Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Forbes Hutchison
Designation:  
Born: 30 December 1908
Died: 26 March 1976
Bio Notes: Robert Forbes Hutchison was born on 30 December 1908, the son of Thomas Hutchison, aerated water manufacturer, and his wife Kristine Forbes Francis. He was articled to Walter Alison of Kirkcaldy in January 1925, studying at Edinburgh College of Architecture and Heriot-Watt College. He obtained a position as assistant architect to Fife County Council in July 1930, moving in December 1932 to Dundee City Architect's Department and at the beginning of 1936 to North Riding County Council. He was admitted ARIBA on 8 March 1937, Leslie Stuart Stanley, H O Corfiato and another (illegible) being his proposers. At the time of his election he would appear to have been working in the Education Department, Northallerton. In the same year he joined Nottingham Corporation Architect's Department as senior assistant, leaving after nine years to take up an appointment as Deputy City Architect to the City of Stoke-on-Trent Corporation.

In October 1948 he returned to Scotland as chief architect to the Regional Hospital Boards of Scotland (except the Western Regional Board), and he commenced independent practice in Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy in 1950 when he acquired the practice of his former employer Walter Alison on the latter's death. He continued to practise thereafter under the name of Walter Alison & Hutchison, his work principally consisting of school and hospital buildings. The practice name later changed to Alison Hutchison & Partners.

He was elected FRIBA in 1954, his proposers being John Holt, J Piggott and J A Pickavance. He was elected FRIAS that same year.

He died on 26 March 1976. His wife Betsy Amy Osborne had predeceased him. His death was registered by his nephew, Tom.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 759, Gamekeeper's Road, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate 1976 
Item 2 of 7c/o 3, Thirsk Terrace, Northallerton, Yorkshire, EnglandPrivate1937 *  
Item 3 of 76, Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness(?)1950  
Item 4 of 7Kirkcaldy, Fife, ScotlandBusinessLate 1950  
Item 5 of 722, Learmonth Crescent, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1954 *  
Item 6 of 738, York Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1954 *  
Item 7 of 740, Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessBefore 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 9Walter Alison12 January 1925July 1930Apprentice 
Item 2 of 9Fife County CouncilJuly 1930December 1932Assistant 
Item 3 of 9Dundee City Architect's DepartmentDecember 1932December 1935Assistant 
Item 4 of 9North Riding Education Committee Architect's DepartmentJanuary 19361937Assistant 
Item 5 of 9Nottingham Corporation Architect's Department19371946Senior Assistant 
Item 6 of 9City of Stoke-on-Trent Corporation Architect's Department19461948ArchitectDeputy City Architect
Item 7 of 9South East Regional Hospital Board, Architect's Department (or South Eastern Hospital Board)19481950Chief Architect 
Item 8 of 9Walter Alison & HutchisonLate 1950After 1954Partner 
Item 9 of 9Alison & Hutchison & PartnersBefore 1961After 1975Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 4(Professor) H O Corfiato8 March 1937For Associateship
Item 2 of 4John HoltJune 1954For Fellowship
Item 3 of 4Harry Horace Macdonald22 July 1970For Fellowship
Item 4 of 4Leslie Stuart Stanley8 March 1937For Associateship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 5Gerald Francis Carroll4 December 1968For felowship
Item 2 of 5George Gilroy Graham22 July 1970For Fellowship
Item 3 of 5Prabhat Lakshaman (Lakshamanrao) Kaikini5 February 1969For Fellowship
Item 4 of 5James Lister10 April 1956For Licentiateship
Item 5 of 5Charles Ewan McEwan-Waghorn9 October 1956For Licentiateship

