Basic Biographical Details

Name: George Charles Macphee
Designation:  
Born: 27 June 1923
Died: 16 August 2010
Bio Notes: George Charles Macphee was born on 27 June 1923 at Faulds Road, Montrose, the son of Andrew Belford Macphee, commercial traveller, and his wife Jeannie Smith who had married in Montrose in 1921. He served in the Royal Engineers in India and Burma for three years during the Second World War, but had returned by 1943. He then studied architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, where he appreciated the close connection between departments, and especially the opportunities this offered in being taught by such artists as James McIntosh Patrick. It was also in 1943 that he entered the Angus County Council Architect's Department as a trainee under the County Architect, James McGregor.

In 1948 he married Jane Robertson in Dundee. He was elected a student member of the RIBA in the same year, and admitted ARIBA in 1951.

He would remain in the Angus department for the rest of his career, rising to Depute County Architect under McGregor's successor John Yates, and most of the primary and secondary schools built in Angus in the 1950s and 1960s were designed with significant input from him. After local government reorganisation in 1974, he became Director of Technical Services, responsible for he departments of Architecture, Planning and Building Regulations.

He took early retirement in 1985 and invested his free time in his many hobbies. His sporting interests included a lifelong love of golf and, later in life, cricket, while as a young man he had been a prize-winning swimmer. He also enjoyed jazz and big-band music, chess, and studying art and architecture.

His wife sadly died in 1988. Having lived most of his life in Forfar, Macphee spent his last years in a nursing home in Monifieth. He died peacefully there on 16 August 2010, survived by his daughter Susan.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 5Montrose, Angus, ScotlandPrivate1923 Place of birth
Item 2 of 5c/o Robertson/6, South Wellington Street, Dundee, ScotlandPrivate1950 *  
Item 3 of 536, St Margaret's Park, Whitehills, Forfar, Angus, ScotlandPrivate1959 *  
Item 4 of 5Carseview, Brechin Road, Forfar, Angus, ScotlandPrivate1965 *After 1970 
Item 5 of 5Monifieth, Angus, ScotlandPrivateAfter 19882010Spent his final years in nursing home here

* 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 7Angus County Council Architect's Department (later Angus Council Architects' Department)1943Late 1940s(?)Apprentice(?)Trained under James McGregor, County Architect
Item 2 of 7James McGregor1943Late 1940sApprentice(?)Trained in Angus County Council Architect's Department
Item 3 of 7James McGregorLate 1940sFebruary 1960 Remained in Angus County Council Architect's Department after training; job title unknown
Item 4 of 7Angus County Council Architect's Department (later Angus Council Architects' Department)Late 1940s(?)1974 Remained after training; job title unknown
Item 5 of 7John Burns YatesFebruary 1960Before 1974 In Angus County Council Architect's Department; job title unknown
Item 6 of 7Angus County Council Architect's Department (later Angus Council Architects' Department)After 19601974Depute DirectorDepute County Architect, under John Yates
Item 7 of 7Angus County Council Architect's Department (later Angus Council Architects' Department)19741985DirectorDirector of Technical Services

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 5RIBA1960The RIBA Kalendar 1959-19601959-1960  
Item 3 of 5RIBA1965The RIBA Kalendar   
Item 4 of 5RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 5 of 5RIBA1979Directory of members   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIAS Quarterly2010WinterRoyal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)pp 96-7: obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1National Archives (via Scotlands People)Statutory births