Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | Walter Underwood | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 19 November 1906 | Died: | 13 April 1988 | Bio Notes: | Walter Underwood was born in Shettleston on 19 November 1906, the son of Matthew Underwood, Inspector of Buildings and Annie Eliz [sic] Tait. He married Mary Campbell Gunn, daughter of David Flett Gunn, wine and spirit merchant, at All Saints Episcopal Church, Jordanhill on 31 January 1933.
Underwood was educated at Allan Glen's School, Glasgow. He served his articles with Balfour & Stewart from 1922-27. The following year he obtained a senior certificate from Glasgow School of Art and the Royal Technical College, passing 'with distinction'. He then spent 14 months as assistant to James Lochhead in Cullen Lochhead & Brown in Hamilton but transferred to a similar position with Wylie Shanks & Wylie in Glasgow. In 1934 he moved to become an assistant with Joseph Weekes, the Dumbarton County Architect during which time 'he showed marked ability in the planning and design of schools, police stations, housing schemes, public health clinics and local government administration buildings'. In he moved to Nottingham Corporation.
Underwood returned to Scotland to the post of Chief Architect to the Scottish Co-Operative Wholesale Society from at least 1939 until 1945. (some sources indicate that he worked for the SCWS in the early 1930s but his Fellowship Nomination Paper makes no reference to this). He was admitted ARIBA in 1933 and FRIBA in 1947. In April of the previous year he had joined the practice of Wylie Shanks & Wylie as partner. The firm name was not changed to Wylie, Shanks & Underwood until the death of Edward Grigg Wylie in 1954.
In May 1960 Underwood broke away and set up under the style of Walter Underwood & Partners. He took Michael Beale and T George Low with him from the Wylie Shanks practice. They operated from 2 La Belle Place. David J Leslie, James M Paton and William McLean who had been assistants with the Wylie practice left to join Underwood and became partners in 1964.
Although his architecture was very modern Walter Underwood was very much an old-school Glasgow professional gentleman. One of his last undertakings, carried out after he had officially retired, was the conservation of the village of Luss in which he took a close personal interest. He reired from the practice on 9 September 1985.
He had served as Governor of Glasgow School of Art and as President of the Glasgow Institute of Architects and Vice President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland.
Underwood died at 1 Belmont Road, Glasgow on 13 April 1988. His death was reported by his daugher J M Staples, then of 8 Gamekeeper's Road, Edinburgh. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 36, Willowbank Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1933 * | | |  | 204, West Regent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1933 | After 1947 | |  | 6, Bowmont Terrace, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1946 * | | |  | 2, La Belle Place, Glagow, Scotland | Business | Before 1964 | | |  | Tamarac, Moor Road, Strathblane, Stirlingshire, Scotland | Private | 1988 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this architect (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes |  | James Symington Houston | 1932 | After 1945 | Assistant | In SCWS Architect's Department |
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes |  | 1939 | Petty Farms | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Reconstruction - as Chief Architect of SCWS |  | After 1939 | Bacon Factory | Enniskillen | | | Northern Ireland | Cold Store reconstructed - as Chief Architect to SCWS |  | After 1939 | Crichie Flour Mills | Crichie | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Reconstruction - as Chief Architect, SCWS |  | After 1939 | Farm steading | Monktonhall | | Ayrshire | Scotland | As Chief Architect to SCWS |  | After 1939 | Garage buildings for SCWS | Pollokshaws | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Architect to SCWS |  | After 1939 | Houses for agricultural workers | Duns | | Berwickshire | Scotland | As Chief Architect to SCWS |  | After 1939 | Junction Flour mills | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction - as architect to SCWS |  | After 1939 | Jute works | | | Dundee | Scotland | Extensions- as Chief Architect to SCWS |  | After 1939 | Retail buildings for SCWS | | | | Scotland | As Chief Architect to SCWS |  | After 1939 | Scottish Wholesale Co-operative Society, medical and welfare block | Shieldhall | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Architect, SCWS |  | After 1939 | SCWS garage building | Kilmarnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | As Chief Architect to SCWS |  | 1947 | Glasgow Maternity Hospital | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1949 | National Cash Registers (NCR) Factory | | | Dundee | Scotland | Extension |  | 1949 | Royal College of Science and Technology, James Weir Engineering Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1951 | Rolls Royce Factory | East Kilbride | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1952 | Cranhill Parish Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1952 | Newhouse Industrial Estate buildings | Motherwell | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1954 | Killearn Hospital | Killearn | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Alterations and extension to wards, labs and X-ray and operating theatres |  | 1954 | Royal College of Science and Technology Students