Basic Biographical Details

Name: Colin Herbert Ritchie McCrae
Designation:  
Born: 17 August 1927
Died: April 2007
Bio Notes: Colin Herbert Ritchie McCrae was born on 17 August 1927. From September 1949 to 1952 he studied full-time at the Northern Polytechnic in London and sat and passed the Intermediate exam. He then moved to Edinburgh College of Art where he again studied full-time from September 1952 to June 1954. During his vacations as a student he made three trips to Europe, the time spent abroad totalling four months in all. He sat and passed the final exam in June 1955. During the summerthat year he married Elizabeth E Stilwell in Harrow, Middlesex. He was elected ARIBA on 19 June 1956 (no proposers are given).

After completing the course in Edinburgh in 1954, McCrae had moved back to London to a post with Lyons Iserael & Ellis where he worked as architectural assistant and assistant architect. In 1957 he moved to a senior assistant post with Ramsay Murray White & Ward, also in London. In 1960 he moved to the practice of Basil Spence & Partners as senior assistant, moving with Andrew Renton when he set up practice on his own as Andrew Renton & Associates. The period January 1963 to November 1967 was spent as Principal Architect with Courtaulds Technical Services but he then moved to become a partner with W F Johnson & Partners.

Partner with W F Johnson & Partners by 1967. At the time of his election to FRIBA in 1970, proposed by W F Johnson, D Ling and B J Aldrich, he was working on several large projetcs with the practice: the University of Salford, the Science block at Rugby School and the Crown Office block for the MPBW, Northampton the total value for which amounted to £3.75 million. He was still with the practice in 1987 but is not listed in 1994 and must have retired and withdrawn from the RIBA by that date.

McCrae died in April 2007.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 826, Burrows Close, Headington, Oxford, EnglandPrivate 2007 
Item 2 of 8The Ridgeway, Stanmore, Middlesex, EnglandPrivate1956 *  
Item 3 of 843, Portland Place, London, EnglandBusiness19561957Lyons Israel & Ellis address
Item 4 of 8Glenogle, Lane End Drive, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey, EnglandPrivate1960 *  
Item 5 of 8Windy Hill, Priors Marston, Rugby, Warwickshire, EnglandPrivate1970 *  
Item 6 of 811-15, Parade, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, EnglandBusiness1970  
Item 7 of 8York House, Clarendon Avenue, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, EnglandBusiness1979 *  
Item 8 of 8Gables House/62, Kenilworth Road, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, EnglandPrivate(?)1987  

* 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 6Lyons Israel & Ellis1954 Assistant 
Item 2 of 6Lyons Israel & EllisAfter 1954 Assistant Architect 
Item 3 of 6Ramsay Murray White & Ward19571960Senior Assistant 
Item 4 of 6Basil Spence & Partners19601961Senior Assistant 
Item 5 of 6Renton & Associates1961January 1963Senior Assistant 
Item 6 of 6W F Johnson & PartnersNovember 1967 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Brian John Aldrich2 December 1970For Fellowship
Item 2 of 3William Frederick Johnson2 December 1970For Fellowship
Item 3 of 3David Ling2 December 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 11960Nottingham University, Department of Chemistry  NottinghamEnglandAs senior assistant with Spence

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4RIBA1961Kalendar 1960-61   
Item 2 of 4RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 3 of 4RIBA1979Directory of members   
Item 4 of 4RIBA1987RIBA Directory of Members 1987   

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 Colin Herbert Ritchie McCrae: A no17965; F no7349 (Combined Box 186)