Basic Biographical Details Name: | Neil Campbell Duff | Designation: | | Born: | 27 May 1861 | Died: | 22 February 1934 | Bio Notes: | Neil Campbell Duff was born on 27 May 1861 in Blythswood, Glasgow, the son of Mungo Campbell Duff IM, a quantity surveyor and his wife Janet Aitken. He was articled to his uncle James Thomson of Baird & Thomson from 1876 to 1881 and remained as an assistant until 1886, rejoining his father's firm in 1887 and remaining until 1893. During that period he spent one month each year on study tour, one month in London, Paris, Cambridge, Oxford and York and shorter periods in Liverpool, Manchester and Dublin.
Combining the business of architect with that of his brother Thomas's quantity surveying firm did not prove successful and in December 1893 he commenced business on his own account in Glasgow. He was admitted FRIBA on 11 June 1906, his proposers being Horatio Kelson Bromhead, David Barclay, Thomas Edward Collcutt and C J MacLean.
In 1919 Duff married Janet Helen McIntosh Robertson. About the same year he took Percival Cairns into partnership. Cairns had been born in Glasgow on 22 August 1889 and had studied at Glasgow School of Architecture from 1905 to 1912 but it is not yet certain if it was to Duff that he was originally articled: he was certainly his assistant in 1914 prior to being taken into partnership five years later. The partnership lasted until Cairns's death of pulmonary tuberculosis on 28 June 1926.
Duff was a very competent exponent of neo-Baroque and a pioneer of cinema design. He was a JP for the City of Glasgow, and was much employed as an expert in cases arising from the administration of the Public Health Acts there.
Duff died of cholecystitis and intestinal haemorrhage on 22 February 1934, aged seventy-three, leaving moveable estate of £31,313 7s1d. He was buried alongside his parents and brothers in Glasgow Necropolis. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 197, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1887 | 1893 | When working for his father | | 53, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1889 | After 1893 | | | 4, West Garden Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | Before 1891 | After 1906 | | | 93, Hope Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1899 or 1900 * | | | | 115, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | Before 1905 | 1913 | | | 187a, West George Street, Glasgow, Scotland | Business | 1913 | 1934 | | | Neidpath/20, St Bride's Road, Newlands, Glasgow, Scotland | Private | 1934 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
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 | | | Plaza, Eglinton Toll | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Date unknown | | 1897 | Carson & Nicol's offices | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1897 | James Miller & Co's warehouses, offices and works | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1898 | Waterloo Sawmill | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension | | 1899 | Warehouses for R B Miller | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1900 | Alexander Miller & Bros warehouses and offices | | | Liverpool | England | | | 1900 | Exhibition Hotel | Anderston | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1900 | Office Block, St Vincent Street and Mains Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1901 | Office block, 74 York Street | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1902 | Rivet Bolt and Nut Co's warehouses and works | Rutherglen | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1902 | Rivet Bolt and Nut Co's warehouses and works | Coatbridge | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1903 | Pair of villas (Westwood and St Brendan) | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1904 | Newberries Mansion House | Radlett | | Hertfordshire | England | Reconstruction | | 1904 | Ruchill Street UF Church | Maryhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1905 | Glasgow Savings Bank, Shawlands Cross | Shawlands Cross | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1906 | Glasgow Savings Bank, North Branch | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1907 | Cleland Testimonial Building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Conversion to George Hotel | | 1907 | R F & J Alexander's Cotton Spinning Mill | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Top floors converted to Great Eastern Hotel | | After 1907 | Guardian Assurance Office | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | After 1907 | Ruchill Street Free Church Halls | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | After 1907 | Union Café | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | After 1907 | Villas | West Kilbride | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1908 | Villa, 34 Mongomerie Drive | | | Glasgow | Scotland | New hall and lounge (Interior work exhibited at Glasgow Institute) | | 1910 | Electric Picture Palace | Maryhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1910 | Ibrox Cinematograph Theatre | Ibrox | | Glasgow | Scotland | Converted from roller skating rink | | 1911 | Regent Cinema | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1911 | Springburn Electric Theatre | Springburn | | Glasgow | Scotland | Cinema, converted from existing back-court meeting hall | | 1911 | Store for Charles Vaux & Sons | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1912 | Business premises for J T Whitelaw's Trust | | | Glasgow | Scotland | With McKissack. Conversion to cinema | | 1913 | La Scala Cinema | Helensburgh | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | | | 1913 | La Scala Cinema | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | Build/construction | | 1914 | Hartshead Curled Hair and Bedding Factory Offices | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Office block | | 1914 | The Lorne Cinema | Ibrox | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1920 | Bank Street Picture House | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Converted from church | | 1920 | Marne Cinema | Dennistoun | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1920 | Rosevale Cinema | Partick | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1921 | Campbell's Music Salon | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Proposed alterations | | 1921 | Glasgow High School War Memorial | | | Glasgow | Scotland | 3rd prize | | 1922 | Grafton Cinema | Cowcaddens | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1926 | Carlton Picture House | Townhead | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1927 | Panorama | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Part demolition and rebuilding as Waldorf Palais de Danse | | 1931 | Rosevale Cinema | Partick | | Glasgow | Scotland | Plans prepared for extensions | | 1931 | Strump Ltd's warehouse | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1932 | Rhul Cinema | Burnside, Rutherglen | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1933 | Super Cinema | Pollokshaws | | Glasgow | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | | | RIBA | 1930 | The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 1936 | 146 | | Obituary | | RIBA Journal | 19 May 1934 | v41 | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | p716 - obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | RIBA Biographical Files | | | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Additional research by Iain Paterson | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F v17 p7 no1100 (microfilm reel 12) |
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