Basic Biographical Details

Name: Allan, Ross & Allan
Designation:  
Born: 1945
Died: c. 1980
Bio Notes: The firm of Allan, Ross & Allan was formed when brothers John Alexander Ogg Allan and Joseph Anderson Allan took their chief assistant David John Alexander Ross into partnership in 1945.

The firm of Allan, Ross & Allan was formed when brothers John Alexander Ogg Allan and Joseph Anderson Allan took their chief assistant David John Alexander Ross into partnership in 1945.

John Alexander Ogg Allan (born 9 May 1870) had served his apprenticeship with D & J R McMillan of Aberdeen from 1885 to 1890, remaining as assistant until 1892. He attended Robert Gordon's College and Gray's School of Art, and acquired in addition to his architectural training an extensive knowledge of landscape gardening and furnishing. He became a designer with Messrs J Garvie and Sons from 1892 to 1895, and was Master of Works to Aberdeen School Board from 1895 to 1897 when he was appointed official Architect to the same board, remaining there until 1905. In this capacity and later in private practice he was responsible for a number of new schools, mainly in Aberdeen, and for Aberdeen Training College. He travelled in Europe (including France, Germany and Belgium) and in 1909 spent two months in the USA as Godwin Bursar. He was admitted LRIBA on 24 June 1912, his proposers being Thomas Harold Hughes, Arthur Clyne and William Milburn Junior, and became FRIBA in 1915, his proposers then being Clyne, Henry Vaughan Lanchester and Thomas Martin Cappon.

Joseph Anderson Allan (born 9 May 1882) had been articled to Arthur Hay Livingstone Mackinnon from 1900 to 1905, studying at the Aberdeen School of Architecture and gaining the first scholarship awarded by the Aberdeen Society of Architects. He spent 1905 and 1906 working for various offices in England and Scotland, including Fryers & Penman of Ayrshire, and in the latter year became chief assistant to Harry Smith Fairhurst of Manchester where he worked on large commercial buildings. He competed for the RIBA Tite Prize in 1908 and although he did not win the award, the assessor, Paul Waterhouse, stated that 'he regarded the design as value for 4th place, in a year of exceptionally keen competition'. In 1912 he left Fairhurst and returned to Aberdeen to join his brother as chief assistant and junior partner, working principally on educational buildings. He served with H M Forces in France and Italy from 1916 to 1918, returning to continue practising with his brother at the end of the war. He remained associated with his brother thereafter, but from 1925 also occasionally practised independently. He was an Associate of the Aberdeen Society of Architects, acting as Associates' representative on the Council of that society, and was admitted LRIBA on 3 December 1934, his proposers being Mackinnon, John Gibb Marr and his brother. During the Second World War he served as senior surveyor to the Air Ministry on aerodromes at Peterhead, Banff and Kinloss. He was elected FRIBA on 16 October 1945, proposed by his brother, Marr and James Brown Nicol.

David John Alexander Ross (born 22 August 1899) had been articled to Thomas J Munro of Inverness in 1915, and studied at Aberdeen School of Architecture, Robert Gordon's Technical College from 1921 to 1923. Whilst there, in 1922, he was admitted ARIBA. He undertook an 18-month postgraduate course at the College under the Archibald Dawnay Scholarship and was able to travel in France with the aid of the RIAS's Rutland Prize. On his return to Aberdeen c.1925 he joined the Allans as chief assistant. He was responsible for a number of modernist schools designed by the firm in the 1930s.

Ross was admitted FRIBA on 1 April 1952. At this time the practice was based at 10 Bon-Accord Square, where Ross also appears to have been living.

John Alexander Ogg Allan died on 24 or 25 May 1955, leaving £730 8s 6d. According to his RIBA Journal obituary, 'Mr Allan held a distinguished place among architects in Scotland and was regarded in the north, throughout the first half of the present century, as the leading authority in the field of educational building and architecture.' Joseph Anderson Allan died less than a year later, on 15 April 1956. Ross died on 25 May 1975.

