Basic Biographical Details Name: | (Sir) Thomas Duncan Rhind | Designation: | | Born: | 14 July 1871 | Died: | 24 April 1927 | Bio Notes: | Thomas Duncan Rhind was born in Edinburgh on 14 July 1871, the son of sculptor John Rhind and younger brother of William Birnie Rhind. He was educated at George Watson's and studied sculpture with his father and brother. He was articled to Hippolyte Jean Blanc in Edinburgh from 1887 to 1892, spending his holidays sketching around Scotland, in particular visiting the abbeys and cathedrals. On completing his apprenticeship he moved to London and spent six months in the offices of London County Council Architectural Department before moving to the firm of Gibson & Russell. He passed the qualifying exam in November 1894, and was elected ARIBA at the early age of 24 on 11 March 1895, his proposers being John Macvicar Anderson, Thomas Edward Collcutt and William Leiper. In 1898, Rhind formed a partnership with Robert Hamilton Paterson (born 1843), with whom he is said to have studied. In 1902 he married Mary Elizabeth Gilbert, the elder daughter of W Matthews Gilbert, chief reporter of 'The Scotsman'. The partnership with Hamilton Paterson was short-lived, being dissolved by 1906 when Paterson decided to take his nephew Thomas Tolmie Paterson into partnership. Thereafter Rhind practised alone in close association with his sculptor brother.
Rhind's work was either Arts and Crafts or a sculptural London neo-baroque, his views on the role of sculpture in architecture being set out in a paper entitled 'Sculpture as applied to Architecture', published in the EAA Transactions, Vol 6 (1910), pp54-64. He was also a skilful etcher.
Rhind was an enthusiastic volunteer and territorial, becoming a major in The Royal Scots and receiving the TD. On the outbreak of the First World War he was appointed Commandant of Redford Barracks while German prisoners of war were held there and was for a time provost marshal. Thereafter he became Brigade Major in the Lothian Brigade and was appointed CBE in January 1916. Shortly thereafter he was called to the War Office to join the staff of Sir Andrew Geddes, Director of Recruiting, and appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, War Office, undertaking the organisation of the statistical branch of the Recruiting Department. He was promoted Brevet Lieutenant Colonel in 1917 and appointed Assistant Adjutant General. During that time he was attached to the London Scottish.
On the transfer of recruiting to the civil administration he was appointed Controller of Statistics to the Minister for National Service. Latterly he was Chief Recorder at the Ministry and as such was responsible for estimates of civil manpower as well as the progress of recruiting. He was created KBE in 1919.
After the war Rhind resumed practice at a very low level at 8 Hope Street in Edinburgh, but retained his London base at 8 Gunterstone Road, W14. He died in a nursing home at Hove, Sussex on 24 April 1927. He was survived by his wife. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 8, Gunterstone Road, London, W14, England | Private | | | | | 97-99, Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh?, Scotland | Private | 1889 * | | | | 11, Gray's Inn Square, London, England | Business | 1895 * | | With Gibson & Russell | | 9, Manor Terrace, Highbury, London, England | Private | 1895 * | | | | 44, Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1897 | 1898 | Practising separately from R Hamilton Paterson | | 10A, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1899 | c. 1902 | Hamilton Paterson & Rhind | | 4, Duke Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1903 | c. 1907 | | | 28, Rutland Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1905 | c. 1911 | | | 1, Wester Coates Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1909 | | | | 8, Hope Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1911 or c. 1912 | c. 1922 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A | 1996 | A History of Scottish Architecture | | | | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | Who Was Who | | Who was Who | | | | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1914 | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 6 May 1927 | | | p716 Obituary | | Scotsman | 25 April 1927 | | | Obituary | | The Times | 26 April 1927 | | | Obituary | | The Watsonian | 3 July 1927 | XXIII | | p137 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A v13 p37 (microfiche 59/F7) |
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