Basic Biographical Details

Name: Arthur Francis Stevenson Wright
Designation:  
Born: 15 February 1918
Died: 12 February 1997
Bio Notes: Arthur Francis Stevenson Wright was born on 15 February 1918, the son of Arthur Wright, foreman yarn and cloth dyer and his wife Alice Matthew, milliner and was educated at Morgan Academy and from 1936-1940 took the part-time course at the School of Architecture, Dundee College of Art. During this period he was articled tin the practice of Thoms & Wilkie. During the Second World War he served with the Royal Engineers, mainly working on airfield construction in Germany and Burma and was twice mentioned in dispatches for reconnaissance work in Japanese occupied Sumatera. He reached the rank of Captain. He was awarded an MBE on 22 March 1945 for his work on airfield construction.

After the cease of hostilities he returned to Dundee where he became a full-time student, graduating in 1948 and being admitted ARIBA in 1949 and FRIAS in 1954. Having spent some time during his vacations with Gauldie Hardie & Sharpe, he was then taken into partnership by William Gauldie, the practice name becoming Gauldie Hardie & Wright. He was a long-standing friend and intellectual sparring partner to Gauldie. He was elected FRIBA in 1956, proposed by William Sinclair Gauldie, John Needham and Thomas Hill Thoms. In the 1950s the practice undertook a wide range of work inclduing alterations to houses in Dundee and alterations and additions to farm buildings throughout Angus.

Wright was a Vice President of the RIAS from 1964-65, President of the the Dundee Institute of Architects from 1965-7 and President of the RIAS from 1975-77. He also served on the Council of the RIBA, the Architects' Registration Council and was a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building. He retired in 1983.

In person he was not tall but had a military bearing with a somewhat terse manner and did not suffer fools gladly.

Wright died at Cameron Hospital, Windygates on 12 February 1997, aged 78, survived by his wife Catherine Grey Linton who had been a schoolteacher and by his daughter and grandchildren.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 6Thorvale, Castlegate, Ceres, Fife, ScotlandPrivate 1997 
Item 2 of 6Carlo, William Street, Carnoustie, Angus, ScotlandPrivate1948 *  
Item 3 of 626, Commercial Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness1953 *  
Item 4 of 6Hillside of Preston, Tealing, Angus, ScotlandPrivate/businessc. 1954 *c. 1956 
Item 5 of 61, High Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness1956  
Item 6 of 62, Osborne Place, Magdalen Yard Road, Dundee, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)1964 *  

* 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 3Gauldie Hardie & Wright19471950Partner 
Item 2 of 3Gauldie, Hardie, Wright & Needham19501975Partner 
Item 3 of 3Gauldie Wright & Partners1975 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 7William Allan Cairns17 July 1968For Fellowship
Item 2 of 7Richard Houston Dewar5 June 1968for Fellowship
Item 3 of 7William Finlayson McKenzie26 June 1963For Associateship
Item 4 of 7William Finlayson McKenzie22 July 1970For Fellowship
Item 5 of 7Frank PrideApril 1957For Fellowship
Item 6 of 7Robert Stewart Smith4 February 1958For Associateship
Item 7 of 7Robert Stewart Smith5 October 1966For Fellowship

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 38c. 1950Dundee Technical Institute  DundeeScotlandExtensions to textile department
Item 2 of 381952House for W S GauldieInvergowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 3 of 38Before 1954Bullionfield Paper WorksInvergowrie Perthshire/AngusScotlandNew materials' warehouse and new boiler house
Item 4 of 38Before 1954Premises of Messrs Alex Potter, shoemakers  DundeeScotlandAlterations and reconstruction of fashion department and children's department
Item 5 of 38Before 1954The George public house  DundeeScotlandReconstruction
Item 6 of 381956General Accident Assurance CoPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 7 of 38Before 1956Blackness Foundry, drawing office  DundeeScotlandNew drawing office
Item 8 of 38Before 1956HouseBlairgowrie PerthshireScotlandAlterations
Item 9 of 38Before 1956Lawside Dyework  DundeeScotlandExtension
Item 10 of 38Before 1956Private houseCarnoustie AngusScotland 
Item 11 of 38Before 1956Private houseAuchterhouse AngusScotland 
Item 12 of 38Before 1956Private houses  DundeeScotland 
Item 13 of 381957Students Hostel at MayfieldMayfield DundeeScotland 
Item 14 of 381958University HallSt Andrews FifeScotlandnew women's residence on grounds of hall
Item 15 of 381960Cupar County BuildingsCupar FifeScotlandWon competition and secured job
Item 16 of 381960Halls of ResidenceSt Andrews FifeScotland 
Item 17 of 381960Halls of residence for the College of Technology  DundeeScotland 
Item 18 of 381962Belmont Hall of residence  DundeeScotland 
Item 19 of 381963Engineering Factory for AEI Ltd  DundeeScotland 
Item 20 of 381963Engineering factory for Keith Blackman LtdArbroath AngusScotland 
Item 21 of 381963Psychiatric HospitalPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 22 of 381963Psychiatric Hospital  DundeeScotland 
Item 23 of 381965Avenue Road HousingKinross Kinross-shireScotland 
Item 24 of 381965Royal Bank of ScotlandAlyth PerthshireScotland 
Item 25 of 381965Royal Bank of Scotland branch  DundeeScotland 
Item 26 of 381966DrumlinGlencarse PerthshireScotlandAlterations
Item 27 of 381966Mayfield HallArbroath AngusScotlandRestoration - job architect
Item 28 of 381966Old people's homes  DundeeScotland 
Item 29 of 381968Greenfield Primary School  DundeeScotland 
Item 30 of 381968Kirkton Neighbourhood Centre and LibraryArdler DundeeScotland 
Item 31 of 381968Williamson Memorial Unitarian Church  DundeeScotland 
Item 32 of 38Before 1970HousingLivingston West LothianScotland 
Item 33 of 38Before 1970Housing  DundeeScotland 
Item 34 of 38Before 1970Private housingCraigie DundeeScotland 
Item 35 of 381972Dundee Institute of Art and Technology, student flats  DundeeScotland 
Item 36 of 381972Regional Police Headquarters  DundeeScotland 
Item 37 of 381975Housing work for Dundee & Hillcrest Housing Associations  DundeeScotlandRehabilitation
Item 38 of 381975Police StationFintry DundeeScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp18 Belmont Hall of Residence
Item 2 of 5Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  
Item 3 of 5RIBA1948The RIBA Kalendar 1948-1949 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 5RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 5 of 5RIBA1954RIBA Kalendar 1953-54   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Dundee Courier1997  Undated obituary
Item 2 of 2London Gazette20 March 1945   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 3Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material  
Item 3 of 3RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership