Basic Biographical Details

Name: Joseph McKay
Designation:  
Born: 10 August 1909
Died:  
Bio Notes: Joseph McKay was born on 10 August 1909 and was articled to John Bruce of Stirling in 1925. In 1930 he joined the London, Midland & Scottish Railway Company Architectural Department in Stirling as assistant, remaining there until 1932 when he began attending day classes at Glasgow School of Architecture. Whilst there he spent holidays working for Heazell & Sons in Nottingham and Thomas Johnston Beveridge in Glasgow, and undertook alterations to St Alexander's RC Church, Denny on his own account. He joined Thomas Harold Hughes' office in 1934 and obtained his diploma at on 17 June 1935. He was admitted ARIBA on 6 April 1936, his proposers being Hughes, William James Smith and A Ernest Heazell. He was promoted to chief assistant in Hughes's office and worked on additions to various Oxford colleges and new buildings for Glasgow University before leaving in 1937 to return to the London, Midland & Scottish Railway Company as assistant. He was involved with the design of varoious railway buildings such as Prestatyn Holiday Camp in North WalesOver the following two years he made study visits with parties of architects to Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland.

McKay served as a Staff Officer (Works) with the Royal Engineers during the Second World War, reaching the rank of Captain and assisting in reconstruction work in Belgium and Germany. In 1946 he returned to London as an assistant in the Western Region Railway Architect's Department. During this time he designed and supervised the construction of six stations on the Central Line in London for the Western Regional Railway.

He emigrated to Australia in 1948, working initially for the Australian Federal and State Government Architects' Departments, and he was admitted an Associate of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in 1950 and a Member of the Australian Planning Institute in 1951. In 1954 he was appointed Staff Architect to the Bank of Adelaide, and he was still in the same post at the time of his application for admittance as FRIBA in 1967, for which he was elected on 4 June 1969, proposed by Gavin Wakley, Gregory Bruer, and L J Wyman.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 225, Stirling Road, Causewayhead, Stirling, Stirlingshire, ScotlandPrivate1936 *  
Item 2 of 2AustraliaBusiness1948  

* 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 6John Bruce19251930Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6London Midland and Scottish Railway Company19301932Assistant 
Item 3 of 6Thomas Johnston BeveridgeAfter 1932Before 1935AssistantDuring holiday
Item 4 of 6Heazell & SonsAfter 1932Before 1935AssistantDuring holiday
Item 5 of 6Thomas Harold Hughes19341937Assistant 
Item 6 of 6London Midland and Scottish Railway Company19371939AssistantIn London

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 2Thomas Harold Hughes1936For Associateship
Item 2 of 2(Professor) William James Smith1936For 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 startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 41932St Alexander's RC ChurchDenny StirlingshireScotlandAdditions
Item 2 of 4After 1932Church at East CalderEast Calder MidlothianScotland 
Item 3 of 41936University of Glasgow, Institute of Chemistry  GlasgowScotlandAs assistant to Thomas Harold Hughes
Item 4 of 41936University of Glasgow, Sports Pavilion  GlasgowScotlandAs assistant to Thomas Harold Hughes

References

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 A no6036 (stored under F no6820, combined box 162); F no 6820 (combined box 162)