© All rights reserved. RIAS Quarterly no43 Summer 1933 

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Basic Biographical Details

Name: Richard Mervyn Noad (or simply Mervyn Noad)
Designation: Architect
Born: 8 September 1906
Died: 1991
Bio Notes: Richard Mervyn Noad (generally known simply as Mervyn Noad) was born on 8 September 1906 at 'Alma', Muirton Road, Perth, the son of Frederick Herbert Noad, tea merchant and his wife Jessie Mary Roberts who came from Helensburgh. He studied at Glasgow School of Architecture under Thomas Harold Hughes, concurrently serving his apprenticeship with Keppie & Henderson, from 1924 until 1929. He first ventured abroad in summer 1927 and by 1933 had visited France, Switzerland, Germany, Holland and Scandinavia. He won the A Leslie Hamilton studentship medal in 1928-29 and on the strength of his RIAS Quarterly essay on 'The influence of France on the Architecture of Scotland during the 16th century' he was offered a two-year fellowship at Clare College, Cambridge on how Scotland's vernacular could form the basis of a modern Scottish idiom, but decided against taking it up. Nevertheless he became an outlying member of the Mansfield Forbes circle and a particular friend of Ian Gordon Lindsay who thought highly of him.

Noad remained with Keppie & Henderson as a draughtsman after completing his apprenticeship, leaving in June 1930 to commence practice on his own account in Glasgow, with one full-time and one part-time draughtsman and a part-time job as evening studio instructor at Glasgow School of Art. He was admitted ARIBA later that year, his proposers being John Keppie, John Watson and Hughes. His practice took off very quickly as a result of a commission for Broadmeadows from J Percival Agnew who selected him from a number of younger architects he interviewed. This enabled him to take Alastair Frew Wallace (who appears to have subsequently changed his first name to Alexander) into partnership in 1933.

Like Lindsay, Noad had a particular interest in Scandinavia and toured the modern architecture of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany in 1934 following a year as editor of the RIAS Quarterly. A further tour of Italy was made about 1938-39 where he was arrested but fortunately released before the outbreak of war. In 1935 he was editor of the RIBA conference.

Both Noad and Wallace were elected FRIBA on 10 October 1950 with the same proposers - Andrew Graham Henderson, Edward Grigg Wylie and George Arthur Boswell. At that time their office was at 278 St Vincent Street.

The practice closed in 1978. Noad died in 1991.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 7EnglandPrivate 1991Noad would appear to have been living outwith Scotland at the time of his death.
Item 2 of 7The Den, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivate1930 *  
Item 3 of 7Broadmeadows, Symington (near), Ayrshire, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1931After 1934 
Item 4 of 7261, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1935 *  
Item 5 of 7220, West Regent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1936After 1939 
Item 6 of 7278, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1950 *  
Item 7 of 7Wester Fulwood, Johnstone (near), Renfrewshire, ScotlandPrivate1950 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 3Keppie & Henderson19241929Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3Keppie & Henderson19291930Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 3Noad & Wallace1933After 1950Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6George Arthur Boswell10 October 1950for Fellowship
Item 2 of 6Andrew Graham Henderson10 October 1950for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6Thomas Harold HughesLate 1930for Associateship
Item 4 of 6John KeppieLate 1930for Associateship
Item 5 of 6John WatsonLate 1930for Associateship
Item 6 of 6Edward Grigg Wylie10 October 1950for Fellowship

