Basic Biographical Details

Name: Harry Horace Macdonald
Designation:  
Born: 9 September 1916
Died: 17 December 2015
Bio Notes: Harry Horace Macdonald was born on 9 September 1916. He commenced his articles with James Shearer in Dunfermline on 9 January 1933. Concurrently he attended evening classes in building subjects at Lauder Technical School. He completed his articles in 1938 and for a year, 1938-1939, he was an assistant in the practice of Tarbolton & Ochterlony in Edinburgh. This enabled him to take further classes at Heriot Watt College. He then moved to another assistant post with Burnet, Tait & Partners, also in Edinburgh.

Macdonald's studies were interrupted by the Second World War during which he served (February 1940 to February 1946) in the army in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

After the war he returned to Scotland and divided his time between Tarbolton & Ochterlony in Edinburgh and Burnet, Tait & Partners in the Edinburgh office spending a few months in one, presumably helping where he was most needed. From April 1946 to July 1947 he was in the office of Tarbolton & Ochterlony; July to December 1947 he was with the Burnet practice; January 1948 to June 1949 he was back with Tarbolton & Ochterlony and from June 1949 until his application to the RIBA in early 1952.

He passed the Special Final Exam of the RIBA in Edinburgh on 6 December 1951 and the Professional Practice exam in London in March 1952. He was elected ARIBA on 17 June 1952, porposed by James Shearer, Thomas Tait and Leslie Stuart Stanley. Macdonald is described by one of his proposers as having a 'pleasant disposition and is a man of strict integrity'. (he became ARIAS in 1956).

In June 1952 Macdonald was promoted to senior architect in the practice of Burnet Tait & Partners. The following February he transferred to a similar position with Walter Alison & Hutchison. In was promoted to associate partner in January 1959 and full partner on 1 February 1961. He was elected FRIBA in 1970, proposed by Robert Forbes Hutchison, George Gilroy Graham, and Colin Walker.

In May 1968 and Ocotber 1969 the practice completed two new MD hospitals in Dunfermline and Inverness for which Macdonald was partner in charge. At the time of his application for Fellowship he was mainly concerned with SSHA and LA housing along with more minor projects such as a petrol filling station and a shopping development. He had in hand six projects with 1,148 houses altogether which had a total value of £4,647,000. He was the most senior of three partners in charge of the housing section of the office. This section consisted of two associate partners, fourteen assistants and the associate partner in civil engineeringwith one member of the civil engineering staff employed on the site works of three projects.

MacDonald died on 17 December 2015.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2Barnton , Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate   
Item 2 of 221, Muirpark Terrace, Tranent, East Lothian, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1956 *After 1964 

