Basic Biographical Details

Name: John ('Jack') Airey MacMinn
Designation:  
Born: 19 October 1913
Died: 25 July 2002
Bio Notes: John ('Jack') MacMinn was born on 19 October 1913, the son of James MacMinn, tailor and his wife Helen Airey. From June 1929 he attended morning classes at Edinburgh College of Art and evening classes at Heriot-Watt College while serving a four-year apprenticeship and a year as assistant to Lyle & Constable. He left Scotland in July 1934 to take up an appointment as assistant to H Irving Graham of Paternoster Row, Carlisle, but returned in December the following year to work for M Purdon Smith & Partners in Dumfries.

From April 1937 onwards he worked for H M Office of Works, initially in the Manchester office. He moved to the Liverpool office in March 1940, and passed the Civil Service Commissioners' Open Exam in June 1940, qualifying him as surveyor as well as architect. In 1945 he was appointed District Surveyor in the Ministry of Works' Birmingham office. He was still there when he was admitted LRIBA on 11 February 1947, his proposers being his former ECA tutor James Macgregor as well as Sydney E Castle and John Gray.

He was living at 14 Abbotsford Park, Morningside, Edinburgh by 1950. He later worked for the Property Services Agency.

MacMinn died at home at Tormoulin, Balmaclellan on 25 July 2002. He was survived by his wife Kathleen MacDonald Newton and at least one son who lived in County Waterford, Ireland.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Linsdale/182, Bristol Road, Birmingham, EnglandPrivate1947 *  
Item 2 of 3HMOW/Viceroy Close, Bristol Road, Birmingham, EnglandBusiness1947 * HMOW Birmingham office
Item 3 of 314, Abbotsford Park, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessc. 1950 *  

* 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 6Lyle & ConstableJune 1929Mid 1933Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6Lyle & ConstableMid 1933July 1934Assistant 
Item 3 of 6M Purdon Smith & PartnersDecember 1935March 1937Assistant 
Item 4 of 6H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)April 1937 Assistantin Manchester office
Item 5 of 6H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)March 1940Before 1947 in charge of Liverpool drawing office
Item 6 of 6H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)January 1945After 1947District Surveyorin Birmingham office

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1James Macgregor11 February 1947for Licentiateship

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 1 Newhouse Industrial Estate buildingsMotherwell LanarkshireScotlandExtensions and refurbishment.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2House, Jack Robert Paterson Builder, 1827-1977 Robert Paterson Construction Ltd, Airdriep72-3
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 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no6028 (combined box 114)