Basic Biographical Details

Name: Donald (F?) Ross
Designation:  
Born: 18 January 1892
Died: 1 February 1979
Bio Notes: Donald Ross was born on 18 January 1892, the son of John Ross, spirit merchant, and his wife Catherine Blackwood Stevenson (formerly McDonald). He was articled to John Burnet & Son in August 1906, attending classes at Bellahouston Academy, the Royal Technical College and Glasgow School of Architecture under Professors Charles Gourlay and Eugène Bourdon. He remained with the same firm for a further year as junior draughtsman after completing his apprenticeship, moving to Dundee in 1912 to join the School Board architect James Hendry Langlands Senior as chief assistant following the death of William Gillespie Lamond. After serving with the Royal Engineers as a Lieutenant in the First World War from 1916 until 1920, he returned to Dundee as chief assistant to Thoms & Wilkie, and was taken into partnership by Patrick Hill Thoms on 1 January 1927, Wilkie having withdrawn from the practice in 1923 due to ill health and lack of interest in post-war practice although remaining an official partner until 1930.

Ross was a very able modernist designer but inter-war conditions prevented his full potential from being realised. He was admitted LRIBA in early 1931, his proposers being Thoms, William Salmond and the then secretary of the Dundee Institute of Architects, J Murray Wilkie. After Thomas Hill Thoms returned to Thoms & Wilkie, Ross left in 1934 to enter into partnership with Alexander Symon, then sole partner of his father's firm Carver & Symon, the firm being known thereafter as Carver, Symon & Ross. Ross continued the practice as sole partner after Symon's death on 4 September the same year. Thereafter much of his practice consisted of ship interiors for the Caledon and Burntisland shipbuilding yards, 13 for the former and three for the latter.

Ross was elected FRIBA on 3 April 1939, his proposers being Patrick Hill Thoms, Charles Geddes Soutar and John Donald Mills.

By 1964 he appears to have been practising independently as Donald F Ross from his home, 1 Yewbank Avenue, Broughty Ferry.

Ross died on 1 February 1979 at his home in Broughty Ferry. His wife Annie Scvott Forsyth had predeceased him but he was survived by his daughter Gladys.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 41, Yewbank Avenue, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, ScotlandPrivate/businessBefore 19301979Appears to have been private in the early years but office by 1964
Item 2 of 421, South Tay Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness1930 or 1931 *  
Item 3 of 462, Seagate, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness1939 *  
Item 4 of 410, Tay Square, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness1950 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 6John Burnet & SonAugust 19061911Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6John Burnet & Son19111912Junior Assistant 
Item 3 of 6James Hendry Langlands (senior)19121916Chief Assistant 
Item 4 of 6Thoms & Wilkie19201 January 1927Chief Assistant 
Item 5 of 6Thoms & Wilkie1 January 19271934Junior Partner 
Item 6 of 6Carver, Symon & Ross (or Ross & Partners)c. 1934After 1950Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 5John Donald Mills3 April 1939for Fellowship
Item 2 of 5William SalmondEarly 1931for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 5Charles Geddes Soutar3 April 1939for Fellowship
Item 4 of 5Patrick Hill ThomsEarly 1931for Licentiateship
Item 5 of 5Patrick Hill Thoms3 April 1939for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 5Michael Lumsden14 April 1942for Associateship
Item 2 of 5James Watson Ritchie10 April 1956For Fellowship
Item 3 of 5(Professor) Charles Calthorpe Robertson5 May 1953For Associateship
Item 4 of 5John Robertson Stewart11 December 1951For Associateship
Item 5 of 5Sydney Zimmermann6 May 1947For Licentiateship