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 95 193 houses, GrangepansBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandAs senior partner
Item 2 of 95 Community or Recreation CentreBo'ness /Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 3 of 95 Teesside General HospitalStockton-on-Tees Cleveland (North Yorkshire)EnglandPhase I
Item 4 of 951875Calderhead Junior Secondary School, ShottsShotts LanarkshireScotlandNew building added
Item 5 of 951900sDeaf and Dumb InstituteLangside GlasgowScotland 
Item 6 of 951950City Hospital, Rehabilitation and Recreation Centre (Ward 12)  EdinburghScotland 
Item 7 of 951950Longmore Hospital Operating Theatre & X-Ray Unit, Salisbury Place  EdinburghScotlandNew surgical unit/operating theatre and x-ray unit
Item 8 of 951951Elsie Inglis Memorial Hospital  EdinburghScotlandNew stores
Item 9 of 951951Leith PoorhouseLeith EdinburghScotlandAdditions and alterations and modernisation of main kitchen block
Item 10 of 951951Michael Nairn & Co Office Block and factoryKirkcaldy FifeScotlandAdditions including new canteen
Item 11 of 951952Infant SchoolCardenden Fife  
Item 12 of 951952Infant SchoolBurntisland FifeScotland 
Item 13 of 951952Whitburn Primary SchoolWhitburn West LothianScotlandnamed as senior partner
Item 14 of 951953Cameron HouseWindygates FifeScotlandNew 30-bed pavilion and treatment block formerly TB Centre
Item 15 of 951953Infant SchoolAuchterderran FifeScotland 
Item 16 of 951953Junior Secondary SchoolBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 17 of 951953Western General Hospital, Teaching and Research block  EdinburghScotland 
Item 18 of 951954St Mary's Roman Catholic SchoolBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandOriginal school building
Item 19 of 95December 1955The PeelClovenfords SelkirkshireScotlandNew laboratory and X-ray block cost £40,000 - as senior partner
Item 20 of 951957Denny High SchoolDenny StirlingshireScotland 
Item 21 of 951957Goodlyburn Junior Secondary SchoolPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 22 of 951957Paisley Technical SchoolPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandwon competition (prize ₤1500) and secured job with project numbered 93, per Builder p760
Item 23 of 95November 1957Leith Fort HousingLeith EdinburghScotlandspecial mention - per Builder 31 January 1958 p214. Other partners may have been involved as well.
Item 24 of 951958Grangepans redevlopmentBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 25 of 951958Lismore Primary SchoolDuddingston EdinburghScotland 
Item 26 of 951958Woodcroft Telephone Exchange  EdinburghScotlandWorking drawings only
Item 27 of 95April 1958Kirkcaldy Burgh Infectious Diseases HospitalKirkcaldy FifeScotlandNew dining rooms and kitchens and female ward alterations - as senior partner
Item 28 of 951959Camelon High SchoolFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandCurtain wall addtiions to N and E
Item 29 of 951959Grangemouth Housing competitionGrangemouth StirlingshireScotlandCompetition design - entry commended
Item 30 of 951959Napier Technical College  EdinburghScotland 
Item 31 of 959 January 1959Deaf and Dumb InstituteLangside GlasgowScotland2nd award in competition for new college - see details under 'construction/design events'
Item 32 of 95Before 1959St Mary's SchoolBathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 33 of 951960sLeith PoorhouseLeith EdinburghScotlandPost-war alterations and discreet new buildings
Item 34 of 951960Calderhead Junior Secondary School, ShottsShotts LanarkshireScotlandRemodelling and extensions
Item 35 of 951960Western General Hospital, Teaching and Research block  EdinburghScotlandExtension - as senior partner
Item 36 of 95October 1960Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, heart and lung theatres  EdinburghScotland 
Item 37 of 951961Couper Street housing (Thomas Fraser Court and John Russell Court)Leith EdinburghScotland 
Item 38 of 951961Gordon BarracksOld Machar AberdeenScotlandReconstruction
Item 39 of 951961Technical College, BathgateBathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 40 of 951961Thurso Technical CollegeThurso CaithnessScotland 
Item 41 of 951962Linksview House and other housing, Giles Street and Coltfield LaneLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 42 of 951962Paisley College of TechnologyPaisley RenfrewshireScotland1st prize in competition
Item 43 of 951963City Hospital, Ear Nose and Throat Department  EdinburghScotland 
Item 44 of 951963Elsie Inglis Memorial Hospital  EdinburghScotlandNew maternity unit, isolation unit, stores and staff quarters
Item 45 of 951963Housing, Cables WyndLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 46 of 951963Technical CollegeGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandNew College to replace the 1908-9 buildings
