Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Gordon Dey | Designation: | | Born: | 29 April 1911 | Died: | 16 October 1997 | Bio Notes: | William ('Willie') Gordon Dey was born on 29 April 1911, the son of Alexander John Dey, manufacturing chemist, and his wife Isabella Scott Paterson. He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh. He studied at Edinburgh College of Art from 1929 to 1936. There he met his future partner (Alexander) Esmé Gordon. During his year out in 1933-4 he made a tour of Norway, Denmark and Holland and worked with William Kininmonth in the office of Rowand Anderson & Paul. In 1935 he obtained an exemption from the final exams, undertook a study tour of London and Paris, and joined the first Town Planning Course introduced in that year by Frank Charles Mears, whilst helping out at times in John Begg's office on the Westfield Autocar project at Stirling. He was admitted ARIBA on 2 December of that year, his proposers being John Begg, John Fraser Matthew and Arthur Forman Balfour Paul, and his nomination papers give a home and business address of 'Rothiemay', 22 St John's Road, Edinburgh, although it is not clear whether he undertook any work on his own account at this time.
In 1936 he joined the staff of the city architect Ebenezer James MacRae. He worked mainly on the survey of the Canongate, but was allowed to design the recreation hall at St Cuthbert's Poorhouse.
In 1937 Dey joined Esmé Gordon's office to help with his Glasgow Empire Exhibition Transport Pavilion; at that time Gordon was working in partnership with a fellow architect named Robertson, who has yet to be identified. During the war he served with the Scots Guards prior to CCTU at Sandhurst. He was commissioned in the Gordon Highlanders and saw active service with the 8th Army at El Alamein, Egypt, rising to the rank of Captain.
Robert Matthew arranged his early release to help James Shearer with the Clackmannan County Plan. Despite his affection for Shearer - 'the most delightful architect he had ever met, he learnt more from Shearer than anyone else' - Dey returned to Esmé Gordon's office as a partner in 1946. The two complemented one another; Esme Godon was the academic artist while William Dey was the practical man who understood building construction and contract management.
He was elected ARIAS in 1956 and FRIBA in 1956. He was later a Fellow of the RIAS.
Outwith his professional life, Dey was involved with several charities including the Scottish Council for Spastics and the Abbeyfield (Edinburgh) Society. He served as a Special Constable in the mechanized division for thirty years and was awarded a long service medal. He also was assistant to the Master of the Edinburgh Merchant Company.
All his life Dey lived in Corstorphine and was extremely knowledgable about its history. He was a member of St Anne's Church and regularly gave free advice on the structure. He served as an elder and session clerk for seventeen years. He also advised on the other Corstorphine churches, the Old Parish Church and St Ninian's. He was a founder member of and later honorary President of the Corstorphine Trust and donated to it funds from the sale of his book 'Corstorphine, a Pictorial History'. Even in later years, when his health was failing, he would go to the Trust's Archive Room in the Dower House each Saturday morning to advise younger members.
