sketch of glazing for W115, W130, W131, W132, W133, and W134
262 sign board east front
263 screens for stained glass windows
last updated April 19, 2019, jr
