Basic Biographical Details

Name: John Ramsay Armstrong
Designation:  
Born: 5 April 1890
Died: 1971
Bio Notes: John Ramsay Armstrong was born at Roseneath Place in Edinburgh on 5 April 1890, the son of John Armstrong, grocer, and his wife Annie Juist (?). He was articled to James Graham Fairley of Edinburgh in 1905 and attended classes at Heriot-Watt College from 1907 and at Edinburgh College of Art from 1908. He studied full-time from 1910 to 1912 and after passing the preliminary exam in the latter year he joined the office of Leadbetter, Fairley & Reid as draughtsman. A year later he moved to that of Frank Charles Mears, and in 1914 to that of Alex Inglis of Hawick. In 1915 he returned to Edinburgh to work for the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, but in January 1916 he left to take up an appointment as assistant in the Admiralty Works Department at Perth. He passed the final exam in London in the same year and was admitted ARIBA later that year, his proposers being Harry Ramsay Taylor, James Cumming Wynnes and John Watson, who wrote in his supporting statement: 'I have known him as an earnest student and a capable draughtsman. I have pleasure in recommending him for election.' No further details of him are yet known.

He worked for the Bournville Village trust in Birmingham and designed several buildings for them as well as Quaker meeting houses and Congregational chapels in the Birmingham area. They are of considerable quality.

Armstrong died in Bournemouth between April and June 1971.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 22, Marshall Place, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivate1916 *  
Item 2 of 2Birmingham, EnglandPrivate/business1930s1950s 

* 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 6James Graham Fairley19051910Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6Leadbetter, Fairley & Reid19121913Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 6(Sir) Frank Charles Mears19131914Draughtsman 
Item 4 of 6Alexander Inglis19141915Assistant 
Item 5 of 6Department of Agriculture for Scotland (later Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland)1915January 1916Assistant 
Item 6 of 6Admiralty Works Department (Perth)January 1916 Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Henry ('Harry') Ramsay TaylorLate 1916for Associateship
Item 2 of 3John WatsonLate 1916for Associateship
Item 3 of 3James Cumming WynnesLate 1916for Associateship

References

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3England and WalesBirths, marriages and deaths  
Item 2 of 3National Archives (via Scotlands People)Statutory births  
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no2615 (microfilm reel 22)