Buildings and Designs

This architect 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 54 Claremont Parish ChurchEast Kilbride LanarkshireScotland 
Item 2 of 541931BroadmeadowsSymington AyrshireScotlandHouse, garages, stables, lodge and formal gardens
Item 3 of 541933House and garden at WhitecraigsWhitecraigs GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 541933Prestwick Burgh Chambers and Public BathsPrestwick AyrshireScotlandWon compeition.
Item 5 of 541933Prestwick Municipal Buildings, pavilion and officesPrestwick AyrshireScotlandWon competition but design never executed
Item 6 of 541934Govan Old Parish ChurchGovan GlasgowScotlandWar memorial garden scheme
Item 7 of 541934Renfrew Aerodrome Club HouseRenfrew RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 8 of 541935Falkirk Municipal BuildingsFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandUnsuccessful competition entry for new building adjacent to old town hall
Item 9 of 541935ThorndeanHelensburgh DunbartonshireScotlandServants' wing
Item 10 of 541936BroadwoodGifford East LothianScotland 
Item 11 of 541936GlenkinHelensburgh DunbartonshireScotlandAddition of library
Item 12 of 541937'Recent domestic buildings'   Scotland 
Item 13 of 541937Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Episcopal ChurchBellahouston GlasgowScotland 
Item 14 of 541937House at ShandonShandon DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 15 of 541937House at TroonTroon AyrshireScotland 
Item 16 of 541937Royal Northern Yacht ClubRhu/Row DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 17 of 541938Factory, MacLellan Street  GlasgowScotland 
Item 18 of 541938Falkirk Royal Infirmary Nurses' HomeFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandCompetition design - not successful
Item 19 of 541938Glasgow Empire Exhibition, prototype working class flatsBellahouston GlasgowScotland 
Item 20 of 541938Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Scottish Oils and Shellmex PavilionBellahouston GlasgowScotland 
Item 21 of 541938Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Scottish PavilionBellahouston GlasgowScotlandInterior work
Item 22 of 541938HousePaisley RenfrewshireScotlandAlterations
Item 23 of 541938House  EdinburghScotlandAlterations
Item 24 of 541938House at TroonTroon AyrshireScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 25 of 541938Newark ChurchPort Glasgow RenfrewshireScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 26 of 541939Church of Scotland new buildingsGiffnock GlasgowScotland 
Item 27 of 541939Episopal Church of the Good ShepherdHillington GlasgowScotland 
Item 28 of 541939FactoryAlloa ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 29 of 541939HouseGartocharn GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 30 of 541939House at StrathblaneStrathblane StirlingshireScotland 
Item 31 of 541939Queen's HallDunoon ArgyllScotlandCompetition drawings
Item 32 of 54c. 1939St Aidan's ChurchClarkston GlasgowScotland 
Item 33 of 541940FactoryLesmahagow LanarkshireScotland 
Item 34 of 541940House at BlanefieldBlanefield StirlingshireScotland 
Item 35 of 541945Martnaham Lodge  AyrshireScotlandInterior alterations
Item 36 of 541947Premises, Crow Road  GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 37 of 541948Kingsburgh Gardens  EdinburghScotland 
Item 38 of 541948The Overseas League, Claremont Terrace  GlasgowScotland 
Item 39 of 541948UF Church at CroftfootCroftfoot LanarkshireScotland 
Item 40 of 541950Public shelters and lavatoriesHelensburgh DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 41 of 541953Premises, Dundonald RoadKelvinside GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 42 of 5413 February 1953Church of Scotland Halls, Ryehill Road  GlasgowScotlandPlans prepared for new halls
Item 43 of 541956Clydebank Faifley Parish ChurchDuntocher DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 44 of 541956St Mark's Episcopal ChurchEast Kilbride, Lanarkshire  Scotland 
Item 45 of 54c. 1957Kingencleugh HouseMauchline AyrshireScotland 
Item 46 of 541958Housing development, Ferniegair EstateHelensburgh Dunbartonshire/ArgyllScotland 
Item 47 of 54Late 1950sSt Columba's Church, FoxbarPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 48 of 541960sOffices for Clyde CraneMossend LanarkshireScotland 
Item 49 of 541960s(?)Offices for Scottish Mutual  GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Item 50 of 541960s(?)Primary School, Bilsland Dive  GlasgowScotland 
Item 51 of 541962Rothiemay HouseMilltown of Rothiemay MorayshireScotland 
Item 52 of 541962Skelmorlie CastleSkelmorlie AyrshireScotlandRestoration
Item 53 of 541963Kilellan (or Killellan) Old ManseKirkton Farm (near) RenfrewshireScotlandrestoration
Item 54 of 541973Troon Municipal BuildingsTroon AyrshireScotlandS addition

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Post Office Directories     
Item 2 of 3RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 3Walker, Frank Arneil1986South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew  p82, p113

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this architect:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIAS NewsletterOctober 1991v3, no1 Death notice

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect:
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Information from reply to questionnaire 1985; information on birth and parentage from research by Iain Paterson
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no4572 (stored with F4552, combined box 21); F no4552 (combined box 21)

Images

© All rights reserved. RIAS Quarterly no43 Summer 1933 

© All rights reserved. RIAS Quarterly no43 Summer 1933