Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Leslie Roworth
Designation:  
Born: 29 October 1913
Died: 14 February 1980
Bio Notes: William Leslie Roworth (generally known as 'Bill') was born on 29 October 1913, the son of George Ernest Lawrence Roworth, electro-medical engineer's consultant and his wife Amy Law Burnside. He was articled to Lorimer & Matthew for five years from September 1931, studying at Edinburgh College of Art. He obtained his diploma in June 1938 after a further two years of full-time study. During the years of his training he obtained various three-week travelling scholarships enabling him to visit Germany in 1934, England in 1935, Rome in 1937 (an RIBA scholarship) and England again in 1938 (a Town Planning scholarship). He was also an ECA travelling scholar in 1939-40. He was admited ARIBA on 3 April 1939, his proposers being John Fraser Matthew, James Macgregor and Frank Charles Mears. His nomination papers give a business address of the Department of Town Planning, Edinburgh College of Art. He had written a thesis on open space in town planning in Sweden.

He worked for Rowand Anderson, Paul & Partners before being appointed chief draughtsman in the Edinburgh office of Basil Spence & Partners from 1947. He later moved to Northern Ireland, but subsequently returned to Scotland and worked as Aberdeen City Architect. He was in that position when he resigned his RIBA membership in 1974.

He died on 14 February 1980 at Woodend Hospital, Aberdeen. He was survived by his wife Mary Olive Sinclair Campbell.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 65, Northcote Hill, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate 1980 
Item 2 of 624, Saxe-Coburg Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1939  
Item 3 of 6Dept of Town Planning, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1939 *  
Item 4 of 622, Camus Avenue, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1950 *  
Item 5 of 6Northern Ireland c. 196(?)  
Item 6 of 6City Architect's Office, St Nicholas House, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusiness1974 *  

* 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 3Rowand Anderson, Paul & Partnersc. 1946(?)  Role unclear
Item 2 of 3Basil Spence & Partnersc. 1947After 1953Chief Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 3Aberdeen City Architect's Department (later City of Aberdeen District Council Architects Division)1974 * Chief ArchitectCity Architect

* earliest date known from documented sources.


RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3James Macgregor3 April 1939for Associateship
Item 2 of 3John Fraser Matthew3 April 1939for Associateship
Item 3 of 3(Sir) Frank Charles Mears3 April 1939for 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 9c. 1947Bannerfield EstateSelkirk SelkirkshireScotlandAs chief draughtsman to Basil Spence & Partners
Item 2 of 91948Housing, 1-6 Harbour Court, Castle GateDunbar East LothianScotlandWorked in team
Item 3 of 91948Housing, 15A-15D Victoria Street and 8 Writer's CourtDunbar East LothianScotlandWorked in team
Item 4 of 91948Housing, 19A, 19B, 19C Victoria Street and 10, 12 Writer's CourtDunbar East LothianScotlandWorked in team
Item 5 of 91948Housing, Victoria PlaceDunbar East LothianScotlandWorked in team
Item 6 of 91953Council housesDunbar East LothianScotlandWorked on the implementation of the reduced scheme as chief draughtsman with Basil Spence & Partners
Item 7 of 9Late 1960sGrampian Police Headquarters  AberdeenScotlandJob architect with main responsibility
Item 8 of 91975Multi-storey housing, Marchburn Drive  AberdeenScotlandAs City Architect
Item 9 of 91976Multi-storey housing, Hilton Road and Rosehill Drive  AberdeenScotlandAs City Architect

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp14 Harbour Court Housing, Dunbar
Item 2 of 2RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

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 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no7180 (combined box 177)
Item 3 of 3Sent to DSA by emailInformation from AHRC/RCAHMS Spence project per David W Walker and Clive Fenton Clive Fenton's research notes (sent July 2010)