Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Henderson Motion
Designation:  
Born: 8 January 1886
Died: 22 May 1967
Bio Notes: Robert Henderson Motion was born in Glasgow on 8 January 1886, the son of Thomas Mason Motion, mercantile clerk, and his wife Magdalene Henderson. He was articled to Thomson & Sandilands in 1900, studying at the Royal Technical College and Glasgow School of Art under Charles Gourlay, Eugène Bourdon and George Moncur. He remained with the same firm after completing his apprenticeship and was promoted to chief draughtsman in 1908. Two years later he left for Dunfermline, where he commenced practice on his own account on 16 January the following year. He was admitted LRIBA on 15 October 1930, his proposers being John Thomson, John Keppie and John Watson. At that time he was still in Dunfermline, working from an office at Union Bank Chambers and living at 'The Ridge', Queensferry Road. He does not appear to have travelled outside Britain.

He died aged 81 at Milesmark Hospital, Dunfermline on 22 May 1967. He was married twice, first to Mary Smith, and second to Edith Letitia Lennox and was survived by his second wife.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2Union Bank Chambers, High Street, Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1917After 1950 
Item 2 of 2The Ridge, Queensferry Road, Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandPrivate1930 *1967 

* 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 3Thomson & Sandilands1900c. 1905Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3Thomson & Sandilandsc. 19051908Assistant(?) 
Item 3 of 3Thomson & Sandilands19081910Chief Draughtsman 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 8Herbert Kitchener CalderJune 19151920ApprenticeWith the exception of war service, March 1917 to October 1919
Item 2 of 8Robert Leggat HumeSeptember 19151922ApprenticeWith the exception of two-and-a-half years' war service
Item 3 of 8Robert BlythNovember 1917June 1923Apprentice 
Item 4 of 8Robert Blythc. November 1922June 1923Assistant 
Item 5 of 8John Alexander Thornton Dickson15 March 192615 March 1931Apprentice 
Item 6 of 8John Alexander Thornton Dickson15 March 193115 March 1934Junior Assistant 
Item 7 of 8John Alexander Thornton Dickson15 March 193415 March 1937Draughtsman 
Item 8 of 8John Alexander Thornton Dickson15 March 19371943Chief Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3John Keppie15 October 1930for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3John Thomson15 October 1930for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3John Watson15 October 1930for 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 251911Dunfermline and West Fife LaundryDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 2 of 251913St Andrews Cinema HouseSt Andrews FifeScotland 
Item 3 of 25191446-48 Hepburn GardensSt Andrews FifeScotland 
Item 4 of 251915SchoolRosyth FifeScotlandWon competition to secure job (but modified plans were requested)
Item 5 of 251915West Fife Infectious Diseases HospitalDunfermline FifeScotlandObservation block
Item 6 of 251919Brucefield Housing SchemeDunfermline FifeScotlandTo design 15 three-apartment houses
Item 7 of 251920Brucefield Housing SchemeDunfermline FifeScotland185 and 158 houses to be built
Item 8 of 251920Crossgates Primary SchoolCrossgates FifeScotland 
Item 9 of 251920King's Road Primary SchoolRosyth FifeScotland 
Item 10 of 251920School, Park RoadRosyth FifeScotland 
Item 11 of 251920Ten houses, Playfield Site, BalgownieCulross FifeScotland 
Item 12 of 25c. 1920St Leonard's Church and hallDunfermline FifeScotlandApse chairs
Item 13 of 251931Forty houses for Fife County CouncilKelty FifeScotland 
Item 14 of 251931Twenty-four houses for Inverkeithing Town CouncilInverkeithing FifeScotland 
Item 15 of 251932Lochore Miners' Social ClubBallingry, Lochore & Crosshill FifeScotland 
Item 16 of 251932Seventy-six houses for Fife County CouncilKelty FifeScotland16 houses
Item 17 of 251933Housing scheme, SpittalfieldInverkeithing FifeScotland 
Item 18 of 251934Sixty houses for Fife County CouncilKelty FifeScotland 
Item 19 of 251936Thirty-six houses for Dunfermline County Council, ParkneukDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 20 of 251937Burgh of Dunfermline Gas Department, Canmore StreetDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 21 of 251938Electricity Service CentreDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 22 of 251938Forty-eight houses for Fife County CouncilHalbeath FifeScotland 
Item 23 of 251939Erskine Parish Church and hallDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 24 of 251950Headwell Hall-ChurchDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 25 of 251951Oakley Hall-ChurchDunfermline FifeScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Pride, Glen L1999The Kingdom of Fife2nd EditionThe Rutland Pressp14, p15
Item 2 of 2RIBA1950The 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 2H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no3454 (box 11)