Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Bruce Dickie Keith
Designation:  
Born: 1881
Died:  
Bio Notes: William Bruce Dickie Keith was born in 1881 and joined the practice of his father, Robert Keith, as an apprentice, taking classes at University College Dundee and the Young Men's Christian Institute from 1896: it is not as yet clear what the latter were as most other Dundee apprentices attended Patrick Hill Thoms's classes at the Technical Institute. During his years as apprentice and as assistant with his father, William Keith worked on tearooms, large bakeries, a poultry farm and extensive blocks of shops and dwelling houses in Dundee, Broughty Ferry, Perth and Aberfeldy. Although the practice was then at a low ebb, William was taken into the partnership in 1906 and was admitted LRIBA on 24 June 1912. He was described by his contemporaries as a good draughtsman but not an especially able designer.

Robert Keith died in February 1914. After his father's death William relied considerably on evening and weekend help from Vernon Constable and John McLellan Brown, both city employees. He closed the practice c.1928 and emigrated to Australia.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 410, Whitehall Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1910After 1926 
Item 2 of 4Ivybank, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, ScotlandPrivate1912 *  
Item 3 of 415, Castle Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness1914 *  
Item 4 of 4AustraliaPrivate/businessc. 1928  

* 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 3Robert Keith1897c. 1902Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3Robert Keithc. 19021906Assistant 
Item 3 of 3Robert Keith & Son1906February 1914Partner 

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 3Robert Dron19191920Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3John Robert Moore19191920Apprentice 
Item 3 of 3John Robert Moore1920Before 1923Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1William Fleming Wilkie24 June 1912for Licentiateship - as President of the Dundee Institute of Architects

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 281900Excise Offices and stores  DundeeScotlandAs assistant with his father
Item 2 of 281900Gymnasium and InstituteBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandAs assistant in his father's office
Item 3 of 281901Camelon Institute Stirling StirlingshireScotland 
Item 4 of 281901ClaremontWest Ferry DundeeScotlandAs assistant in his father's office
Item 5 of 281903HotelPitlochry PerthshireScotlandAlterations and decoration of hotel - as assistant in his father's office
Item 6 of 281903Hotel Buildings   South AfricaAs assistant in his father's office
Item 7 of 28c. 1909St Mark's Manse  DundeeScotlandRedecoration
Item 8 of 281911BankMeigle PerthshireScotlandExtensive alterations
Item 9 of 281911C Patterson's Property  DundeeScotland 
Item 10 of 281911HotelLerwickMainlandShetlandScotlandAlterations
Item 11 of 281911Improvement scheme in High Street  DundeeScotlandLarge improvement scheme at west end of High Street
Item 12 of 281911Kemback Parish Church and manseKemback FifeScotlandDecoration and taking in water supply
Item 13 of 281911Wishart Memorial Church  DundeeScotlandDecoration
Item 14 of 28c. 1911St Mark's Greenfield Church  DundeeScotlandRestoration
Item 15 of 281913House on Farington Hall estate  DundeeScotland 
Item 16 of 281913Villa, Americanmuir Road  DundeeScotland 
Item 17 of 281914Harris Academy, Park Place  DundeeScotlandExtension proposed but not built because of the war.
Item 18 of 281919Logie Housing Scheme  DundeeScotlandDesigned some areas within Logie
Item 19 of 281921ClaremontWest Ferry DundeeScotlandAddition of pavilions, dormer and billiard room (further additions planned but not executed) - nominally in charge of design but really Vernon Constable
Item 20 of 281921Claremont Lodge and gatesWest Ferry DundeeScotlandNominally in charge of design but really Vernon Constable
Item 21 of 281925Houses, Arbroath Road and Ferry Road  DundeeScotland 
Item 22 of 281925Houses, Lawside Road  DundeeScotland 
Item 23 of 281925Houses, Tullideph Road  DundeeScotland 
Item 24 of 281926Houses Arbroath Road   DundeeScotland 
Item 25 of 281926Housing, Mains LoanMains Loan DundeeScotland 
Item 26 of 281926Housing, School Road  DundeeScotland 
Item 27 of 281927Rossleigh's garage and showrooms  DundeeScotland 
Item 28 of 281932CinemaForfar AngusScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

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

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v24 no1998