Basic Biographical Details

Name: Alexander ('Sandy') MacCallum (or McCallum) Brown
Designation:  
Born: 31 December 1926
Died: 20 November 2007
Bio Notes: Alexander MacCallum (or McCallum) Brown (known as 'Sandy') was born in Manchuria on 31 December 1926, the son of James Duncan Brown, medical missionary, and his wife Emily Loudon Clow. After the family returned to Scotland, Brown attended George Watson's College. He studied part-time at Edinburgh College of Art from 1947 and began his apprenticeship in the firm of Rowand Anderson, Paul & Partners, transferring to that of Basil Spence & Partners in when Spence left the Anderson practice. He completed his degree, studying full time by this stage, from December 1949 to June 1952. During the vacations of this period he worked for Bromiton White & Smeaton in Birmingham in 1950, for C Howard Crane of Buckingham Gate, London and for R I Marshall, Londonderry, both in 1951 and again for C Howard Crane in 1952. He was awarded a scholarship and made a study tour ot Italy from August to September 1952.

He joined the practice of Tripe & Wakeham in 1952 and worked initially in London on the education programme and later in Kuwait and Cyprus. In Cyprus he was involved with work on a technical college, an elementary school, farm buildings and private housing.

He was admitted ARIBA in 1953, proposed by Basil Spence, John Ross McKay and Anthony C Tripe. He returned to Edinburgh in 1957 and initially worked as senior architectural assistant with Cairns & Ford and joined the J & F Johnston practice in 1959 at a similar level but was promoted to partner in January 1961. He was elected FRIAS in 1965 and FRIBA in 1968, proposed by James Stewart Johnston, Alexander Steele, and James Dunbar Nasmith.

He worked for a number of high-profile clients such as Standard Life (though which precise building is not clear), Golden Wonder and Bell's Whisky.

Brown was a member of the Merchant Company and was selected to be the vice-convener for Daniel Stewart's College. He also served as Moderator of the high constabulary of the Port of Leith. He was interested in local affairs and served on the Committee of the Edinburgh & Leith Chamber of Commerce and on the Committee of the Edinburgh Architectural Association.

As a person he was gregarious with a lively sense of humour. He was a member of the Square Club and of Bruntsfield Golf Club where he served as president of the Wednesday group. He also played golf at Pitlochry where he had a holiday cottage.

Brown retired in 1990. He died in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on 20 November 2007, survived by his second wife Pamela Mary Jones or Brassingham, a retired public relations consultant and his sons Alistair and Magnus and daughter Meredith and six grandchildren. His first wife was Jean Brenda Sylvester.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 224, Regent Terrace, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate 2007 
Item 2 of 2116, Thirlestane Road, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1957 *  

* 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 8Basil Spence & PartnersNovember 1946Before 1953Apprentice 
Item 2 of 8Rowand Anderson, Paul & PartnersBefore 19461946Apprentice 
Item 3 of 8Bromiton White and Smeaton10 July 195026 August 1950Assistant 
Item 4 of 8Howard Crane & Associates2 July 195131 August 1951Assistant 
Item 5 of 8Tripe & Wakeham19521957Assistant 
Item 6 of 8R I Marshall31 March 195218 April 1952Assistant 
Item 7 of 8Howard Crane & Associates7 July 19528 August 1952Assistant 
Item 8 of 8J & F Johnston & PartnersJune 1959 Partner1957 given in Scotsman obituary- but this must be incorrect.

