Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. 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 AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | England | Private | | 1991 | Noad would appear to have been living outwith Scotland at the time of his death. |  | The Den, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | 1930 * | | |  | Broadmeadows, Symington (near), Ayrshire, Scotland | Business | Before 1931 | After 1934 | |  | 261, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1935 * | | |  | 220, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1936 | After 1939 | |  | 278, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1950 * | | |  | Wester Fulwood, Johnstone (near), Renfrewshire, Scotland | Private | 1950 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes |  | Keppie & Henderson | 1924 | 1929 | Apprentice | |  | Keppie & Henderson | 1929 | 1930 | Draughtsman | |  | Noad & Wallace | 1933 | After 1950 | Partner | |
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and DesignsThis architect 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 |  | | Claremont Parish Church | East Kilbride | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1931 | Broadmeadows | Symington | | Ayrshire | Scotland | House, garages, stables, lodge and formal gardens |  | 1933 | House and garden at Whitecraigs | Whitecraigs | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1933 | Prestwick Burgh Chambers and Public Baths | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Won compeition. |  | 1933 | Prestwick Municipal Buildings, pavilion and offices | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Won competition but design never executed |  | 1934 | Govan Old Parish Church | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | War memorial garden scheme |  | 1934 | Renfrew Aerodrome Club House | Renfrew | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1935 | Falkirk Municipal Buildings | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition entry for new building adjacent to old town hall |  | 1935 | Thorndean | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Servants' wing |  | 1936 | Broadwood | Gifford | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1936 | Glenkin | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Addition of library |  | 1937 | 'Recent domestic buildings' | | | | Scotland | |  | 1937 | Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Episcopal Church | Bellahouston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1937 | House at Shandon | Shandon | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1937 | House at Troon | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1937 | Royal Northern Yacht Club | Rhu/Row | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Factory, MacLellan Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Falkirk Royal Infirmary Nurses' Home | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful |  | 1938 | Glasgow Empire Exhibition, prototype working class flats | Bellahouston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Scottish Oils and Shellmex Pavilion | Bellahouston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1938 | Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Scottish Pavilion | Bellahouston | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interior work |  | 1938 | House | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1938 | House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1938 | House at Troon | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1938 | Newark Church | Port Glasgow | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1939 | Church of Scotland new buildings | Giffnock | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1939 | Episopal Church of the Good Shepherd | Hillington | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1939 | Factory | Alloa | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | |  | 1939 | House | Gartocharn | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1939 | House at Strathblane | Strathblane | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1939 | Queen's Hall | Dunoon | | Argyll | Scotland | Competition drawings |  | c. 1939 | St Aidan's Church | Clarkston | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1940 | Factory | Lesmahagow | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1940 | House at Blanefield | Blanefield | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1945 | Martnaham Lodge | | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Interior alterations |  | 1947 | Premises, Crow Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1948 | Kingsburgh Gardens | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1948 | The Overseas League, Claremont Terrace | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1948 | UF Church at Croftfoot | Croftfoot | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1950 | Public shelters and lavatories | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1953 | Premises, Dundonald Road | Kelvinside | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 13 February 1953 | Church of Scotland Halls, Ryehill Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Plans prepared for new halls |  | 1956 | Clydebank Faifley Parish Church | Duntocher | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1956 | St Mark's Episcopal Church | East Kilbride, Lanarkshire | | | Scotland | |  | c. 1957 | Kingencleugh House | Mauchline | | Ayrshire | Scotland | |  | 1958 | Housing development, Ferniegair Estate | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire/Argyll | Scotland | |  | Late 1950s | St Columba's Church, Foxbar | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Offices for Clyde Crane | Mossend | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s(?) | Offices for Scottish Mutual | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1960s(?) | Primary School, Bilsland Dive | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1962 | Rothiemay House | Milltown of Rothiemay | | Morayshire | Scotland | |  | 1962 | Skelmorlie Castle | Skelmorlie | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Restoration |  | 1963 | Kilellan (or Killellan) Old Manse | Kirkton Farm (near) | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | restoration |  | 1973 | Troon Municipal Buildings | Troon | | Ayrshire | Scotland | S addition |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Post Office Directories | | | | | |  | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |  | Walker, Frank Arneil | 1986 | South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew | | | p82, p113 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | RIAS Newsletter | October 1991 | v3, no1 | | Death notice |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor 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 |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no4572 (stored with F4552, combined box 21); F no4552 (combined box 21) |
Images © All rights reserved. RIAS Quarterly no43 Summer 1933 |