Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Burns Dick
Designation:  
Born: 1868
Died: 1954
Bio Notes: Robert Burns Dick was born in 1868 in Stirling but moved to Newcastle as a child as was educated there. He was articled to William Lister Newcombe of Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1888 he moved to the office of Armstrong & Knowles in the same town as assistant, remaining there until setting up on his own in 1893.

Dick formed a partnership with Charles Thomas Marshall in 1895 and the next year, 1896, they won the competition for the Corporation Lodging House in Aberdeen. Marshall had been born in 1866 and had been an apprentice in Newcombe's office alongside Dick, subsequently assisting in Durham County Council Architect's Department and in the office of Richard Knill Freeman in Manchester before commencing independent practice in Newcastle in 1892.

The partnership of Marshall & Dick was dissolved in 1897, with Marshall moving office in 1899 to London and forming a partnership with William Tweedy (born 1872), who was put in charge of the Newcastle office. Also in 1899 Dick was taken into partnership by the older James Thorburn Cackett, the practice name becoming Cackett & Burns Dick.

Dick was admitted FRIBA on 8 January 1906, his proposers being Cackett, Alfred William Stephens Cross and George Hubbard.

In 1923 Robert Norman Houghton MacKellar was taken into partnership. It appears that the practice title did not change to Cackett, Burns Dick & MacKellar until the time of Cackett's death in 1928 or 1929.

Dick retired to Esher in 1940 and died in 1954.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 424, Grainger Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne, EnglandBusiness1898 or 1900After 1906 
Item 2 of 4Roseworth Lawn, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, EnglandPrivate1906 *  
Item 3 of 4Pilgrim House, Newcastle upon Tyne, EnglandPrivate/business(?)1914 *  
Item 4 of 4Millmount, Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne, EnglandPrivate/business(?)1914 *  

* 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 5William Lister Newcombec. 18831888Apprentice 
Item 2 of 5Armstrong & Knowles18881893Assistant 
Item 3 of 5Marshall & DickBefore 1896Before 1899Partner 
Item 4 of 5Cackett & Burns Dick18991928Partner 
Item 5 of 5Cackett, Burns Dick & MacKellar1928 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3James Thoburn Cackett8 January 1906for Fellowship
Item 2 of 3Alfred William Stephens Cross8 January 1906for Fellowship
Item 3 of 3George Hubbard8 January 1906for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 4Lewis Edwin Hetherington31 October 1930for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 4John Holt20 July 1936For Associateship
Item 3 of 4Robert Norman Houghton MacKellar22 June 1936for Fellowship
Item 4 of 4John Williamson19 December 1910for 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 31896Corporation Lodging House, East North Street  AberdeenScotlandThird premiated competition design - but secured the commission
Item 2 of 31897Villa, 6 Wester Coates Avenue  EdinburghScotland 
Item 3 of 31898Police and Magistrates CourtBerwick-upon-Tweed NorthumberlandEnglandWon competition to secure job

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 3Who's Who in Architecture1914    
Item 3 of 3Who's Who in Architecture1923    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder17 December 1954  p 976 - obituary
Item 2 of 2RIBA JournalJanuary 1955 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp131 Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers F v16 p74 (microfilm reel 11)