Basic Biographical Details Name: | Malcolm Irvine Arthur | Designation: | | Born: | 3 March 1933 | Died: | 14 June 2001 | Bio Notes: | Malcolm ('Mollie’) Irvine Arthur was born on 3 March 1933, a native of Perth. He was educated at Perth Academy, studied architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee and was awarded his diploma in 1958. His talent as a draughtsman and watercolourist was spotted during his student years and he won the Sir John Burnet Memorial Prize in 1956 and was a finalist in the Tite Prize the following year.
After graduation Arthur joined the practice of Robert Charles Carvell in Perth becoming a partner in 1962 and working mainly on local authority housing. He remained with Carvell for five years and moved in 1967 to join the Glasgow office of Ian Burke and Hugh Martin, the Burke Martin Partnership. There he specialised in commercial work. He had a heart attack in about 1968 when he was supervising the project for Greenock Town Centre designed by Hugh Martin Ian Burke.
In 1970 he returned to Perth to join Bell-Ingram as their senior architect. He worked largely on conservation projects, in particular on rural buildings. In 1992 he set up practice on his own account with his practice consisting of a mixture of new buildings and much alteration and extension work.
Outwith his professional life, Arthur was a keen musician. He played the banjo. His obituarist notes that that ‘an exasperated John Needham' at the College of Art remarked that he regularly heard ‘the strumming of a banjo’ in the studio. He was also keen on sport, especially golf, curling and hockey in which he had represented the County of Perth as a young man. He continued to draw and paint throughout his life and had latterly enrolled in life drawing classes at the College in Dundee.
Though a gentle modest man, he was the life and soul of a party. He was devoted to his family.
Arthur died on 14 June 2001, survived by his wife Margaret and his two daughters. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 42, St Magdalenes Road, Craigie, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Private(?) | 1970 * | | | | Catrine, Oakbank Road, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | Before 1979 | 2001 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1967 | Greenock Town Centre | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Redevelopment. Associate in charge initally.('Robert Leiper was in the Associate charge of the redevelopment of the Town Centre of Greenock (CDA) in Greenock, 1967-68. When Malcolm Arthur (Mollie) had a heart attack Bob took over and ran the job himself with myself as the main draftsman'.- Alastair Ross)
| | After 1970 | Battleby House | Redgorton | | Perthshire | Scotland | Conversion to offices for Countryside Commission - as architect with Bell Ingram | | After 1970 | New Inverawe House | New Inverawe, Tirvane | | Argyll | Scotland | Conversion to 40-bedroom hotel - as senior architect with Bell Ingram | | After 1992 | Glencairn House | Auchterarder | | Perthshire | Scotland | Extensions | | After 1992 | Offices and training centre for Meat Traders Association | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | | | RIBA | 1979 | Directory of members | | | | | RIBA | 1984 | RIBA Directory of members | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | | Obituary by Ron Sutherland 2001 |
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