Basic Biographical Details

Name: Richard Rennie Alexander
Designation:  
Born: 12 January 1905
Died: January 2006
Bio Notes: Richard Rennie Alexander was born on 12 January 1905 and was articled to George Bennett Mitchell & Son in 1920. Of the ensuing six years he spent a total of three as a full-time apprentice and three studying full-time at Aberdeen School of Architecture, where he received his diploma in 1925 with Distinction in Civic Design. He passed the final exam and was admitted ARIBA on 29 November 1926, his proposers being Robert Gordon Wilson Junior, John Wilson Walker and George Watt. In that year he found employment as an assistant to Kelly & Nicol, working on new bank premises and ecclesiastical projects. After three years he moved to Bolton to join Bradshaw Gass & Hope as senior assistant on their civic centre schemes, and in 1931 he moved again, becoming senior assistant to the Hampshire County Architect where his work focused on schools and hospitals. He worked for the Borough of Eastbourne from 1935, and was promoted to Deputy Borough Architect in 1944. Two years later he left for Dewsbury, Yorkshire to become Borough Architect and Town Planning Officer there, and he retained that post until 1952 when he was appointed City Architect of Lincoln. He remained in this post of the rest of his career. He was elected FRIBA on 6 December 1955, proposed by R E M Coombes, Leonard Howitt and J W H Barnes.

By 1971 he had retired and was living in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria. He died in January 2006.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 538 , Lilybank Place, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate1926 *  
Item 2 of 5Dewsbury, Yorkshire, EnglandPrivate/business19461952 
Item 3 of 573, Yarborough Crescent, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, EnglandPrivate1955 *  
Item 4 of 5Stamp End, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, EnglandBusiness1955 *  
Item 5 of 5Rock Cottage, High Casterton Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, EnglandPrivate1971 *  

* 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 7George Bennett Mitchell & Son19201926ApprenticeThree years full-time, the rest presumably part-time
Item 2 of 7Kelly & Nicol19261929Assistant 
Item 3 of 7Bradshaw Gass & Hope19291931Senior Assistant 
Item 4 of 7Hampshire County Architect's Department19311935Senior Assistant 
Item 5 of 7Eastbourne Borough Engineer's and Architect's Department19351944Senior Assistant(?)Subsequently Deputy Borough Architect
Item 6 of 7Dewsbury Borough Architect's Department1944 Chief ArchitectBorough Architect and Town Planning Officer
Item 7 of 7Lincoln City Architect's Department1952After 1970Chief Architect 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6J W H Barnes6 December 1955For Fellowship
Item 2 of 6R E M Coombes6 December 1955For Fellowship
Item 3 of 6Leonard Cecil Howitt6 December 1955For Fellowship
Item 4 of 6John Wilson Walker29 November 1926for Associateship
Item 5 of 6George Watt29 November 1926for Associateship
Item 6 of 6Robert Gordon Wilson (junior)29 November 1926for Associateship

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   

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 A no3967 (stored under F5003, combined box 49); F no5003 (combined box 49)