Buildings and Designs

This 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 51After 1845House for Mr McLeish (or McLuskie?), Blackness Avenue  DundeeScotland 
Item 2 of 511924Dundee Garden City Association Kingsway Site  DundeeScotlandDesign of some houses
Item 3 of 511926Harris Academy, Perth Road  DundeeScotlandAs assistant, then partner with Thoms & Wilkie on winning competition designs
Item 4 of 511928Lochee Cabinet FactoryLochee DundeeScotlandAlterations
Item 5 of 511928The Ridges, Farington Hall estate  DundeeScotlandAs assistant with Patrick Hill Thoms - date probably late enough for him to be involved
Item 6 of 511928 or 1946(?)West End GarageBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandMay have done the 1928 and/or the 1946 work
Item 7 of 511929House at RosemountBlairgowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 8 of 511929Rosemount HouseBlairgowrie PerthshireScotlandGrieve's house
Item 9 of 511930Bellfield Street RC School  DundeeScotland 
Item 10 of 511930Panmure VillaBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandAlterations
Item 11 of 51c. 1930St Roque's garage  DundeeScotlandReconstruction and extension
Item 12 of 511933Garage, Shaftsbury Road  DundeeScotland 
Item 13 of 511933SunningdaleStannergate, West Ferry DundeeScotlandGifford indicates he was responsible
Item 14 of 51After 193413 ship interiors for the Caledon Shipbuilding Co     
Item 15 of 51After 19343 ship interiors for the Burntisland Shipbuilding Co     
Item 16 of 51After 1934British Linen BankArbroath AngusScotlandReconstruction and extension
Item 17 of 51After 1934British Linen BankBrechin AngusScotlandReconstruction and extension
Item 18 of 51After 1934Buildings and alterations for County of Angus Territorial Army Association  AngusScotland 
Item 19 of 51After 1934HousesBarnhill DundeeScotland 
Item 20 of 51After 1934Milton Park GarageMonifieth AngusScotland 
Item 21 of 51After 1934Nethergate Garage  DundeeScotlandReconstruction and extension
Item 22 of 51After 1934Panmure Villa LodgeBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandReconstruction
Item 23 of 51After 1934Picture HouseArbroath AngusScotlandDecoration and improvements
Item 24 of 51After 1934Public House, Lindsay Street  DundeeScotland 
Item 25 of 51After 1934Strachan's GarageCarnoustie AngusScotlandReconstruction and extension
Item 26 of 511936The AcademyArbroath AngusScotlandAdditions at side and rear altered and extended again
Item 27 of 511937LincroftBlairgowrie PerthshireScotlandMay be involved as junior partner
Item 28 of 51After 1945Aberarder Farm steading, Ardverikie EstateArdverikie Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 29 of 51After 1945Allanquoich FarmsteadBraemar Aberdeen-shireScotland 
Item 30 of 51After 1945Bon Accord Public House  DundeeScotland 
Item 31 of 51After 1945Dunblane Hydropathic InstitutionDunblane PerthshireScotlandReinstatement occupation by War Office
Item 32 of 51After 1945Dundee Industrial Estate  DundeeScotlandLayout of estate and factory building blocks (blocks number 1, 11, 12, 16, and 23) - may not have had much input
Item 33 of 51After 1945Fire StationForfar AngusScotlandAlterations
Item 34 of 51After 1945Fire StationMontrose AngusScotland 
Item 35 of 51After 1945Gourdie Mains farmsteadingWest Green DundeeScotland 
Item 36 of 51After 1945House for Mr Cardori  DundeeScotland 
Item 37 of 51After 1945House for Mr Kyle, Strathern Road  DundeeScotland 
Item 38 of 51After 1945HousingAlmondbank PerthshireScotland 
Item 39 of 51After 1945Housing, Drumachlie ParkBrechin AngusScotland 
Item 40 of 51After 1945Housing, SpringfieldBrechin AngusScotland 
Item 41 of 51After 1945Light Metal Factory  DundeeScotlandProbably not much input
Item 42 of 51After 1945Opera Public House  DundeeScotland 
Item 43 of 51After 1945Panmure Arms HotelEdzell AngusScotlandReintstaement after occupation by War Office
Item 44 of 51After 1945Shop for James Potts & Co  DundeeScotland 
Item 45 of 51After 1945Shop for James Potts & CoPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 46 of 51After 1945West End Bar  DundeeScotland 
Item 47 of 51After 1945Westgreen Mental Asylum, staff housing  DundeeScotlandPerhaps no input
Item 48 of 511946Peebles HydropathicPeebles PeeblesshireScotlandReinstatement after occupation by WO
Item 49 of 511957Dundee High School  DundeeScotlandInterior remodelling. Per Builder p654
Item 50 of 511972Dundee College Gardyne Road CampusBroughty Ferry AngusScotland 
Item 51 of 511973St Andrew's Church  Dundee Halls joined to church at E

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  
Item 2 of 3RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 3RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 3In possession of Peter GackowskiStudent work 1909-11  
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no3554 (box 13); F no3610 (box 26)