James Beveridge began serving his articles in the office of Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul in 1946, but moved in the same year to continue his apprenticeship in the office of Basil Spence when Spence set up his own practice. Beveridge was Spence's first pupil. From 1947 to 1950 he studied part-time at Edinburgh College of Art but from 1950 studied full-time. In his final year he won the RIBA Silver Medal. He graduated in 1953, but stayed at the collge for a further year, in the School of Town Planning, before returning to Spence's office in 1954.

In 1963 Beveridge became an associate with the practice, and was taken into partnership in 1968. By that time the practice was known as Sir Basil Spence, Glover & Ferguson, the principle partners alongside Spence being John Hardie Glover and Peter Scott Ferguson. Ferguson became ill in the same year and died in 1969, and Spence retired in 1972, leaving Beveridge as senior partner. A further partner, Andrew Merrylees, was taken on in that year, with John Mamoch Legge being taken into partnership in 1973, but the practice title remained unchanged. Beveridge closed the Spence office in 1992, when he was still senior partner. Merrylees had left the firm in 1985, and Legge went on to practise on his own account.

More information about this architect: Dictionary of Scottish Architects

James Beveridge presented two papers at the Edinburgh symposium. See texts in the Conferences section.