Basic Biographical Details Name: | Findlay Stewart & Robbie | Designation: | | Born: | c. 1930 | Died: | | Bio Notes: | James Findlay was articled to John Murray Robertson, remaining with him to become chief draughtsman. He succeeded to his practice when he died in 1901.
In 1903 Findlay took on David Smith as his chief assistant. Smith was born at Montrose on 25 July 1878 and was educated at Montrose Academy. In 1895 he was articled to McCulloch & Jamieson in Dundee, leaving at the end of his apprenticeship in 1899 to work for Hugh Gavin of Arbroath. During those years he studied at the Dundee Technical Institute under Patrick H Thoms from 1898 until 1900 when he moved to Edinburgh to work for Victor Daniel Horsburgh so that he could study at the School of Applied Art. He obtained a place in the office of Murray Robertson in Dundee 1901-02. He then succeeded in gaining a place first in the LCC architects' department which enabled him to study at the Regent Street Polytechnic. From there he moved to the office of Leonard Stokes from which he won the Tite Prize. Findlay invited him to return to Dundee to assist with the Medical School and the Caird Cancer Pavilion, the latter being largely to his design. While chief assistant with Findlay he built an experimental low cost house, The Sheilin at Wormit (the '£100 house') for his own occupation. He was admitted LRIBA on 20 February 1911, his proposers being Godfrey Shepherd, Thoms and William Fleming Wilkie.
Smith remained with Findlay's practice thereafter. He appeared in 'Who's who in Architecture' from 1914: he had clients of his own, but was generally content to remain a back-room architect concentrating on the design work of the practice.
In 1928 Smith became a partner, and Findlay and Smith merged their practice with that of Ogilvy and Stewart. This firm comprised Gilbert Francis Molyneux Ogilvy who had closed his London practice in the early years of the First World War, and Nelson T Stewart of the joiners and builders John Stewart & Sons, 16 Forfar Road, Dundee, which had specialised in shop and office buildings and had provided a design and build service since about 1911. In 1918 or 1919 Gilbert Ogilvy had returned to Dundee, most of his practice having come to him through his elder brother, Sir Herbert Kinnaird Ogilvy of Baldovan and of Shiell & Small, solicitors. In 1920 he had inherited the estate of Winton, East Lothian from his aunt, but continued his Dundee practice which was based in his brother's office at 5 Bank Street, merging it with that of Nelson T Stewart about 1925. Of that partnership both Ogilvy's son, Sir David and Henry Pearce Robbie observed that Stewart did not have much design sense but was a sound practical man from his experience with his father's building business: Ogilvy's interest in the firm was at times ephemeral and he tended to undertake only commissions in which there was a personal interest leaving the rest to Stewart. At the time of the merger with Findlay and Smith he withdrew because of the severity of the recession observing that in the circumstances it was wrong to carry on a practice he could afford to do without.
The practice title was briefly Findlay & Stewart, but became Findlay Stewart & Robbie c.1930 when it was joined by Henry Pearce Robbie who had won the Alexander Thomson travelling scholarship in 1925 and had succeeded Vernon Constable as lecturer in architecture at the Technical College, also in 1930. Findlay died in March 1943; Smith had predeceased him in 1938. Stewart died in 1948, leaving Pearce Robbie as sole partner, the firm still being based in Murray Robertson's office at 33 Albert Square. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 33, Albert Square, Dundee, Scotland | Business | Before 1930 | After 1964 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | 1920s | Dundee Savings Bank branches | | | Dundee | Scotland | Partnership may be involved depending on date. | | 1930 | Double villa, Hyndford Street | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1930 | Glamis House | | | Dundee | Scotland | Additions | | 1930 | Premises for M Boyle's Trust | | | Dundee | Scotland | Reconstruction | | After 1930(?) | Licensed premises | Hawkhill | | Dundee | Scotland | Date unspecified; may have been completed prior to formation of this partnership | | c. 1930 | St Fillan's UF Church | Newport-on-Tay | | Fife | Scotland | Proposed additions to church and to manse | | 1931 | Bungalow, Dalgleish Road | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1932 | Netherwood | | | Dundee | Scotland | Additions and garage | | 1933 | Caird Nurses' Home | | | Dundee | Scotland | Alterations | | 1934 | Cottages, Pond Lane | Tayport | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1934 | Four shops | Barnhill | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1934 | Guardbridge Co-operative Society Buildings, including stables | Tayport | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1934 | Robertson's furniture store | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1935 | Beach House | Broughty Ferry | | Dundee | Scotland | Large extension to north west | | 1935 | Building, Carnleith Place | Alyth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1935 | Dundee Savings Bank | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1935 | Garage Workshop and Showroom - Reid, Johnstone, Bell and Henderson | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1935 | Holiday Home | Auchterhouse | | Dundee | Scotland | Additions | | 1935 | Tenement, Roseangle | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1936 | Caledonian Insurance Building | | | Dundee | Scotland | Additions | | 1937 | Carn-Elrig | Boat of Garten | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1937 | Flass Road Housing Scheme, block of 6 houses | Newport | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1937 | Guardbridge Co-operative Society bakery | Guardbridge | | Fife | Scotland | Additions | | 1938 | The Elms | Monikie | | Angus | Scotland | Alterations | | 1949 | Dental Hospital and School | | | Dundee | Scotland | Part at south end - two houses joined together | | 1964 | Dental Hospital and School | | | Dundee | Scotland | Builder gives this as architect but practice must have chagned to Robbie & Wellwood about this time. |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Municipal Annual | 1964 | Scottish Municipal Annual | 1964-1965 | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 31 January 1964 | | | p266 |
|