Basic Biographical Details

Name: John Christopher ('Chris') Carter
Designation:  
Born: 10 March 1926
Died: 23 July 2002
Bio Notes: John Christopher ('Chris') Carter was born on 10 March 1926, the son of Harry Carter, electrical engineer, and his wife Annie Constance Carter (nee Carter). He studied at the School of Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art. He was admitted ARIBA in 1950 and ARIAS in 1964. He became a partner in Robert Matthew Johnson-Marshall & Partners in 1966.

During his years with RMJM Carter was particularly involved with the design of power stations, including Cockenzie, Longannet and Peterhead. The Scottish Hydro-Electric Board came to know and respect him throught these jobs and employed him as the architect in the team designing the proposed pumped storage scheme at Craigroyston. Carter went up in a helicopter to assess the impact that this large scheme might have on the landscape in the area of Loch Lomond from different directions and heights. It was understood that his judgement could influence whether the scheme went ahead or not and in the end he believed that the impact would be minimal as only a small part of the side dam would be seen from one place on the west of the loch. However the Government stopped the scheme in favour of the nuclear power station at Torness which met with considerable oppostion.

Outwith his professional life Carter was a keen watercolourist and exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Scottish Society for Painters in Watercolour. He was always interested in the outdoors and in wildlife and this had stimulated an interest and work in landscape design. He was also a member of the Dunbar Choral Society and enjoyed travelling.

Carter's wife, Annie Susan Dewar was also an architect. They moved from Russell Place to Tyninghame Mill in 1987. Susan Carter died in 1993 after a long illness. Carter died on 23 July 2002 survived by his daughters, Judy and Alison. His son Andrew had been killed in a climbing accident at the age of eighteen.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 471, Great King Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessc. 1954  
Item 2 of 498, George Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1960s(?)  
Item 3 of 4The Stables/10, Russell Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivatec. 1963 *After 1987 
Item 4 of 4Tyninghame Mill, Tyninghame, by Dunbar, East Lothian, ScotlandPrivate19872002 

* 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 1Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners (RMJM)1966 Partner 

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 23 Guitar FactoryMuir of Ord Ross & CromartyScotland 
Item 2 of 23 Ski Lodge for Cairngorm Chairlift CompanyAviemore Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 3 of 231960sTurnhouse Airport  EdinburghScotlandExtensions
Item 4 of 231962Cockenzie Power StationCockenzie East LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 5 of 231964University of Strathclyde, Colville Building (Departments of Civil Engineering and Metallurgy)  GlasgowScotland 
Item 6 of 231965Aberdeen University Joint Agricultural Building  AberdeenScotland 
Item 7 of 231965Longannet Power StationKincardine on Forth FifeScotlandPartner in charge
Item 8 of 231966University of Stirling, including library and landscapingStirling StirlingshireScotland 
Item 9 of 231967Hunterston B Nuclear Power Station  AyrshireScotland 
Item 10 of 231969New University of UlsterColreaine  EirePartner in charge (replaced Dennis Ashmead)
Item 11 of 23c. 1969Cumnock Senior ClubCumnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 12 of 231970Inverkip Power StationInverkip RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 13 of 231971British Home Stores  AberdeenScotlandRedevelopment
Item 14 of 231971Industrialised Building Project (IBP) housing projectGurgi Tripoli (near)Libya 
Item 15 of 231971Market, 8-10 Market Street  AberdeenScotland 
Item 16 of 231972Opera House site  EdinburghScotlandScheme for pyramidal opera house
Item 17 of 231973Peterhead Power StationPeterhead AberdeenshireScotlandPartner in charge
Item 18 of 231979Electronics Factory for Burroughs CorporationLivingston West LothianScotland 
Item 19 of 231979International Business Machines (IBM) FactoryGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 20 of 23Before 1979Housing for the Link Housing Association  EdinburghScotland 
Item 21 of 231980Glengarnock and Kilbirnie villages  AyrshireScotlandRestoration as part of a larger area of regeneration
Item 22 of 231982Abattoir  MisurataLibyaArchie Clark worked on the design under Chris Carter.
Item 23 of 231984Office for architectural practice, Dean VillageDean Village EdinburghScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp135
Item 2 of 5RIBA1954RIBA Kalendar 1953-54   
Item 3 of 5RIBA1964The RIBA Kalendar 1963-64   
Item 4 of 5RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 5 of 5Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p9 Cockenzie Power Station
p52-55 University of Stirling

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIAS Chartered Architect2002v14, no4 Autumn issue- death note
Item 2 of 2Scotsman26 March 2003  p18 Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3Courtesy of Mrs Winifred SillittoInformation sent via 'Contact Us' on website Sent February 2015. (The Silittos were old friends of the Carters).
Item 2 of 3H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 3 of 3RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership