Basic Biographical Details Name: | Robert Robertson | Designation: | | Born: | 9 July 1866 | Died: | 1939 | Bio Notes: | Robert Robertson was born on 9 July 1866 and educated at Perth Academy. He began his training in 1883 with practical experience in the building workshops of Messrs Pullars, a Perth contracting firm, before being articled to John Russell Walker of Edinburgh in 1886. From that time he studied at Edinburgh University, Edinburgh School of Art and Heriot-Watt College. He assisted Walker with measured drawings for the latter's book 'Pre-Reformation Churches in Fifeshire', leaving him in 1890 to work for a year as resident architect on public works in Dunbar before moving to London, where he found employment in the office of George Baines and continued his studies at the Architectural Association.
Eight months after joining Baines he obtained a position as assistant in the London County Council Architects Department, where he remained thereafter. Initially an assistant in the Housing Section, in 1901 he became Assistant Architect in charge of Housing of the Working Classes, in which capacity he took a leading part in designing all the large LCC housing schemes of the early years of the 20th century. He was in the same position at the time of his admittance as LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, his proposers being his departmental head William Edward Riley, and Leonard Stokes and Hugh Patrick Guarin Maule, both of London. He spent two years with the London Scottish regiment during the First World War and in 1916 was seconded to the Ministry of Munitions, where he occupied the position of Director of Housing Construction until 1919, when he returned to his county appointment. He was subsequently promoted to Chief Divisional Architect (Schools), and in 1919, upon the recommendation of the new chief architect George Topham Forrest, was promoted again, to the position of Chief Assistant Architect (the post becoming Chief Divisional Architect in 1926). He was elected FRIBA in mid-1930, his proposers being Forrest, Edwin Paul Wheeler and Frederick Robert Hiorns, all of the LCC Architects Department.
Outside work Robertson was a keen musician of pipe music. He was for a time pipe major with the London Scottish and he made arrangements of well-known tunes for the bagpipes.
Robertson retired in 1931 and died in 1939. The LSS biogphical volume records that 'he was of a courteous and kindly disposition and was held in high esteem by the staff'. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland | Business | 1890 | 1891 | As resident architect on public works | | 45, St Marys Mansions, Paddington, London, England | Private | Before 1911 | After 1930 | |
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RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
ReferencesPeriodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 22 December 1939 | | | Obituary - CHECK for further info |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | London Metropolitan Archives | Biographical volumes on Council architects | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L v14 no919; F no2801 (box 12) |
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