Basic Biographical Details
| Name: | Robert Norman Houghton MacKellar |
| Designation: | |
| Born: | 5 March 1890 |
| Died: | 1973 |
| Bio Notes: | Robert Norman Houghton MacKellar was born on 5 March 1890 in Govan and was articled to John Nisbet of Glasgow in 1904, moving at the end of his apprenticeship in 1911 to Miller & Black. During these years he attended the Glasgow School of Architecture from 1906 to 1911 under Professors Bourdon, Gourlay and McGibbon. In 1911 he was recruited by Thomas Martin Cappon to work on Dundee Training College and Demonstration School in Park Place, and probably largely designed it. When his commitment to producing the working drawings and details for that project was complete he was invited back to Glasgow to work for the theatre and cinema architect Charles James McNair under whom he had worked in Nisbet's office, and who had taken over Nisbet's practice on his retirement. In 1920 he moved to Newcastle upon Tyne to join the firm of Cackett & Burns Dick, and he was taken into partnership three years later, although it is not clear whether the firm's name changed then to Cackette, Burns Dick & MacKellar or not until Cackett's death in 1928 or 1929. He served as honorary secretary to the Northern Architectural Association c.1930. He was elected FRIBA on 22 June 1936, his proposers being Robert Burns Dick, James Robertson Adamson and Charles Geddes Soutar. MacKellar died in early 1973, his death registered between January and March. |
Private and Business Addresses
| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | |||||
| Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | |
 | 3, Cathkin Road, Langside, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1910 * | After 1914 | |
| 21, Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, England | Business | 1936 * | ||
| Red Ridge, Edgehill Road, Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne, England | Private | 1936 * | ||
* 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): | |||||
| Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | |
| John Nisbet | August 1904 | 1911 | Apprentice | |
| Thomas Martin Cappon | 1911 | 1912(?) | Draughtsman | |
| Miller & Black | 1912(?) | Before 1914 | Draughtsman | |
| Charles James McNair | 1913 | 1914(?) | Draughtsman | |
| Cackett & Burns Dick | 1923 | 1928 | Partner | |
| Cackett, Burns Dick & MacKellar | 1928 | 1970 | Partner | |
RIBA
RIBA Proposers
| The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | |||
| Name | Date proposed | Notes | |
| James Robertson Adamson | 22 June 1936 | for Fellowship |
| Andrew Black | Early 1914 | for Associateship |
| Robert Burns Dick | 22 June 1936 | for Fellowship |
| Alexander Nisbet Paterson | Early 1914 | for Associateship |
| Charles Geddes Soutar | 22 June 1936 | for Fellowship |
| John Watson | Early 1914 | for Associateship |
RIBA Proposals
| This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | |||
| Name | Date proposed | Notes | |
| Frederick Edward Dotchin | 1931 | for Licentiateship |
| Lewis Edwin Hetherington | 31 October 1930 | for Licentiateship |
| John Holt | 20 July 1936 | For Associateship |
| James Scott Johnston | 13 April 1943 | for Associateship |
| Thomas McGarrigle | 14 November 1944 | for Licentiateship |
| Guy Barrie Oddie | 1946 | for Associateship |
Buildings and Designs
| This 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 | |
| 1911 | Dundee Training College for Teachers | Dundee | Scotland | As assistant to Thomas Martin Cappon - probably largely responsible for design | ||
References
Bibliographic References
| The following books contain references to this : | ||||||
| Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | |
| British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | Listed as 'McKellar', but RIBA papers show that the correct spelling is 'MacKellar'. | ||
Periodical References
| The following periodicals contain references to this : | |||||
| Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | |
| RIBA Journal | September 1973 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p453 Obituary | |
Archive References
| The following archives hold material relating to this : | ||||
| Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | |
| Durham University Library - sketchbook | Christine Purcell | Sent July 2013 Information from a sketchbook which has recently been acquired by Durham University Library. It is a small book of sketches of parts of Durham Cathedral (with photographs tipped in) by R. Norman MacKellar. Written on the first page is: R. Norman MacKellar 3 Cathkin Road Langside GLASGOW 1st September 1910. | |
| England and Wales | Births, marriages and deaths | ||
| RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | A v21 no2483 (microfilm reel 21); F no3345 (box 21) | |