Basic Biographical Details

Name: Neil Campbell Duff
Designation:  
Born: 27 May 1861
Died: 22 February 1934
Bio Notes: Neil Campbell Duff was born on 27 May 1861 in Blythswood, Glasgow, the son of Mungo Campbell Duff IM, a quantity surveyor and his wife Janet Aitken. He was articled to his uncle James Thomson of Baird & Thomson from 1876 to 1881 and remained as an assistant until 1886, rejoining his father's firm in 1887 and remaining until 1893. During that period he spent one month each year on study tour, one month in London, Paris, Cambridge, Oxford and York and shorter periods in Liverpool, Manchester and Dublin.

Combining the business of architect with that of his brother Thomas's quantity surveying firm did not prove successful and in December 1893 he commenced business on his own account in Glasgow. He was admitted FRIBA on 11 June 1906, his proposers being Horatio Kelson Bromhead, David Barclay, Thomas Edward Collcutt and C J MacLean.

In 1919 Duff married Janet Helen McIntosh Robertson. About the same year he took Percival Cairns into partnership. Cairns had been born in Glasgow on 22 August 1889 and had studied at Glasgow School of Architecture from 1905 to 1912 but it is not yet certain if it was to Duff that he was originally articled: he was certainly his assistant in 1914 prior to being taken into partnership five years later. The partnership lasted until Cairns's death of pulmonary tuberculosis on 28 June 1926.

Duff was a very competent exponent of neo-Baroque and a pioneer of cinema design. He was a JP for the City of Glasgow, and was much employed as an expert in cases arising from the administration of the Public Health Acts there.

Duff died of cholecystitis and intestinal haemorrhage on 22 February 1934, aged seventy-three, leaving moveable estate of £31,313 7s1d. He was buried alongside his parents and brothers in Glasgow Necropolis.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 7197, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 18871893When working for his father
Item 2 of 753, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1889After 1893 
Item 3 of 74, West Garden Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1891After 1906 
Item 4 of 793, Hope Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1899 or 1900 *  
Item 5 of 7115, Wellington Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 19051913 
Item 6 of 7187a, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness19131934 
Item 7 of 7Neidpath/20, St Bride's Road, Newlands, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1934 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

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 4Baird & Thomson18761881Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Baird & Thomson18811886Assistant 
Item 3 of 4Mungo Campbell DuffBefore 18871893Assistant 
Item 4 of 4Duff & Cairnsc. 19191926Partner 

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 8David Bateman Hutton19011903Assistant 
Item 2 of 8David Henry Hunter1907After 1910Chief Assistant 
Item 3 of 8James Wallace1909c. 1914Apprentice 
Item 4 of 8John McNab (or John MacNab)c. 1915May 1919Assistant 
Item 5 of 8Samuel Lionel Lipson19171918Apprentice 
Item 6 of 8David MillarOctober 19271932Apprentice 
Item 7 of 8Frank Flood MacDonald19301931Assistant(?) 
Item 8 of 8David Millar19321934Junior Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 4David Barclay11 June 1906for Fellowship
Item 2 of 4Horatio Kelson Bromhead11 June 1906for Fellowship
Item 3 of 4Thomas Edward Collcutt11 June 1906for Fellowship
Item 4 of 4C J MacLean11 June 1906for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6William Raymond Boyd BertramLate 1928 or early 1929for Associateship
Item 2 of 6John McLintock Bowie2 December 1907for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6Arthur Fyfe20 March 1911for Licentiateship
Item 4 of 6James Murdoch Dalziel HendersonLate 1921for Associateship
Item 5 of 6David Henry Hunter4 July 1910for Licentiateship
Item 6 of 6Charles James McNair22 April 1912for Licentiateship

