Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Meldrum Mitchell
Designation:  
Born: 6 November 1904
Died: 14 August 1946
Bio Notes: James Meldrum Mitchell was born on 6 November 1904 in Edinburgh, the son of John Mitchell, joiner journeyman, and his wife Ellen Crighton Meldrum. He was articled to Reginald Fairlie in 1920, attending morning classes at Edinburgh College of Art and evening classes at Heriot-Watt College. In May 1924 he joined Leadbetter, Fairley & Reid as assistant. He left that office in July 1926 and the following month joined John Alexander Carfrae, moving in November 1927 to the office of Thomas Aikman Swan and in February 1931 to that of William Baillie in Glasgow, by which time he was an Associate of the Edinburgh Architectural Association. In November 1934 he was appointed Assistant Architect to Perth Town Council rising to the position of senior architect in the Perth Hosuing Department. He worked in Perth for ten years.

In May 1945 Mitchell became Housing Architect to the Royal Burgh of Arbroath. He was admitted LRIBA on 11 December of the latter year, his proposers being Swan and the then president (William Wallace Friskin) and secretary (name uncertain) of the Dundee Institute of Architects. His declaration accepting his admittance was witnessed by J Bissett Scott, Burgh Engineer of Arbroath.

He should not be confused with the J M Mitchell who was working in the County Buildings at Cupar in 1933 and was responsible for the design of a Kirkcaldy school in that year (see separate entry).

Mitchell died aged 41 at the Infirmary in Arbroath on 14 August 1941, survived by his wife Margaret Lowe Wightman Ferguson.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 37, St Colme Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1930 * Probably in the office of Thomas Aikman Swan
Item 2 of 3Housing Architect's Office, Gravesend, Arbroath, Angus, ScotlandBusiness1945 *  
Item 3 of 341, Brechin Road, Arbroath, Angus, ScotlandPrivate1945 *1946 

* 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 8Fairlie, Reid & Forbes19201921Apprentice 
Item 2 of 8Reginald Francis Joseph Fairlie19211924Apprentice 
Item 3 of 8Leadbetter, Fairley & ReidMay 1924July 1926Assistant 
Item 4 of 8John Alexander CarfraeAugust 1926November 1927  
Item 5 of 8Thomas Aikman SwanNovember 1927January 1931AssistantPresumably in Swan's office as both shared the address of 7 St Colme Street at this date
Item 6 of 8William BaillieFebruary 1931November 1934Assistant 
Item 7 of 8Perth Town Council Architect's OfficeNovember 1934May 1945Assistant Architect 
Item 8 of 8Royal Burgh of Arbroath Housing Architect's OfficeMay 1945 Chief ArchitectHousing Architect

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 2William Wallace Friskin11 December 1945for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 2Thomas Aikman Swan11 December 1945for Licentiateship

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA1930The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Scotsman15 August 1946  Obituary p3

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no5804 (combined box 101)