Basic Biographical Details

Name: Walter Alison
Designation:  
Born: 1887
Died: 16 September 1950
Bio Notes: Walter Alison was born in Kirkcaldy the son of a Dysart master joiner and whose family was well-known in Dysart. He was articled to William Birrell of Kirkcaldy on 10 August 1903, and attended classes in Kirkcaldy. After completing his apprenticeship he worked for two years as a draughtsman with J W & J Laird, Glasgow, spending July and August 1909 travelling in the East Riding of Yorkshire. On leaving the Lairds' firm he joined Charles Jean Menart as draughtsman for another two years. During those years he studied at Glasgow School of Art and the Royal Technical College. He passed the RIBA qualifying exam in June 1912 and in the following month became a draughtsman to the firm of Cullen, Lochhead & Brown in Hamilton. There he worked mainly on hospitals and schools. He remained with them until April 1915, when he was called up for war service joining the Highland Light Infantry. He returned to the practice of Cullen Lochhead & Brown after the war and was belatedly admitted ARIBA on 3 March 1919, his proposers being James Lochhead, John Watson and John Wilson.

He commenced practice on his own account in 1920. His entered the competition for Kirkcaldy Technical School and won both first and second prizes. He was later architect of the Cameron Bridge Maternity Home and as such provided the layout plans for a complete set of new hospital buildings there - the scheme included a nurses' home, recreational accommodation for nurses' and domestic sraff, general hosptial, hospital for chest diseases, hospital for the aged and infirm and for children, X-ray, physiotherapy and occupational departments and administration block - of which the Maternity Hospital and the nurses' home were to be given priority. It is unclear if any of these plans were ever executed.

Alison was a Mason and a Rotarian. He died in a Kirkcaldy nursing home on 16 September 1950.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2The Croft, Dysart, Fife, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1919After 1926 
Item 2 of 227, Kirk Wynd, Kirkcaldy, Fife, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1926After 1950 

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 4William Birrell10 August 19031908Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4J W Laird & J Laird19081910Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 4Charles Jean Menart (or Ménart)19101912Draughtsman 
Item 4 of 4Cullen, Lochhead & BrownJuly 1912April 1915Draughtsman 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1Robert Forbes Hutchison12 January 1925July 1930Apprentice 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3James Lochhead3 March 1919for Associateship
Item 2 of 3John Watson3 March 1919for Associateship
Item 3 of 3John Wilson3 March 1919for Associateship

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 111919Housing Scheme for Town CouncilDysart FifeScotlandAppointment as architect
Item 2 of 111919War MemorialDysart FifeScotlandReport on site made; unclear whether he designed the memorial
Item 3 of 111920Ten houses, Normand Road/Hill Street Site, for Town CouncilDysart FifeScotland 
Item 4 of 11c. 1924Kirkcaldy High School, Technical and Elementary SchoolsKirkcaldy FifeScotlandTechnical School
Item 5 of 111929Reconstruction of two warehouse blocks as housing, for Town CouncilDysart FifeScotland 
Item 6 of 111930Dysart HouseDysart FifeScotlandAlterations
Item 7 of 111935Fife and Kinross District AsylumSpringfield, Cupar FifeScotlandExtension accommodating 100 patients and 16 nurses, plus mortuary: won competition to secure job
Item 8 of 11c. 1936Dysart Gas WorksDysart FifeScotland 
Item 9 of 111937Buildings, Quarryhall Terrace and Taphill RoadHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 10 of 111939'Auld Hoose'   ScotlandRestoration
Item 11 of 111948School - no location  FifeshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 4Kirkcaldy Directory1924The Kirkcaldy Directory 1924-25 Kirkcaldy: The Advertiser Office 
Item 3 of 4RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 4Who's Who in Architecture1926    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA JournalNovember 1950 London: Royal Institute of British ArchitectsObituary - p35
Item 2 of 2Scotsman18 September 1950  p3

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2British Architectural Library, RIBARIBA Biographical Files  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v24 no2709 (microfilm reel 23)