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 45 Plaza, Eglinton Toll  GlasgowScotlandDate unknown
Item 2 of 451897Carson & Nicol's offices  GlasgowScotland 
Item 3 of 451897James Miller & Co's warehouses, offices and works  GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 451898Waterloo Sawmill  GlasgowScotlandExtension
Item 5 of 451899Warehouses for R B Miller  GlasgowScotland 
Item 6 of 451900Alexander Miller & Bros warehouses and offices  LiverpoolEngland 
Item 7 of 451900Exhibition HotelAnderston GlasgowScotland 
Item 8 of 451900Office Block, St Vincent Street and Mains Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 451901Office block, 74 York Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 10 of 451902Rivet Bolt and Nut Co's warehouses and worksRutherglen LanarkshireScotland 
Item 11 of 451902Rivet Bolt and Nut Co's warehouses and worksCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 12 of 451903Pair of villas (Westwood and St Brendan)  GlasgowScotland 
Item 13 of 451904Newberries Mansion HouseRadlett HertfordshireEnglandReconstruction
Item 14 of 451904Ruchill Street UF ChurchMaryhill GlasgowScotland 
Item 15 of 451905Glasgow Savings Bank, Shawlands CrossShawlands Cross GlasgowScotland 
Item 16 of 451906Glasgow Savings Bank, North Branch  GlasgowScotland 
Item 17 of 451907Cleland Testimonial Building  GlasgowScotlandConversion to George Hotel
Item 18 of 451907R F & J Alexander's Cotton Spinning Mill  GlasgowScotlandTop floors converted to Great Eastern Hotel
Item 19 of 45After 1907Guardian Assurance Office  GlasgowScotland 
Item 20 of 45After 1907Ruchill Street Free Church Halls  GlasgowScotland 
Item 21 of 45After 1907Union Café  GlasgowScotland 
Item 22 of 45After 1907VillasWest Kilbride AyrshireScotland 
Item 23 of 451908Villa, 34 Mongomerie Drive  GlasgowScotlandNew hall and lounge (Interior work exhibited at Glasgow Institute)
Item 24 of 451910Electric Picture PalaceMaryhill GlasgowScotland 
Item 25 of 451910Ibrox Cinematograph TheatreIbrox GlasgowScotlandConverted from roller skating rink
Item 26 of 451911Regent Cinema  GlasgowScotland 
Item 27 of 451911Springburn Electric TheatreSpringburn GlasgowScotlandCinema, converted from existing back-court meeting hall
Item 28 of 451911Store for Charles Vaux & Sons  GlasgowScotland 
Item 29 of 451912Business premises for J T Whitelaw's Trust  GlasgowScotlandWith McKissack. Conversion to cinema
Item 30 of 451913La Scala CinemaHelensburgh DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 31 of 451913La Scala CinemaGreenock RenfrewshireScotlandBuild/construction
Item 32 of 451914Hartshead Curled Hair and Bedding Factory Offices  GlasgowScotlandOffice block
Item 33 of 451914The Lorne CinemaIbrox GlasgowScotland 
Item 34 of 451920Bank Street Picture HouseFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandConverted from church
Item 35 of 451920Marne CinemaDennistoun GlasgowScotland 
Item 36 of 451920Rosevale CinemaPartick GlasgowScotland 
Item 37 of 451921Campbell's Music Salon  GlasgowScotlandProposed alterations
Item 38 of 451921Glasgow High School War Memorial  GlasgowScotland3rd prize
Item 39 of 451922Grafton CinemaCowcaddens GlasgowScotland 
Item 40 of 451926Carlton Picture HouseTownhead GlasgowScotland 
Item 41 of 451927Panorama  GlasgowScotlandPart demolition and rebuilding as Waldorf Palais de Danse
Item 42 of 451931Rosevale CinemaPartick GlasgowScotlandPlans prepared for extensions
Item 43 of 451931Strump Ltd's warehouse  GlasgowScotland 
Item 44 of 451932Rhul CinemaBurnside, Rutherglen LanarkshireScotland 
Item 45 of 451933Super CinemaPollokshaws GlasgowScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Post Office Directories     
Item 2 of 2RIBA1930The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder1936146 Obituary
Item 2 of 2RIBA Journal19 May 1934v41London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp716 - obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3British Architectural Library, RIBARIBA Biographical Files  
Item 2 of 3Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Additional research by Iain Paterson
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers F v17 p7 no1100 (microfilm reel 12)