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 AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Craigdoon/2 , Dunure Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | | 1973 | | | 17, Alderston Avenue, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private/business | 1939 * | | | | 8, Merrick Avenue, Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | 1944 * | | | | 2, Hamilton Road, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1964 * | | | | Wester Daldowie House, Broomhouse, Uddingston, Lanarkshire, Scotland | Private | 1964 * | | | | 21, Racecourse Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | 1972 | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | W G Phillips and Partners | c. 1940 | | Assistant | |
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1959 | Girvan Central Development Area | Girvan | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Acted as consultant | | 1963 | Westhill Township | Westhill | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Drew up plan for the site |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Municipal Annual | 1964 | Scottish Municipal Annual | 1964-1965 | | | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 16 June 1961 | | | 'Scottish Branch, TPI' pp1175-1176 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no 7545 (Combined Box 195) |
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