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6(Professor Sir) James Duncan Dunbar-Nasmith17 July 1968For Fellowship
Item 2 of 6James Stewart Johnston17 July 1968For Fellowship
Item 3 of 6John Ross McKay31 March 1953For Associateship
Item 4 of 6(Sir) Basil Urwin Spence31 March 1953For Associateship
Item 5 of 6Alexander Steele17 July 1968For Fellowship
Item 6 of 6Anthony Charles Tripe31 March 1953For 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 891960sGolden Wonder Crisps Factory  EdinburghScotlandExtensions to factory
Item 2 of 891960Goldbergs department store  EdinburghScotland 
Item 3 of 891961Golden Wonder crisps factoryBroxburn West LothianScotlandNew Build - partner in charge of design and execution
Item 4 of 891961Golden Wonder crisps factoryCorby NorthamptonshireEnglandPrincipal partner in charge of design and execution
Item 5 of 891961Golden Wonder Crisps FactoryWidnes LancashireEnglandPrincipal partner in charge of design and execution
Item 6 of 891963Telectra House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 7 of 891964Roxburghe Hotel  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction - total cost £250,000. Principal partner in design and execution
Item 8 of 891966Ardler Primary School  DundeeScotland 
Item 9 of 891966Car showroom and repair shop for James Ross & Sons  EdinburghScotland 
Item 10 of 891966Central Area Redvelopment with shopping precinct, Regent StreetHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 11 of 891966Engineering works for Brown Brothers & Co Ltd  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction after fire damage of light engineering factory, including office block, drawing offices and workshops.
Item 12 of 891966Housing, BonnyriggBonnyrigg MidlothianScotland 
Item 13 of 891966Housing, Holyrood area  EdinburghScotlandPartner in charge with sole responsibility
Item 14 of 891966Housing, SpencerfieldInverkeithing FifeScotland 
Item 15 of 891966Housing, StoneyburnStoneyburn West LothianScotland 
Item 16 of 891966Industrial EstateBroxburn West LothianScotlandAs planning consultant with other members of the practice
Item 17 of 89c. 1966College of CommerceSighthill EdinburghScotland 
Item 18 of 891967Ainslie Park High SchoolPilton EdinburghScotlandBoys' Vocational Unit
Item 19 of 891967Bottling plant for Arthur Bell & Son, East MainsBroxburn West LothianScotland 
Item 20 of 891967Finance House  EdinburghScotland 
Item 21 of 891968Comprehensive SchoolSouth Queensferry West LothianScotland 
Item 22 of 89c. 1968Central area redevelopment  EdinburghScotlandPartner in charge - sole responsibility
Item 23 of 89c. 1968Central development of 114 house with youth club facitilites  FifeScotlandPartner in charge - full responsibility
Item 24 of 89c. 1968Electronics Factory  FifeScotlandPartner in charge - sole responsibility
Item 25 of 89c. 1968Factory for timber components manufacturing  West LothianScotlandAs partner with sole responsibility
Item 26 of 89c. 1968Factory, Golden Wonder crisp manufacturer   HollandNew storage facility
Item 27 of 89c. 1968Golden Wonder crisps factoryCorby NorthamptonshireEnglandLarge extension of storage facilities. Partner in charge with sole responsibility.
Item 28 of 89c. 1968Golden Wonder Crisps FactoryWidnes LancashireEnglandNew office. Partner in charge.
Item 29 of 89c. 1968New office block for insurance company  EdinburghScotland 
Item 30 of 891969Stevenson CollegeSighthill EdinburghScotland 
Item 31 of 891970sAbbeyhill HousingAbbeyhill EdinburghScotland 
Item 32 of 891970sAirport base for Danair  AberdeenScotland 
Item 33 of 891970sApacte Base for Santa FeLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 34 of 891970sBank of Scotland, New Pitsligo branchNew Pitsligo AberdeenshireScotlandRenovation
Item 35 of 891970sBottling plant for Pentland Bonding and GlobeLoanhead MidlothianScotland 
Item 36 of 891970sCala Homes Headquarters  EdinburghScotland 
Item 37 of 891970sDevanha Gardens Nursing Home  AberdeenScotlandExtension
Item 38 of 891970sEngineering, research, training unit, dormitories, squash courts for Comex  AberdeenScotland 
Item 39 of 891970sFactory for Edinburgh CrystalPenicuik West LothianScotland 
Item 40 of 891970sFactory unit for Standard LifePortobello EdinburghScotland 
Item 41 of 891970sFactory unit for Standard Life, Belleknowes Industrial EstateInverkeithing FifeScotland 
Item 42 of 891970sGarage for SMTDumfries DumfriesshireScotland 
Item 43 of 891970sHarlaw HouseInverurie AberdeenshireScotlandRestoration