Dey married Elizabeth ('Betty') Margaret Corrigall in April 1939. He died at the Royal Vistoria Hospital, Edinburgh on 16 October 1997. He was survived by Betty who died on 11 December 2011. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 6/2, Craigleith Avenue South, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | | 1997 | | | Rothiemay/22, St John's Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | Before 1935 | After 1937 | | | 6, Corstorphine House Avenue, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business(?) | 1939(?) | | | | 20, Dovecote Road, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1939 | After 1956 | | | 36, Heriot Row, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business(?) | 1950 * | After 1970 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | 1935 | Westfield Autocar motor showroom | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | As occasional assistant | | 1938 | Glasgow Empire Exhibition, Travel and Transport Pavilion | Bellahouston | | Glasgow | Scotland | As assistant | | 1946 | Free High Church and Free Church College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations. Perhaps involved in alterations including sub-division of students' common room and alterations in examination rooms | | 1946 | St Giles Cathedral | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | War memorial chapel furnishings and extensive alterations to sanctuary for State service at which HM the Queen received the Crown of Scotland | | 1947 | Leeds Premanent Building Society office | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1947 | Moray House Training College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Handiwork and music department added | | After 1947 | Children's Homes | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | After 1947 | Eventide Home | Loanhead | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | After 1947 | Eventide home | Gargunnock | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | After 1947 | Eventide Home | Alloa | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | | | After 1947 | Eventide Home | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1949 | British Linen Bank, Head Office | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New suite for general manager and war memorial | | 1949 | British Linen Bank, Shandwick Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1949 | Church Hall, Pennywell Road | West Pilton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | After 1949 | British Linen Bank | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Reconstruction | | After 1949 | British Linen Bank | Johnstone | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Reconstruction | | After 1949 | British Linen Bank | Berwick-upon-Tweed | | Northumberland | England | Reconstruction | | 1950 | Research laboratory for Scottish Agricultural Industries | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1952 | Moray House Training College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Sports pavilion | | 1952 | Woodhall Paper Mill | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction after fire | | 1953 | British Pharmaceutical Society, exam laboratories | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1953 | Free Church | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Furnishings and other reconstruction | | 1953 | Moray House Training College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Scheme of restoration | | 1953 | Oxgangs Primary School | Oxgangs | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1953 | St Anne's Church | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Furnishings in N Chapel | | 1954 | Moray House Training College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Speech training department | | 1955 | Coldingham Priory | Coldingham | | Berwickshire | Scotland | Reordering of interior | | 1955 | Tenement, 176-184 Canongate | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction | | 1956 | 200 Canongate | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1956 | Leeds Premanent Building Society office | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Further reconstruction | | 1956 | Lodge Dunedin | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction after fire | | 1956 | Tenement, Old Playhouse Close | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Reconstruction | | c. 1956 | Heriot-Watt Technical College, new block | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1960 | Electricity office and showroom | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1960 | Moray House Training College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and additions including new gymnasium | | 1960 | Scottish Life Assurance Co | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Rebuilding | | 1960 | St David's Church | Broomhouse | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1961 | Building (neo-Georgian in style), Holyrood Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1963 | Allan Park UP Church | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Interior recast including large chancel with panelled organ pipe housings | | Mid 1960s | Heriot-Watt University, Department of Brewing and Biochemistry | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1970 | North Parish Church | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1971 | Moray House College of Education, Charteris Land | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1974 | St Mary's Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Interior decoration. | | 1974 | Upper Springland Centre | Perth | | Perthshire | | | | 1975 | Gannochy Trust Sports Complex, with Bell Sports Centre and Gannochy Sports Pavilion | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | The Gannochy Sports Pavilion | | 1975 | Kinnoull House and MacMillan House | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | Before 1975 | Eventide Home for the Merchant Company of Edinburgh | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Before 1975 | Milton Road East Lodge, gates and scaliger railing | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Special care unit | | Before 1975 | Newbattle House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1979 | 84-86 Great King Street and 2A and 2B St Vincent Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Repairs | | 1980 | Christ Church Episcopal Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Conversion 'into a modern idiom' | | 1980 | Moray House College of Education, St Mary's Land and Chessel's Land | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1980 | Saltoun Hall | | | East Lothian | Scotland | Roof repairs | | 1980 | St John's Church | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Restoration. Partner in charge. | | 1982 | George Heriot's Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Restoration. Partner in charge. |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p4 Image of Electricity Board Office and Showroom | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | RIAS Newsletter | December 1997 | v10, no8 | | Death note | | Scotsman | 17 October 1997 | | | | | Scotsman | 14 December 2011 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Information from Charles McKean's interview with Dey, 18 December 1985, and notes provided by Esmé Gordon | | RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no5824 (stored under F5124, combined box 58); F no5124 (combined box 58) |
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