Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Theodore Percival Bryce | Designation: | | Born: | 30 January 1892 | Died: | 1973 | Bio Notes: | Born 30 January 1892, William Theodore Percival Bryce was articled to Burnet, Son & Dick, St Vincent Street, in 1913, and commenced study at the Glasgow School of Art and Royal Technical College in the same year. His training was interrupted by war service in 1915-18, but he completed it after the war and received his Diploma from the Glasgow School of Architecture in 1920. In 1920-21, having been awarded the Bourdon Memorial Studentship, he spent time travelling in England. He spent the following winter in London in the employment of Mewes & Davis of Conduit Street, before taking charge of the Paris office of Burnett Napier Henderson Orphoot and Frank Edward Whiting in summer 1922. He joined Orphoot and Whiting in partnership at 21 Alva Street, Edinburgh later that year. He was admitted FRIBA in late 1931 or early 1932, his proposers being Thomas Harold Hughes, Charles Henry Gage and John Begg. In 1932 he left Orphoot and Whiting, his place in the partnership being filled by Ian Lindsay the following year. In that same year Bryce acted as a proposer for his wife Helen Mary Bryce (born 1898) - whom he may have first met when both were working in the firm's Paris office or previously in London - when she applied for Associateship of the RIBA having completed her studies at the Edinburgh College of Art. Her other proposers were John Begg and Frank Charles Mears; the absence of Orphoot's signature on either her or her husband's nomination papers suggests that there may have been a dispute between him and them around the time of the split of the practice. The Bryces' home address in the early 1930s was 78 Newbattle Terrace, Edinburgh, and from at least 1933 they were practising together from 40 Melville Terrace.
It appears that Bryce and his wife had moved to England by the later 1930s. Bryce was elected FRIBA in 1932 but his Fellowship was withdrawn or cancelled in 1937, though resumed from 1944 onwards. His movements in the later 1930s are unclear but by 1946-47 his address is given as being in Gloucestershire. Helen by this time had settled in Buckinghamshire where she remained for the rest of her life. Bryce would appear to have moved frequently having a number of addresses between the 1940s and the 1970s in Wiltshire and Oxfordshire. He would appear to have separated from his wife as they never appear under the same address in directories.
He died in England, his death being registered in Oxford between January and March 1973 and Helen's between July and September 1974 in Aylesbury. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 21, Alva Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1923 | 1932 | In partnership of Orphoot, Whiting & Bryce | | Farmfield, Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland | Business | 1926 * | | | | 78, Newbattle Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | Before 1931 | After 1933 | | | 40, Melville Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1933 * | | | | The Bridge House, Downington, Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England | Private/business(?) | c. 1946 | | | | Broadleaze Farm, Cricklade, Wiltshire, England | Private/business(?) | c. 1948 | | | | Hillside Farm, Callow Hill, Brickworth, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England | Private/business(?) | c. 1960 | | | | Lynden house, Ducklington, Witney, Oxfordshire, England | Private/business(?) | c. 1970 | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1946 | The RIBA Kalendar 1946-1947 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1948 | The RIBA Kalendar 1948-1949 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1961 | Kalendar 1960-61 | | | | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F no2980 (box 15); A no 3977 (box 5) |
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