Item 47 of 951963Windyknowe Primary SchoolBathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 48 of 951964Housing development, GrahamsdykeBo'ness (Borrowstouness) West LothianScotland 
Item 49 of 951964Office Block for British Hydrocarbon Chemicals Ltd, GrangemouthGrangemouth StirlingshireScotlandAggregate-clad block
Item 50 of 951964Tolbooth Wynd housingLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 51 of 95July 1964221 houses, 3rd developmentBlackburn West LothianScotlandAs senior partner
Item 52 of 951965College of Domestic ScienceClermiston EdinburghScotlandCommended in competition
Item 53 of 951965Lynebank Mental HospitalDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 54 of 951965St Gabriel's RC ChurchPrestonpans East LothianScotland 
Item 55 of 95April 1965Western General Hospital, teaching unit  EdinburghScotlandSenior partner
Item 56 of 95July 1965250 units of married soldiers' quarters  EdinburghScotlandAs senior partner
Item 57 of 951966Broxburn AcademyBroxburn West LothianScotland 
Item 58 of 951966Telford College  EdinburghScotland 
Item 59 of 951967158 houses, The MingleBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 60 of 951968Cardonald College of Technology  GlasgowScotland 
Item 61 of 951968Craigmount High SchoolCorstorphine EdinburghScotland 
Item 62 of 951968St Andrews RC ChurchLivingston West LothianScotland 
Item 63 of 95After 1968Local Authority HousingBellshill LanarkshireScotland 
Item 64 of 95After 1968Local Authority housing, LindamsUddingston LanarkshireScotland 
Item 65 of 95After 1968Post Office Telephone Engineering Centre  GlasgowScotland 
Item 66 of 95After 1968Private Hotels  FifeScotland 
Item 67 of 951969Craig Phadrig HospitalInverness Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 68 of 951969Craigcrook Castle, walled garden, office block  EdinburghScotland 
Item 69 of 951969Elgin AcademyElgin MorayshireScotlandNew Technical College built in grounds of old Academy
Item 70 of 951969Indoor Swimming PoolKirkcaldy FifeScotlandGifford gives Hutchison as architect (not Alison & Hutchison)
Item 71 of 951969Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion  EdinburghScotland 
Item 72 of 951969Stewartfield housing schemeBroxburn West LothianScotland 
Item 73 of 951969Teesside County Borough PolytechnicMiddlesborough Cleveland (North Yorkshire)England 
Item 74 of 95Early 1960sKirkgate Housing, Phases I, II and IIILeith Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandAs senior partner - all three phases
Item 75 of 951970s(?)John Ogilvie High SchoolHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 76 of 951970sPolice headquartersMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 
Item 77 of 951970sPolice headquartersLivingston West LothianScotland 
Item 78 of 951970sSwimming pool Jedburgh RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 79 of 951970sSwimming poolSelkirk SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 80 of 951970sTelephone engineering centre  GlasgowScotland 
Item 81 of 951970s(?)WarehousesLanark LanarkshireScotland 
Item 82 of 951970sWarehousesAlexandria DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 83 of 951970166 houses, Bo'mains housing estate (North)Bo'ness / Borroustouness West LothianScotland 
Item 84 of 951970323 housesStewarton  ScotlandAs senior partner
Item 85 of 951970446 houses, PoltonhallLasswade MidlothianScotlandAs senior partner
Item 86 of 95197067 houses, Bo'mains (East)Bo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandAs senior partner
Item 87 of 951970Borrowstoun housing schemeBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 88 of 95c. 1970Chalmers Hospital  EdinburghScotlandAlterations and additions and new GP Unit
Item 89 of 95c. 1970City Hospital, boiler house  EdinburghScotland 
Item 90 of 95c. 1970Deaconess Hospital  EdinburghScotlandOutpatients department added
Item 91 of 95c. 1970Teesside General HospitalStockton-on-Tees Cleveland (North Yorkshire)EnglandPhase 2
Item 92 of 951971Bo'ness Public SchoolBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandExtension
Item 93 of 951972St Ambrose RC High SchoolCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 94 of 95Before 1975Sport & Leisure CentreBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 95 of 95c. 1975AcademyBlackburn West LothianScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan1994Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Yale University Press: New Haven and Londonp322, p380 Gazetteer 2: John Russell Court
Item 2 of 4Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  
Item 3 of 4Pride, Glen L1999The Kingdom of Fife2nd EditionThe Rutland Pressp55
Item 4 of 4RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder1 December 1950  p582
Item 2 of 2Builder6 February 1953  p256

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no6335 (stored under F4883, combined box 42); F no4883 (combined box 42)