Basic Biographical Details

Name: John McNee Jeffrey
Designation:  
Born: 1883
Died: 1956
Bio Notes: John McNee Jeffrey was born in 1883. He was articled to David Andrew of Glasgow from 1899, attending the classes at Glasgow School of Art. From Andrew's office he obtained a place in the LCC Architects' Department Highways Section in 1904. By 1908 he had joined the office of Emmanuel Vincent Harris in London, from where he passed the qualifying exam in June of that year. By the time of his admittance as ARIBA on 30 November of that year, he appears to have returned to Glasgow. His proposers were all Glaswegian - Andrew, John Gaff Gillespie and James Salmon Junior - suggesting some connection between Andrew and Salmon and Gillespie. He had travelled in Yorkshire and Oxfordshire.

In 1911 or 1912 he emigrated to Toronto, Canada with his wife to a post as staff architect for Canadian Investments Ltd., a real estate and investment company. In 1915 he opened his own practice and designed a number of cinemas.

In 1923 joined the practice of Schultze & Weaver of New York and moved to Burbank, California, where he supervised their work on the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel. In 1925 or 1926 still employed by Schultze & Weaver he moved to New York State and assisted with a range of hotels.

In 1931 Jeffrey returned to Toronto to establish his own practice but this was not successful and he returned within a year to New York State. He was Clarkstown's first building and zoning inspector, taking over the post when the municipality first instituted its building regulations. He opened business on his own account in 1945.

Outwith his profession he was a member of the Stony Point Lodge and the London Scottish Regiment with which he had presumably served during the First World War.

Jeffrey died in 1956, survived by his wife, two daughters and three sons.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 23, Queen Square Place, Bloomsbury, London, EnglandPrivateJune 1908 *  
Item 2 of 220, Moray Place, Regent Park, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateNovember 1908 *  

* 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 4David Andrew (junior)18991904Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4London County Council Architects' Department (LCC Architects' Department)19041907AssistantIn the Highway's Section
Item 3 of 4Emanuel Vincent Harris1907 or 19081908(?)Assistant 
Item 4 of 4Schultze & Weaver19231931Architect 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3David Andrew (junior)30 November 1908for Associateship
Item 2 of 3John Gaff Gillespie30 November 1908for Associateship
Item 3 of 3James Salmon (junior)30 November 1908for Associateship

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 2http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/ http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Journal-News10 March 1956  The Journal-News [White Plains, N.Y.] on 10 March 1956, page 1

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Courtesy of Robert Hill, CanadaInformation sent to Dictionary Sent June 2016
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v18 p33 (microfilm reel 20)