The three partners listed in the 1975 RIBA directory are Ross, Thomas Gibson and Mrs V I T Ross, though she was not a member of the RIBA. The practice were still architects to the Aberdeen Burgh Education Authority and the NE Fire Area Joint Board.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 210, Bon-Accord Square, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1952After 1964 
Item 2 of 2Ross House/13, Bon Accord Square, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusiness1975 *After 1979 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

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 7John George Davidson Before 1958Assistant 
Item 2 of 7John Alexander Ogg Allan1945Before 1955Partner 
Item 3 of 7Joseph Anderson Allan1945Before 1956Partner 
Item 4 of 7David John Alexander Ross19451975Partner 
Item 5 of 7Neil Ross19481963Partner 
Item 6 of 7Thomas Stephen Davidson Gibson1979 * Partner 
Item 7 of 7Cosimo Pacitti1979 * Partner 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

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 27After 1945(?)High School for Girls  AberdeenScotlandReconstruction - might have been done by Ross and Allan before partnership was formed
Item 2 of 27After 1945(?)Housing for the University of Aberdeen  AberdeenScotlandMight have been done by Ross and Allan before partnership was formed
Item 3 of 27After 1945(?)Kaimhill Junior Secondary School  AberdeenScotlandMight have been done by Ross and Allan before partnership was formed
Item 4 of 27After 1945(?)Smithfield Primary School  AberdeenScotlandMight have been done by Ross and Allan before partnership was formed
Item 5 of 27After 1945(?)St Peter's RC School  AberdeenScotlandMight have been done by Ross and Allan before partnership was formed
Item 6 of 27After 1945(?)Stockethill South Primary School  AberdeenScotlandMight have been done by Ross and Allan before partnership was formed
Item 7 of 27After 1945West LeighPitfodels AberdeenScotlandMight have been done by Ross and Allan before partnership was formed
Item 8 of 271948Higher Grade School Kincorth Kincorth AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 9 of 271950High School for Girls, Laboratory Block  AberdeenScotlandAs J A O Allan, and Ross, and Allan. To prepare plans
Item 10 of 271950High School for Girls, MiddlefieldMiddlefield AberdeenScotland 
Item 11 of 271950Nursery/Infant School, NorthfieldNorthfield AberdeenScotland 
Item 12 of 271950Primary School, KaimhillKaimhill AberdeenScotland 
Item 13 of 271952Aberdeen Town and County Bank Head Office  AberdeenScotlandAlterations
Item 14 of 271952Garthdee Parish ChurchGarthdee AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 15 of 2727 March 1953Cummings Park Primary School, Northfield Housing Site  AberdeenScotlandNew school
Item 16 of 27Before 1954St Thomas's Episcopal ChurchAboyne AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations? Additions? - uncertain if involved
Item 17 of 27Before 1955Hilton Junior Secondary SchoolHilton AberdeenScotland 
Item 18 of 27Before 1955Hospital buildings for North Eastern Hospital Board  AberdeenshireScotlandAdditions?
Item 19 of 2722 November 1957Dingwall new academyDingwall Ross and CromartyScotlandarchitect? CHECK
Item 20 of 271970sFabrication sheds for Vetco Offshore Services  AberdeenScotland 
Item 21 of 271970sOffices and warehouses for BOC Ltd  AberdeenScotland 
Item 22 of 271970sOil services base for Chevron Petroleum UK Ltd  AberdeenScotland 
Item 23 of 271970sRobert Gordon's Institute of Technology, research and further education buildings  AberdeenScotland 
Item 24 of 271970Kingussie High SchoolKingussie Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 25 of 271972Golspie High School, swimming poolGolspie SutherlandScotlandUnclear who was running the practice at this date.
Item 26 of 27Before 1975Aberdeen and Dictrict Milk Marketing Board Creamery  AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 27 of 271979Pallet stores for Aberdeen and District Milk Marketing Board  AberdeenScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Builder15 December 1950  p649
Item 2 of 3Builder25 August 1950  p263
Item 3 of 3Builder27 March 1953  p494-496

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers F no4106 (box 32) (Joseph Anderson Allan's Fellowship Paper)