Basic Biographical Details

Name: Joseph Anderson Allan
Designation:  
Born: 9 May 1882
Died: 15 April 1956
Bio Notes: Joseph Anderson Allan was born on 9 May 1882 and served his apprenticeship with Arthur Hay Livingstone Mackinnon of Aberdeen from 1900 to 1905, studying at the Aberdeen School of Architecture and gaining the first scholarship awarded by the Aberdeen Society of Architects. He spent 1905 and 1906 working for various offices in England and Scotland, including Fryers & Penman of Largs, Ayrshire, and in the latter year became chief assistant to Harry Smith Fairhurst of Manchester where he worked on large commercial buildings. He competed for the RIBA Tite Prize in 1908 and although he did not win the award, the assessor, Paul Waterhouse, stated that 'he regarded the design as value for 4th place, in a year of exceptionally keen competition'. In 1912 he left Fairhurst and returned to Aberdeen to join his brother John Alexander Ogg Allan as chief assistant and junior partner, working principally on educational buildings.

He served with H M Forces in France and Italy from 1916 to 1918, returning to continue practising with his brother at the end of the war. He remained associated with his brother thereafter, but from 1925 also occasionally practised independently. He was an Associate of the Aberdeen Society of Architects, acting as Associates' representative on the Council of that society, and was admitted LRIBA on 3 December 1934, his proposers being Mackinnon, John Gibb Marr and his brother.

During the Second World War Joseph Anderson Allan served as senior surveyor to the Air Ministry on aerodromes at Peterhead, Banff and Kinloss. He was elected FRIBA on 16 October 1945, proposed by his brother, Marr and James Brown Nicol. In that year he and his brother took David John Alexander Ross (born 1899), who had trained with Thomas J Munro in Inverness and had joined the Allans as chief assistant c.1925, into partnership, the firm becoming Allan, Ross & Allan. Ross had been responsible for a number of the modernist schools designed by the firm in the 1930s.

Joseph Anderson Allan died on 15 April 1956, his brother having died the previous year.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 418, Edgehill Road, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate1912After 1934 
Item 2 of 425, Union Terrace, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1930After 1934 
Item 3 of 473A-79A, Union Street, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusinessc. 1939  
Item 4 of 410, Bon-Accord Square, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusiness1952 *  

* 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 5Arthur Hay Livingstone Mackinnon19001905Apprentice 
Item 2 of 5Fryers & Penman1905 or 19061905 or 1906Assistant 
Item 3 of 5Harry Smith Fairhurst19061912Chief Assistant 
Item 4 of 5John Alexander Ogg Allan19121945Chief AssistantChief Assistant and Junior Partner
Item 5 of 5Allan, Ross & Allan1945Before 1956Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6John Alexander Ogg Allan3 December 1934for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 6John Alexander Ogg Allan16 October 1945for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6Arthur Hay Livingstone Mackinnon3 December 1934for Licentiateship
Item 4 of 6John Gibb Marr3 December 1934for Licentiateship
Item 5 of 6John Gibb Marr16 October 1945for Fellowship
Item 6 of 6James Brown Nicol16 October 1945for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1David John Alexander Ross1 April 1952for 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 171912Aberdeen Provincial Committee Training College  AberdeenScotlandAs junior partner with his brother
Item 2 of 17After 1912Aberdeen Grammar School, playing field pavilion  AberdeenScotlandPossibly in partnership wth John Alexander Ogg Allan
Item 3 of 17After 1912Queen's Cross Church Hall  AberdeenScotlandPossibly in partnership with John Alexander Ogg Allan
Item 4 of 17After 1912Robert Gordon's CollegeSchoolhill AberdeenScotlandReconstruction - possibly in partnership with John Alexander Ogg Allan
Item 5 of 17After 1912Robert Gordon's College, playing field pavilion  AberdeenScotlandPossibly in partnership with John Alexander Ogg Allan
Item 6 of 17After 1912Students' hostelsHilton AberdeenScotlandPossibly in partnership with John Alexander Ogg Allan
Item 7 of 17c. 1914Gray's School of Art  AberdeenScotlandExtension - as junior partner with his brother
Item 8 of 171922Peterhead Academy, York Street extensionPeterhead AberdeenshireScotlandAs chief assistant
Item 9 of 171925William B King House, Forbesfield Road   AberdeenScotlandIn independent practice?
Item 10 of 171931Sunnyside Royal Hospital, nurses' homeMontrose AngusScotlandNurses home and extension (building for the senile) - as assistant to John Alexander Ogg Allan
Item 11 of 171933The BurnGlenesk KincardineshireScotlandReconstruction - possibly in partnership with John Alexander Ogg Allan.
Item 12 of 171948Higher Grade School Kincorth Kincorth AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 13 of 171952Garthdee Parish ChurchGarthdee AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 14 of 171953Robert Gordon's Secondary School  AberdeenScotland 
Item 15 of 17Before 1954St Thomas's Episcopal ChurchAboyne AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations? Additions?
Item 16 of 17Before 1955Hilton Junior Secondary SchoolHilton AberdeenScotland 
Item 17 of 17Before 1955Hospital buildings for North Eastern Hospital Board  AberdeenshireScotlandAdditions?

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder1956v190 p392
Item 2 of 2RIBA JournalNovember 1956 London: Royal Institute of British ArchitectsObituary p47

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 L no4412 (combined box 13); F no4106 (box 32)