Basic Biographical Details

Name: Thomas Findlay Lyon (Professor)
Designation:  
Born: 2 December 1911
Died: 1 April 1973
Bio Notes: Thomas Findlay Lyon was born on 2 December 1911, the son of James Lyon, commercial traveller, and his wife Elizabeth Leitch. He studied at the School of Architecture in Glasgow, taking the Certificate Course, with evening classes from 1933. He transferred to the Diploma Course in 1935 and attended classes at both the School of Art and the Royal Technical College. In the summer vacation of 1935 he made a study tour of English Cathedrals and the following year a similar tour of French Cathedrals.

In 1939 he moved to London to study town planning at the Regent Street Polytechnic. By the time of his admission as ARIBA in 1940, proposed by Thomas Harold Hughes, James Carrick and Professor William James Smith, he had passed all but the law exam for the completion of the town planning course. He resat this in 1940. Around this time he had a post with Messrs W G Phillips & Partners, of Hillington, Glasgow. At that time his address was 17 Alderston Avenue, Ayr. In 1944 he was a sergeant with the Royal Engineers and was living in Prestwick.

By 1950 he had joined the staff of the Royal Technical College in the Department of Town & Country Planning. He served as the junior vice chairman of the Scottish branch of the TPI in 1961.

He is listed as a planning consultant at 2 Hamilton Road, Glasgow in 1964, (the year he was admitted ARIAS) and was still working at the Royal Technical College in 1970 (where he had a chair) but would appear to have retired to Ayr by 1972. He died on 1 April the following year at Ballochmyle Hospital, Mauchline. He was survived by his wife Joan Madeline Cleat and a married daughter who lived on the Black Isle.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 6Craigdoon/2 , Dunure Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate 1973 
Item 2 of 617, Alderston Avenue, Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate/business1939 *  
Item 3 of 68, Merrick Avenue, Prestwick, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate1944 *  
Item 4 of 62, Hamilton Road, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1964 *  
Item 5 of 6Wester Daldowie House, Broomhouse, Uddingston, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1964 *  
Item 6 of 621, Racecourse Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate1972  

* 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 1W G Phillips and Partnersc. 1940 Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3James Carrick16 April 1940For Associateship
Item 2 of 3Thomas Harold Hughes16 April 1940For Associateship
Item 3 of 3(Professor) William James Smith16 April 1940For Associateship

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 21959Girvan Central Development AreaGirvan AyrshireScotlandActed as consultant
Item 2 of 21963Westhill TownshipWesthill AberdeenshireScotlandDrew up plan for the site

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  
Item 2 of 3RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 3RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Builder16 June 1961  'Scottish Branch, TPI' pp1175-1176

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 3RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no 7545 (Combined Box 195)