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 Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 242, St Magdalenes Road, Craigie, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivate(?)1970 *  
Item 2 of 2Catrine, Oakbank Road, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 19792001 

* 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 4Robert Charles Carvell1958 Assistant 
Item 2 of 4Carvell & Partners1962(?)1967ArchitectOr later?
Item 3 of 4Burke Martin Partnership (or Ian Burke, Hugh Martin & Partners)1967 Architect 
Item 4 of 4Bell Ingram 1970 Senior Architect 

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 51967Greenock Town CentreGreenock RenfrewshireScotlandRedevelopment. 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)
Item 2 of 5After 1970Battleby HouseRedgorton PerthshireScotlandConversion to offices for Countryside Commission - as architect with Bell Ingram
Item 3 of 5After 1970New Inverawe HouseNew Inverawe, Tirvane ArgyllScotlandConversion to 40-bedroom hotel - as senior architect with Bell Ingram
Item 4 of 5After 1992Glencairn HouseAuchterarder PerthshireScotlandExtensions
Item 5 of 5After 1992Offices and training centre for Meat Traders AssociationPerth PerthshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 2 of 3RIBA1979Directory of members   
Item 3 of 3RIBA1984RIBA Directory of members   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership Obituary by Ron Sutherland 2001