Basic Biographical Details Name: | Robert Shekleton Balfour | Designation: | | Born: | 7 March 1869 | Died: | 7 November 1942 | Bio Notes: | Robert Shekelton Balfour, who also went by the nickname of Robin, was born on 7 March 1869 at Stirling, the son of Robert Balfour and Annie Shekelton.
He was articled to Hippolyte Jean Blanc in the firm of Blanc & Gordon in November 1886, studying at Edinburgh College of Art. After serving his five-year apprenticeship he toured Europe for nine months before moving to London, where he worked in various offices including that of John Macvicar Anderson. Whilst there he passed the qualifying exam in 1893 and was admitted ARIBA on 4 December that year, his proposers being Anderson, Arthur Cates and John Alfred Gotch. He undertook a sketching tour of Wiltshire in July 1894 with Anderson's son Henry Lennox Anderson, a fellow assistant in the office, and in the same year commenced practice in London on his own account. He entered into partnership with William Alfred Pite either at that time or soon afterwards. He was admitted FRIBA on 11 June 1906, his proposers being John Belcher, Macvicar Anderson and Aston Webb; at that time his business address was 116 Jermyn Street, St James's, and his private address at 28B Albemarle Street, Piccadilly. The partnership with Pite was dissolved the following year.
On 12 December 1912 Robert Shekelton Balfour married Mabel Iris FitzGeorge, (who usually went by her middle name of Iris), at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace, St. James's, London. She was the daughter of Colonel George William Adolphus FitzGeorge of the 20th Hussars, and great grand-daughter of Adolphus Frederick Hanover, 1st Duke of Cambridge, the younger brother of King George IV.
He died, aged 73, at Sidmouth, Devon, England, leaving a widow and one son. She married secondly Prince Vladimir Emmanuelovich Galitzine on 12 August 1945 and died on 13 April 1976.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 76, Inverness Terrace, London, England | Private | 1893 * | After 1898 | | | 28B, Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, London, England | Private | 1902 * | 1912 | | | 116, Jermyn Street, London, England | Business | 1906 * | | | | 30, Montpelier Square, London | Private | 1932 | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Blanc & Gordon | November 1886 | Late 1891 | Apprentice | | | John Macvicar Anderson | After 1892 | 1894 | Chief Assistant | | | Pite & Balfour | 1894(?) | 1907 | Partner | |
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA ProposalsThis proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | Henry Lennox Anderson | 27 February 1911 | for Licentiateship | | Thomas Ballantine | 4 March 1907 | for Fellowship |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesPeriodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Building News | 11 October 1912 | | | p500 - marriage announced | | The Times | 13 December 1912 | | | p61 col A Marriage to Iris Fitzgeorge. |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A v12 p64 (microfiche 54/D7); F v16 p150 no1092 (microfilm reel 11) | | www.the peerage.com | thePeerage.com | | Person page 10854 |
|