Union | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1954 | Scottish Industries Exhibition, 1954 | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Responsible for plan? |  | 1955 | Trades House | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Timber ceiling in Hall inserted. Partner in charge of this job. ('Buildings of Scotland' say it was by Walter Underwood & Partners, but this practice did not exist at this time.) |  | 1957 | Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Pathology Department | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension and alterations |  | 1957 | Royal College of Science and Technology, James Weir Engineering Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1957 | St Paul's Parish Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Subdivision |  | 1958 | Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance and Junior Conservative Club | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Alterations - three balconies removed from front, attic added and interior reconstructed. |  | 1959 | Scottish Industries Exhibition 1959 | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Plan |  | Late 1950s | Glasgow Western Infirmary, Radiotherapy Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1960 | Royal College of Science and Technology, James Weir Engineering Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additional 6-storey slab facing Cathedral Street - as senior partner |  | 1960(?) | The Buchanan Retreat | Boclair, Bearsden | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1962 | University of Dundee, Fulton Building | | | Dundee | Scotland | As senior partner |  | 1963 | Royal Stuart Hotel | | | Glasgow | Scotland | as senior partner |  | 1964 | Office Block, George Square Area | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Acting as consultant architects for proposals |  | 15 April 1966 | Cultural Centre for Glasgow, Buchanan St | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Independent architect brought in to discuss possible modifications and alterations to city architect A. G. Jury's design following public and professional concern over the appearance of the building |  | 1968 | Bruce Hotel | East Kilbride | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | As senior partner |  | 1968 | Cowcaddens CDA housing | Cowcaddens | | Glasgow | Scotland | As senior partner |  | 1968 | Royal College of Science and Technology, Centre for Industrial Innovation | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As senior partner |  | 1968 | University of Glasgow, Women Students' Union | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As senior partner |  | 1970s | Bank of England Branch Treasury | | | Glasgow | England | Partner in charge |  | 1972 | Royal College of Science and Technology, Stenhouse Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As senior partner |  | 1975 | Martyrs Church of Scotland | Townhead | | Glasgow | Scotland | As senior partner |  | 1976 | Royal College of Science and Technology Students Union | | | Glasgow | Scotland | N extension - as senior partner |  | 1981 | Dale House, West George Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1981 | Fountain House, Woodside Crescent | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Partner in charge - responsible for plan |  | Before 1981 | Bradford & Bingley Building Society branch office | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Bradford & Bingley Building Society branch office | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Bradford & Bingley Building Society branch office | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Bradford & Bingley Building Society branch office | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Fine Fare Supermarket | Stirling | | Stilringshire | Scotland | |  | Before 1981 | Fine Fare Supermarket | Aviemore | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Fine Fare Supermarket | Prestwick | | Ayrshire | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Fine Fare Supermarket | Stranraer | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Fine Fare Supermarket | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Fine Fare Supermarket | Bearsden | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Fine Fare Supermarket | Barrhead | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Fine Fare Supermarket | Motherwell | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | Fine Fare Supermarket, Byres Road | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As senior partner |  | Before 1981 | University of Strathclyde, Food Science Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | Before 1981 | University of Strathclyde, swimming Pool | | | Glasgow | Scotland | |  | 1983 | Herriot Hill Printing Works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Remodelling warehouse as Engineering Applications Centre (National Centre for Orthotics and Prosthetics) and Scottish Hotel School. Also various University departments accommodated. Adaptation of former Collins building. |  | 1983 | Tenement, Onslow Drive | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Rehabilitation - senior partner with Walter Underwood & partners |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Municipal Annual | 1964 | Scottish Municipal Annual | 1964-1965 | | |  | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Additional research by Iain Paterson |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no5103 (stored under F4240, combined box 3); F no4240 (combined box 3) |
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