Basic Biographical Details

Name: David Lindsay Allan
Designation:  
Born: 1874
Died:  
Bio Notes: David Lindsay Allan was born in 1874. He was educated at Dundee High School and apprenticed to John Murray Robertson from 1890 to 1894, remaining as assistant and studying at Dundee Technical Institute. In 1897 Allan obtained a place in the office of Niven & Wigglesworth in London which enabled him to study at the RA Schools from 1898. He then returned to Dundee, becoming an assistant to Robert Blackadder at 41 Reform Street. Allan joined the Dundee Institute of Architects in 1902 and after three years with Blackadder was taken into partnership in 1903, but the practice could not be said to have flourished architecturally despite its influential connections.

On Robert Blackadder's retirement in 1908 Allan merged the practice with Leslie Ower's as Leslie Ower & Allan, at Ower's 5 Whitehall Street office, probably to retain the civil engineering side of the Blackadder practice, Ower being civil engineer as well as architect. Robert Blackadder's son David then moved his law practice to 32 Castle Street.

Allan was admitted LRIBA on 24 June 1912 and his nomination papers state that prior to that time he had undertaken several study tours, spending two periods of two weeks in Normandy and Brittany and three weeks in Italy.

The practice did not survive Leslie Ower's retirement early in 1916; because Allan was in the Armed Forces, the business was taken over by Thoms & Wilkie, and thereafter in Frank Thomson's words Allan 'simply gave up' on his return. By 1926 he was in practice from The Shieling, Fryston Avenue, East Croydon, which was home as well as office.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 35, Whitehall Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness1908After 1914with Leslie Ower
Item 2 of 311, Louise Terrace, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1912After 1914 
Item 3 of 3The Shieling, Fryston Avenue, East Croydon, Surrey, EnglandPrivate/business1926 *  

* 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 6John Murray Robertson18901894Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6John Murray Robertson18941897Assistant 
Item 3 of 6Niven & Wigglesworth18971900Assistant 
Item 4 of 6Robert Blackadder19001903AssistantLater partner
Item 5 of 6Blackadder & Allan19031908Partner 
Item 6 of 6Leslie Ower & Allan1908c. 1916Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1William Fleming Wilkie24 June 1912for Licentiateship - as President of the Dundee Institute of Architects

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 161901St Mary Magdalene's Church Halls, Rectory and GymnasiumHawkhill DundeeScotlandSupervised construction
Item 2 of 161903Gray Lodge Settlement  DundeeScotland 
Item 3 of 161903St Mary Magdalene's Episcopal ChurchHawkhill DundeeScotlandUnexecuted proposals for new church
Item 4 of 16After 1903Corn Exchange  DundeeScotlandAlterations
Item 5 of 16After 1903Forbes CourtWest Ferry DundeeScotlandWest wing
Item 6 of 16After 1903House(s)Broughty Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 7 of 16After 1903House(s)Invergowrie Perthshire/AngusScotland 
Item 8 of 16After 1903House(s)Auchtermuchty FifeScotland 
Item 9 of 16After 1903Tenement(s)  DundeeScotland 
Item 10 of 16After 1903Tenement(s)Lochee DundeeScotland 
Item 11 of 161909Drill Hall  DundeeScotlandReconstruction
Item 12 of 161909Ladywell Calender Works  DundeeScotlandFurther alterations?
Item 13 of 161910CottageInvergowrie Perthshire/AngusScotland 
Item 14 of 16c. 1910BelfieldBlairgowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 15 of 161911Cinema, Shepherd's Loan  DundeeScotland 
Item 16 of 161913Kirriemuir Town Hall and libraryKirriemuir AngusScotlandLibrary addition to west

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Who's Who in Architecture1914    
Item 2 of 2Who's Who in Architecture1926    

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Information from Margaret Lye and Frank Thomson.
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v23 no1836