* 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 10Tarbolton & OchterlonyAugust 1938October 1939Assistant 
Item 2 of 10Burnet, Son & DickOctober 1939February 1940Assistant 
Item 3 of 10Tarbolton & OchterlonyApril 1946July 1947Assistant 
Item 4 of 10(Sir) John Burnet, Tait, & PartnersJuly 1947December 1947Architect 
Item 5 of 10Tarbolton & OchterlonyJanuary 1948June 1949Architect 
Item 6 of 10(Sir) John Burnet, Tait, & PartnersJune 1949June 1952Architect 
Item 7 of 10(Sir) John Burnet, Tait, & PartnersJune 1952February 1953Senior Architect 
Item 8 of 10Walter Alison & HutchisonFebruary 1953 Senior Architect 
Item 9 of 10Walter Alison & HutchisonJanuary 1959 Associate 
Item 10 of 10Alison & Hutchison & Partners1 February 1961 *After 1975Partner 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3James Grant Shearer17 June 1952For Associateship
Item 2 of 3Leslie Stuart Stanley17 June 1952For Associateship
Item 3 of 3Thomas Smith Tait17 June 1952For Associateship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3George Gilroy Graham22 July 1970For Fellowship
Item 2 of 3Robert Forbes Hutchison22 July 1970For Fellowship
Item 3 of 3Colin Walker22 July 1970For 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 77 193 houses, GrangepansBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 2 of 77 Community or Recreation CentreBo'ness /Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 3 of 77 Teesside General HospitalStockton-on-Tees Cleveland (North Yorkshire)EnglandPhase I
Item 4 of 771937Central Fire StationDunfermline FifeScotlandAs assistant to James Shearer.
Item 5 of 771939Hawkhead Infectious Diseases HospitalPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandAs assistant with Sir John Burnet Tait & Lorne
Item 6 of 771939Scottish Office buildingsCalton Hill EdinburghScotlandAs assistant in the office of Burnet Tait & Partners
Item 7 of 77c. 1945Affric Hydrio-Electric Scheme, Loch Beinn A' Mheadhoin To Fasnakyle TunnelGlen Affric Inverness-shireScotlandAs assistant to Shearer
Item 8 of 77c. 1945Lochalsh Hydro-Electric Scheme  Ross-shireScotlandAs assistant to Shearer
Item 9 of 77c. 1946Lochluichart Power StationLochluichart Ross & CromartyScotlandAs assistant to Shearer
Item 10 of 77c. 1946Nostie Bridge Power StationLochalsh Inverness-shireScotlandAs assistant ot Shearer
Item 11 of 771949Paisley General and Maternity HospitalPaisley RenfrewshireScotlandAs assistant with Burnet Tait & Partners (or more correctly Sir John Burnet Tait & Lorne). Hospital planned but only Nurses' Home built (completed 1949 after Farquhar's death). Worked at this time on the Maternity Hospital. Scheme transferred to Riccartsbar site.
Item 12 of 77December 1955The PeelClovenfords SelkirkshireScotlandNew laboratory and X-ray block cost £40,000 - architect in charge
Item 13 of 77April 1958Kirkcaldy Burgh Infectious Diseases HospitalKirkcaldy FifeScotlandNew dining rooms and kitchens and female ward alterations - as architect in charge
Item 14 of 771959Grangemouth Housing competitionGrangemouth StirlingshireScotlandCompetition design - entry commended
Item 15 of 771960Western General Hospital, Teaching and Research block  EdinburghScotlandExtension
Item 16 of 77October 1960Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, heart and lung theatres  EdinburghScotlandAs partner in charge
Item 17 of 771961Couper Street housing (Thomas Fraser Court and John Russell Court)Leith EdinburghScotlandPartner in charge
Item 18 of 771961Gordon BarracksOld Machar AberdeenScotlandReconstruction
Item 19 of 77February 1962Napier Technical College  EdinburghScotlandPartner in charge. Dates given in RIBA Nomination Papers. Perhaps took over the project from 1962 (project proabably begun peior to Macdonald being a partner).
Item 20 of 771963Housing, Cables WyndLeith EdinburghScotlandAs partner in charge
Item 21 of 771964Housing development, GrahamsdykeBo'ness (Borrowstouness) West LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 22 of 771964Office Block for British Hydrocarbon Chemicals Ltd, GrangemouthGrangemouth StirlingshireScotlandAggregate-clad block
Item 23 of 77July 1964221 houses, 3rd developmentBlackburn West LothianScotlandAs partner in charge
Item 24 of 771965Lynebank Mental HospitalDunfermline FifeScotlandPartner in charge
Item 25 of 771965St Gabriel's RC ChurchPrestonpans East LothianScotland 
Item 26 of 77April 1965Western General Hospital, teaching unit  EdinburghScotlandArchitect in charge
Item 27 of 77July 1965250 units of married soldiers' quarters  EdinburghScotlandAs partner in charge
Item 28 of 77December 1965Woodcroft Telephone Exchange  EdinburghScotlandArchitect in charge - working drawings only
