Basic Biographical Details

Name: James Robertson (Robin) Sommerville Turner
Designation:  
Born: 11 May 1933
Died: 3 April 2014
Bio Notes: James Robertson (known as Robin) Sommerville Turner was born at 50 St Swithin Street, Aberdeen on 11 May 1933, the son of Robert James Turner, an electrical engineer journeyman, who subsequently worked for BP and his wife, Margaret Smith Sommerville. He studied at Dundee College of Art from September 1951 and was elected ARIBA in 1958.

National Service followed later that same year. He served with the Royal Engineers in Singapore where he worked on the design of new married quarters, churches in Malacca and Penang and Ghurka quarters in Nepal.

He returned to Dundee in 1960 where he took a post with the City Architect's Department before joining Ian Burke, Hugh Martin & Partners. He remained with the practice for three years and was responsible for the design of private houses, pubs, a motel among other projects. He moved to a post with the Eastern Regional Hospital Board about 1963. During the late 1960s he designed his own home which was on a steep site in the grounds of St Helen's in Perth Road, Dundee.

About 1969 he returned to private practice,joining the firm of W M Wilson & Partners, initially as senior architect and later becoming partner. His main clients were the Scottish Crop Research Institute, BP and Perth Royal Infirmary.

For a short period the practice had on an office in Aberdeen. In 1990 it joined forces with George Reid of the Reid Hynd Partnership which had been established about 1987 and they merged to become the Wilson Partnership.

Turner served as president of the Dundee Institute of Architects from 1980-82. Outwith his profession he enjoyed hillwalking and fishing and was a member of Dundee West Angling Club, later becoming President. He also sailed on the Tay, was a member of Pitkerro Curling Club and of Claverhouse Rotary Club.

Turner died on 3 April 2014, survived by his wife Penny Thomas whom he had married in 1960, his daughters and grandchildren.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1Perth Road, Dundee, ScotlandPrivateLate 1960s  

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 M Wilson & Partners1969After 1980Partner 

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 141968Perth New InfirmaryPerth PerthshireScotlandMaternity Unit
Item 2 of 141969Factory for Northern Tool & GearArbroath AngusScotland 
Item 3 of 14Early 1960sLimb-fitting CentreBroughty Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 4 of 14Late 1960sOil worker's campSullom VoeMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 5 of 141970Community Centre for Dundee Corporation  DundeeScotland 
Item 6 of 141971BP Petroleum Development Ltd offices  AberdeenScotland 
Item 7 of 141971SHRI Laboratories  DundeeScotland 
Item 8 of 141974Office, laboratory and communications building for BP   AberdeenScotland 
Item 9 of 141976Maternity HospitalPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 10 of 141977Fire training centreMontrose AngusScotland 
Item 11 of 141977Offshore Training Centre   Scotland 
Item 12 of 14c. 1979Factory for Giddings & Lewis-FraserArbroath AngusScotlandOffices
Item 13 of 14199624-26 Dock Street  DundeeScotland 
Item 14 of 141999Block of flats, 18-20 Exchange Street  DundeeScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp117

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIAS Quarterly2014 Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)Winter

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2National Archives (via Scotlands People)Statutory births  
Item 2 of 2RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership