Basic Biographical Details Name: | Patrick Geddes | Designation: | | Born: | 2 October 1854 | Died: | 17 April 1932 | Bio Notes: | Patrick Geddes was born on 2 October 1854, the son of Alexander Geddes, soldier and his wife Janet Stevenson. He was a biologist and was a professor at the University of Edinburgh. Geddes' influential theories on civic planning, such as the importance of diagnostic survey as the vital first stage of planning and the planning of a city in its wider surroundings, helped to shape the 20th century development of planning and architecture in Britain, disseminated by practitioners in the field such as Raymond Unwin, Patrick Abercrombie and Geddes’ son-in-law, Frank Mears.
Geddes actively campaigned for the protection and enhancement of historic Edinburgh, arguing that ‘the spirit and individuality of our city, its personality and character’ was vital for human self-fulfilment. For example, he founded the Town & Gown University Settlement with the object of creating staff and student residences within the Old Town. Sometime late in 1891 Stewart Henbest Capper became associated with him, and this resulted in the Ramsay Garden, Riddles Court, James Court and Blackie House development. Geddes hoped to extend the concept to Glasgow and, probably at Capper's suggestion, wrote to John James Burnet who asked to see the Settlement's accounts before taking the matter further. The association between Geddes and Capper ended in 1896 when Capper left to take up the position of first professor of architecture at McGill University, Montreal. Sydney Mitchell completed the Ramsay Garden project, and Geddes then formed a similar association with the much older George Shaw Aitken who undertook the restoration of Lady Stair's House for Lord Rosebery at Geddes' suggestion and provided architectural advice on the projects on which Geddes was consulted. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Outlook Tower, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | | | | | Ramsay Garden, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | | | | | College des Ecossais, Montperier, France | Business | | 1932 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Geddes & Capper | Late 1891 | 1896 | Partner | |
Employees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | (Sir) Frank Charles Mears | 1908 | 1910 | Assistant | |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Boardman, Philip | 1978 | The Worlds of Patrick Geddes: Biologist, Town Planner, Re-educator, Peace-warrior | | London: Routledge & Kegan Paul | | | DNB | | Dictionary of National Biography | | | | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p1 | | Glendinning, Miles | 2008 | Modern architect: the life and times of Robert Matthew | | RIBA Publishing | p27 | | Pride, Glen L | 1999 | The Kingdom of Fife | 2nd Edition | The Rutland Press | p9 |
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