Item 29 of 771967158 houses, The MingleBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 30 of 771968Cardonald College of Technology  GlasgowScotland 
Item 31 of 77After 1968Local Authority HousingBellshill LanarkshireScotland 
Item 32 of 77After 1968Local Authority housing, LindamsUddingston LanarkshireScotland 
Item 33 of 77After 1968Post Office Telephone Engineering Centre  GlasgowScotland 
Item 34 of 771969Craig Phadrig HospitalInverness Inverness-shireScotlandPartner in charge
Item 35 of 771969Craigcrook Castle, walled garden, office block  EdinburghScotland 
Item 36 of 771969Elgin AcademyElgin MorayshireScotlandNew Technical College built in grounds of old Academy
Item 37 of 771969Indoor Swimming PoolKirkcaldy FifeScotland 
Item 38 of 771969Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion  EdinburghScotland 
Item 39 of 771969Teesside County Borough PolytechnicMiddlesborough Cleveland (North Yorkshire)England 
Item 40 of 77Early 1960sKirkgate Housing, Phases I, II and IIILeith Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandPhases I and II - partner in charge
Item 41 of 771970sHousing  GlasgowScotlandRehabilitation
Item 42 of 771970s(?)John Ogilvie High SchoolHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 43 of 771970sPolice headquartersMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 
Item 44 of 771970sPolice headquartersLivingston West LothianScotland 
Item 45 of 771970sSheltered housingLeven FifeScotland 
Item 46 of 771970sSheltered housingWhitburn West LothianScotland 
Item 47 of 771970sSheltered housingMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 48 of 771970sSheltered housingStrathaven LanarkshireScotland 
Item 49 of 771970sSwimming pool Jedburgh RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 50 of 771970sSwimming poolSelkirk SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 51 of 771970sTelephone engineering centre  GlasgowScotland 
Item 52 of 771970sTown planning studyBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 53 of 771970sWarehousesLanark LanarkshireScotland 
Item 54 of 771970sWarehousesAlexandria DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 55 of 771970166 houses, Bo'mains housing estate (North)Bo'ness / Borroustouness West LothianScotlandPartner in charge
Item 56 of 771970323 housesStewarton  ScotlandAs partner in charge
Item 57 of 771970446 houses, PoltonhallLasswade MidlothianScotlandAs partner in charge - buildings under construction
Item 58 of 77197067 houses, Bo'mains (East)Bo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandAs partner in charge
Item 59 of 771970Borrowstoun housing schemeBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandAs partner in charge
Item 60 of 77c. 1970Chalmers Hospital  EdinburghScotlandAdditions and alterations and new GP Unit
Item 61 of 77c. 1970City Hospital, boiler house  EdinburghScotland 
Item 62 of 77c. 1970Deaconess Hospital  EdinburghScotlandOutpatients department added
Item 63 of 77c. 1970Teesside General HospitalStockton-on-Tees Cleveland (North Yorkshire)EnglandPhase 2
Item 64 of 771971Bo'ness Public SchoolBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandExtension
Item 65 of 771972Linksview House and other housing, Giles Street and Coltfield LaneLeith EdinburghScotland 
Item 66 of 771972St Ambrose RC High SchoolCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 67 of 771973Sheltered housing  DundeeScotland 
Item 68 of 771975Calderhead Junior Secondary School, ShottsShotts LanarkshireScotlandNew building added
Item 69 of 77After 1975Housing for Glasgow District Council  GlasgowScotland 
Item 70 of 77After 1975Housing for Hamilton District CouncilHamilton LanarkshireScotland 
Item 71 of 77After 1975Housing for Lanark District CouncilLanark LanarkshireScotland 
Item 72 of 77Before 1975Sport & Leisure CentreBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 73 of 77c. 1975AcademyBlackburn West LothianScotland 
Item 74 of 771978Salmon CourtBo'ness (Borrowstouness) Wset LothianScotland 
Item 75 of 771981Bo'ness Health CentreBo'ness (Borrowstouness) StirlingshireScotland 
Item 76 of 77Before 1981Esk Valley Technical College, LugtonLugton, Dalkeith MidlothianScotlandExtensions?
Item 77 of 77Before 1981Sheltered housingBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp2 Illustration of St Andrew's House
Item 2 of 4Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan1994Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Yale University Press: New Haven and Londonp322, p380 Gazetteer 2: John Russell Court
Item 3 of 4RIBA1964The RIBA Kalendar 1964-65   
Item 4 of 4RIBA1972RIBA Directory 1972   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers Harry Horace Macdonald: A no13737, F no7158 (Combined Box 176)