Item 44 of 891970sHeadquarters for Wharton Williams Diving Dyce AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 45 of 891970sHeavy Goods Vehicle depot  AberdeenScotland 
Item 46 of 891970sHopefield Terrace DevelopmentLeith Edinburgh Scotland 
Item 47 of 891970sIndustrial Estate Portobello EdinburghScotlandPlanning of estate
Item 48 of 891970sOffices and warehousing for Farquhar Builders  AberdeenScotland 
Item 49 of 891970sOffshore modules for Ninian Northern Platforms  AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 50 of 891970sOperations Centre for Lockheed PetroleumLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 51 of 891970sOperations Centre for Santa FeLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 52 of 891970sPipeline Spooling Base for Santa FeLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 53 of 891970sPrivate housing for Bacal  EdinburghScotland 
Item 54 of 891970sPrivate housing for ThainCraigmounthill EdinburghScotland 
Item 55 of 891970sPrivate housing for Whatlings  GlasgowScotland 
Item 56 of 891970sPrivate housing for WhatlingsErskine RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 57 of 891970sPrivate housing for Whatlings   Bahrain 
Item 58 of 891970sPrivate housing for Whatlings  Abu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates 
Item 59 of 891970sRetail outlet for Comet Radiovision  EdinburghScotland 
Item 60 of 891970sRetail outlet for Comet Radiovision  DundeeScotland 
Item 61 of 891970sStandard Life offices  AberdeenScotland 
Item 62 of 891970sTimberland shopElgin MorayshireScotlandAlterations
Item 63 of 891970sTimberland shop  AberdeenScotlandAlterations
Item 64 of 891970sUnderwater instrumentation base  AberdeenScotland 
Item 65 of 891970sWestings HotelLerwick (near)MainlandShetlandScotlandAlterations and extension
Item 66 of 891975Leith Nautical College and halls of residence  EdinburghScotland 
Item 67 of 89After 1975Sheltered housing for Roxburgh District CouncilKelso RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 68 of 89After 1975Town centre developmentKelso RoxburghshireScotlandRestoration and conservation
Item 69 of 89Before 1975Factory for William Thyne (Plastics)Penicuik MidlothianScotland 
Item 70 of 89Before 1975Fox Covert Primary School  EdinburghScotland 
Item 71 of 89Before 1975Glass & furniture warehouse for MacGregor & Co.  EdinburghScotland 
Item 72 of 89Before 1975Offices for Lloyds & Scottish  EdinburghScotland 
Item 73 of 89Before 1975Primary SchoolPrestonpans East LothianScotland 
Item 74 of 89Before 1975Private housing for Albert ThainBarnton EdinburghScotland 
Item 75 of 89Before 1975Private housing for Albert ThainCurrie EdinburghScotland 
Item 76 of 89Before 1975Showrooms and workshops for Ford  DundeeScotland 
Item 77 of 89Before 1975Showrooms and workshops for Ford  EdinburghScotland 
Item 78 of 89Before 1975Showrooms and workshops for FordPaisley RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 79 of 89Before 1975Showrooms and workshops for FordKendal CumbriaEngland 
Item 80 of 89Before 1975Whitfield Primary SchoolWhitfield DundeeScotland 
Item 81 of 891980Headquarters for Arthur Bell & Sons, whisky blenders, CherrybankPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 82 of 891981Browns of the Mound  EdinburghScotlandRestoration. Job architect
Item 83 of 89Before 1981Base for Instrumentation and Kingsnorth Drilling  AberdeenScotland 
Item 84 of 89Before 1981Hotel for First Hospitality Corporation of America  AberdeenScotland 
Item 85 of 89Before 1981Hotel for First Hospitality Corporation of America  AberdeenScotland 
Item 86 of 89Before 1981Hotel for First Hospitality Corporation of America  AberdeenScotland 
Item 87 of 89Before 1981Meadowhead Farm for M Williams  AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 88 of 89Before 1981Timberland shopInverness Inverness-shireScotlandAlterations
Item 89 of 89Before 1981Warehousing for G & J Investments  AberdeenScotland 

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 Pressp127

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIAS Chartered Architect2008  Spring issue - death note
Item 2 of 2Scotsman20 December 2007   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 4H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 4RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 3 of 4RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers Box 121 Associateship Papers (A 14799) and Fellowship Papers F6141
Item 4 of 4Sent to DSA by emailInformation from AHRC/RCAHMS Spence project per David W Walker and Clive Fenton Clive Fenton's research notes (sent July 2010)