Basic Biographical Details

Name: Richard Edward Moira
Designation:  
Born: 23 February 1910
Died: 19 August 1988
Bio Notes: Richard Edward Moira was born on 23 February 1910, the son of Gerald Edward Moira, artist, and his wife Alice Mary Vicary. He studied at the Architectural Association in London from October 1928 until 1934, spending the year 1931-2 gaining experience in an unspecified office. He passed the final exam on 13 July 1934 and was admitted ARIBA on 14 January 1935, his proposers being Giles Gilbert Scott, Leonard Holcombe Bucknell and Howard Morley Robertson. He began independent practice in Edinburgh in 1948 with an office at 12 Inverleith Row. Three years later he was joined in practice by his wife, Betty Lydia C Moira. Around 1966 they opened a second office in Lerwick, Shetland and about 1968 another office at 11 Queensgate, Inverness which moved to 6 Queensgate about 1978.

In 1970 James Wann was taken into partnership and the practice name changed to Moira Moira & Wann. However around 1976 the practice split with Betty Moira operating offices in Edinburgh and Inverness and Richard Moira in offices in Edinburgh and Shetland. In the 1981 RIBA Directory, under the Lerwick office entry of Moira & Wann, amongst other jobs, there is a note of 'various private houses' designed 1975-79 in the Lerwick office, therefore presumably in Shetland, though details are not given. Moira & Wann also undertook various hotel and restaurant reconstructions in Lerwick in the years 1975-76.

The Shetland office closed on Richard Moira's death of leukemia at the Western General Hospital on 19 August 1988. After the death of Betty Moira a year later the Edinburgh office closed. Since that time the Inverness office has been run by Calum Anton.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 424, Addison Road, London, EnglandPrivate1935 *  
Item 2 of 45, Cobden Crescent, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1946 *  
Item 3 of 48, Dick Place, Edinburgh 1950  
Item 4 of 412, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1964 *  

* 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 3Moira & Moira1951(?)1970Partner 
Item 2 of 3Moira Moira & Wann19701976Partner 
Item 3 of 3Moira & Wann1976 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Leonard Holcombe Bucknell14 January 1935for Associateship
Item 2 of 3(Sir) Howard Morley Robertson14 January 1935for Associateship
Item 3 of 3(Sir) Giles Gilbert Scott14 January 1935for Associateship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1Robert McMillan Clive5 October 1966For Fellowship

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 531947Exhibition on the properties and work of the National Trust for Scotland, Gladstone's Land  EdinburghScotland 
Item 2 of 531948Town PlanLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 3 of 531950Donmaree Hotel  EdinburghScotlandArchitect for additional bedroom accommodation
Item 4 of 531950Moredun Research Institute  EdinburghScotlandMicrobiology Laboratories for the Animal Research Association
Item 5 of 531951Lerwick Town PlanLerwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 6 of 531956Heddell's Park and Annsbrae housingLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 7 of 531958Long HouseLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 8 of 531959Orkney Towns Development PlanKirkwall and StromnessMainlandOrkneyScotland 
Item 9 of 531960Wigtownshire Development Plan  WigtownshireScotland 
Item 10 of 531961Fraserburgh General and Maternity HospitalFraserburgh AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 11 of 531961Housing SchemeLerwickMainland, Shetland Scotland 
Item 12 of 531961Moredun Research Institute  EdinburghScotlandMajor expansion - Radio Isotope and Metabolism, Farm Animals Isolation Unit.
Item 13 of 531961Open Air Swimming PoolNorth Berwick East LothianScotland 
Item 14 of 53Before 1962Wishart Avenue housingNorth Berwick East LothianScotland 
Item 15 of 531963Greenfield HousingLerwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 16 of 531963Poultry Research CentreRoslin MidlothianScotlandOr perhaps later (Bailey?)
Item 17 of 531964Glenmore Forest ParkAviemore Inverness-shireScotlandGeneral development (includes campsite layout and toilets, blocks for FC and staff houses).
Item 18 of 531965Kveldsro HousingLerwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 19 of 531965Lanes HousingLerwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 20 of 531966Bush Estate, Research Station for the Forestry Commission  MidlothianScotland 
Item 21 of 531966Ptarmigan RestaurantCairgorm Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 22 of 531968HotelBreiwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 23 of 531969Lerwick HotelLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 24 of 531969Sound HousingLerwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 25 of 531969Strontian Village Davelopment with houses, school, police station etcStrontian ArgyllScotland 
Item 26 of 531970Ben Lawers Interpretation CentreBen Lawers, Near Killin PerthshireScotland 
Item 27 of 531970Findhorn Dunes Area landscapingFindhorn MorayshireScotland 
Item 28 of 531970Redevelopment of town centreWick CaithnessScotland 
Item 29 of 531971Hanover Square HousingStranraer WigtownshireScotland 
Item 30 of 531971St Mary's Street development, Ben Line Building  EdinburghScotland'Buildings of Scotland' gives 1975-1977 for Ben Line Building
Item 31 of 531971Torridon Youth HostelTorridon Ross and CromartyScotland 
Item 32 of 531973Clickimin Recreational ParkLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 33 of 531973Glencoe Visitor CentreGlencoe ArgyllScotland 
Item 34 of 531973Telephone ExchangeLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 35 of 531974Townscape AppraisalDumfries DumfriesshireScotland 
Item 36 of 531975St Rognvald's House sheltered housingKirkwallMainlandOrkneyScotland 
Item 37 of 53Before 1975Cairngorm Skiing facilities  Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 38 of 53Before 1975Office development for Diploma Properties Ltd   Scotland 
Item 39 of 53Before 1975Old People's HomeKirkwallMainlandOrkneyScotland 
Item 40 of 53Before 1975Old People's HomeStornowayLewisWestern IslesScotland 
Item 41 of 53Before 1975Scottish Plant Breeding Station, laboratoriesPentlandville EdinburghScotland 
Item 42 of 53Before 1975Stornoway Senior Training CentreStornowayLewisRoss & CromartyScotland 
Item 43 of 53Before 1975Telephone exchangeGrantown-on-Spey MorayshireScotland 
Item 44 of 531976Moredun Research Institute  EdinburghScotlandBiochemistry unit
Item 45 of 531979Loch Morlich Water Sports CentreAviemore Inverness-shireScotlandPractice had split at this date so unclear who was responsible
Item 46 of 531981Private warehousing  EdinburghScotland 
Item 47 of 53Before 1981Sports facilities for Lothian Regional Council  LothianScotland 
Item 48 of 53c. 1981British Philatelic Headquarters for the Postal Board, office  EdinburghScotland 
Item 49 of 53c. 1981Postal engineering and vehicle maintenance depotLerwickMainlandOrkneyScotland 
Item 50 of 53c. 1981Postal engineering and vehicle maintenance depot  EdinburghScotland 
Item 51 of 53c. 1981Private warehousing  AberdeenScotland 
Item 52 of 531982Block of housing and shops, Nicolson Street and West Richmond Street corner  EdinburghScotland 
Item 53 of 531983Lerwick Boating ClubLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp168-9 Heddell's Park and Annsbrae Housing
Item 2 of 3Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  
Item 3 of 3Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p9, p14 Torridon Youth Hostel

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Building1 March 1968  p145

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no5618 (combined box 91)