Basic Biographical Details Name: | Carruthers Ballantyne, Cox & Taylor | Designation: | | Born: | c. 1934 | Died: | Before 1936 | Bio Notes: | Robert (Roy) Carruthers Ballantyne was born on 14 September 1891, the son of William Laidlaw Carruthers, assuming the additional surname of Ballantynewhen he inherited the estate of Holylee in Peeblessshire from William Laidlaw Ballantyne (presuambly an uncle), who was factor at Abbotsford. While at school he had to have a foot amputated as a result of osteomyelitis following a kick in a rugby game. He refused to wear an artificial foot and had a peg leg throughout adult life. He trained at the Architectural Association and with Sir Guy Dawber, and spent part of 1914 acting as Clerk of Works for James Ransome. Later the same year, at the early age of 23, he inherited his father's practice in Inverness in partnership with Samuel Grant Alexander.
Ballantyne was on war service from 1916 to 1919, and was employed as a draughtsman by W C Lucas in 1920, resuming independent practice in 1921. He was joined in partnership by his father's former apprentice and assistant William John Taylor in July that year, and in the early 1930s by ____ Cox.
In the 1930s the practice of Carruthers Ballantyne, Cox and Taylor built some of the best early modern houses in Scotland. No information is yet available on Cox and little is available on Taylor, the key figures in the office being Donald Fowler and William Allen. Ballantyne himself is said to have been ill-at-ease building these modern houses, probably for technical as much as aesthetic reasons, although he did design at least one himself.
The partnership had split by 1936, Taylor continuing in the existing offices at 28 Queens Gate as W J Taylor & Co until at least 1940, and Ballantyne & Cox practising separately elsewhere in Inverness. By 1940 Cox had also left Ballantyne, who had apparently changed the order of his original and adopted surnames to become Robert Ballantyne Carruthers and continued to practise from offices in the British Linen Bank Buildings, High Street. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 28, Queen's Gate, Inverness, Inverness-shire, Scotland | Business | Before 1930 * | 1936 | | | 41A, High Street, Inverness, Inverness-shire, Scotland | Business | c. 1940 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1934 | Royal Marine Hotel | Nairn | | Nairnshire | Scotland | Addition | | 1935 | 135 Culduthel Road | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1935 | Balnabruach | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1935 | Lamburn | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1936 | Over and Above | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | c. 1936 | Cluny House | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | |
ReferencesCurrently, there are no references for this . The information has been derived from: the British Architectural Library / RIBA Directory of British Architects 1834-1914; Post Office Directories; and/or any sources listed under this individual's works. |