Basic Biographical Details

Name: A & W Reid & Wittet
Designation:  
Born: 1893
Died: 1903
Bio Notes: Alexander Reid, born 1816 or 1817 and William Reid, born 1825, were nephews and pupils of William Robertson of Elgin and inherited his practice following his death on 12 June 1841. The practice was at first in Alexander's name only as William was only sixteen, but the latter became a partner in 1843 or 1844. A third brother, Charles, born 1828, went to Edinburgh to work for Thomas Brown and later for his partner James Maitland Wardrop, who took him into partnership in 1878.

In the mid-1840s the Reids moved their practice to Inverness, their address there being 6 Academy Street (and 39 Union Street) in the earlier 1860s when they were in partnership with an unidentified Mackenzie. By 1868 they had moved to 141 High Street and the brothers were on their own again. In late 1874 or 1875 George Melven was taken in partnership as A & W Reid & Melven, but by 1878 the practice was again A & W Reid. By the mid-1880s they had returned to Elgin with an office at Post Office Buildings, Commerce Street, their main clients being the Cawdor and Moray estates. William Reid died in 1893 and Alexander took their chief assistant John Wittet into partnership. Wittet was born on 5 February 1868 at Bridge of Earn and articled to David Smart of Perth from 1882 to 1888. In the latter year he moved to the office of Hippolyte Jean Blanc in Edinburgh which enabled him to study at Heriot-Watt College and Edinburgh School of Art. In 1892 he moved briefly to Glasgow to work for Clarke & Bell before joining the Reids in the same year. When he joined the partnership the following year, the practice title changed to A & W Reid & Wittet.

Alexander Reid died in Elgin on 4 March 1897. By this date his only son, William Charles Reid (born 25 October 1875), was a partner in the firm and he and Wittet continued to practise under the style A & W Reid & Wittet. The partnership split by mutual consent in 1903. William Charles Reid moved to 8 Culbard Street, Elgin and later emigrated to Canada, and John Wittet moved to 81 High Street, Elgin.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1Post Office Buildings, Commerce Street, Elgin, Morayshire, ScotlandBusiness18931903 

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 10William Charles Reid1893(?)c. 1895(?)ApprenticeWilliam C Reid probably trained and assisted in the firm before being taken into partnership, but this is not certain.
Item 2 of 10Hugh Stewart18931896Apprentice 
Item 3 of 10Alexander Reid18931897Partner 
Item 4 of 10John Wittet18931903Partner 
Item 5 of 10William Dean18941899Apprentice 
Item 6 of 10William Charles Reidc. 1895(?)c. 1897(?)AssistantWilliam C Reid probably trained and assisted in the firm before being taken into partnership, but this is not certain.
Item 7 of 10James Brodie18961901Apprentice 
Item 8 of 10William Charles Reidc. 18971903Partner 
Item 9 of 10Hugh Stewart18991900Assistant 
Item 10 of 10James Brodie19011902Draughtsman 

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 561892Linkwood DistilleryElgin MorayshireScotlandWarehouses
Item 2 of 561893New MarketForres MorayshireScotlandArcaded shopfronts
Item 3 of 561893Parish OfficesElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 4 of 561893Whitemire CottagesWhitemire MorayshireScotland 
Item 5 of 561895Auldearn Primary SchoolAuldearn NairnshireScotland 
Item 6 of 561895Hopeman Free Church, church hallHopeman MorayshireScotland 
Item 7 of 561897Ardgilzean HouseQuarrywood / Spynie MorayshireScotland 
Item 8 of 561897Craigellachie HotelElgin MorayshireScotlandAdditions
Item 9 of 561897Drummuir House and gatelodgeDalmuir BanffshireScotlandGAte Lodge - perhaps designed before Alexander Reid's death in 1897
Item 10 of 561897Mains of Connage Farmstead  Inverness-shireScotlandReconstruction
Item 11 of 561897Victoria Diamond Jubilee HomesElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 12 of 561898Double Cottage, AberbornAberborn (Aberlour?)  Scotland 
Item 13 of 561898Grand HotelElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 14 of 561898Lhanbryde ChurchLhanbryde MorayshireScotlandInsertion of Y tracery
Item 15 of 561898Pluscarden Free ChurchPluscarden, Elgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 16 of 561898The LodgeElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 17 of 561898TortoldNairn NairnshireScotland 
Item 18 of 561899Aldroughty HouseSpynie MorayshireScotlandNorth east wing added
Item 19 of 561899Altyre House, Kennels and house for kennelman  MorayshireScotlandKennels and additions to kennelman's house
Item 20 of 561899Gordonstoun, house and lodge  MorayshireScotlandEast and West Lodge and gatepiers
Item 21 of 561899Moray Golf Club, clubhouseLossiemouth MorayshireScotland 
Item 22 of 561899Old School HouseRafford MorayshireScotlandL-plan extension
Item 23 of 561899SchoolKellas MorayshireScotlandTeacher's House
Item 24 of 561899Two Cottages, BranderburghBranderburgh/Lossiemouth MorayshireScotland 
Item 25 of 561900Auchinroath House  MorayshireScotland 
Item 26 of 561900Elgin Joint County Infectious Diseases HospitalElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 27 of 56After 1900Shop in Lossie WyndElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 28 of 56c. 190021 Sellar StreetBurghead MorayshireScotland 
Item 29 of 56c. 1900Alvah ChurchKirkton of Alvah BanffshireScotlandAdditions and alterations - probably by A & W Reid & Wittet (the firm's name by then)
Item 30 of 56c. 1900Commerce StreetElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 31 of 561901Ardgye HouseAlves MorayshireScotlandAlterations
Item 32 of 561901Buildings, James StreetLossiemouth MorayshireScotland 
Item 33 of 561901Buinach, offices  MorayshireScotland 
Item 34 of 561901Burghead Parish ChurchBurghead MorayshireScotland 
Item 35 of 561901CottagesHopeman MorayshireScotland 
Item 36 of 561901Double Cottage, Hillhead of Tarras  MorayshireScotland 
Item 37 of 561901Double cottages, MonaughtyElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 38 of 561901Easter Pittendreich, double cottage  MorayshireScotland 
Item 39 of 561901House and steadingNew Alves MorayshireScotlandRepairs to house and steading
Item 40 of 561901Lossiemouth Town Hall and LibraryLossiemouth MorayshireScotlandLibrary
Item 41 of 561901SteadingElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 42 of 561901Steading and cottages, InchstellieAlves MorayshireScotlandAlterations
Item 43 of 561901Upper Manbeen Steading  MorayshireScotlandAlterations
Item 44 of 561902Darnaway Castle, butler's cottage  MorayshireScotland 
Item 45 of 561902Double House Lossiemouth MorayshireScotland 
Item 46 of 561902Elgin AcademyElgin MorayshireScotlandAdditions
Item 47 of 561902Marine HotelLossiemouth MorayshireScotland 
Item 48 of 561902Public Schools, (Infants) Lossiemouth  ScotlandAdditions
Item 49 of 561902Rosefield HouseElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 50 of 561903Cawdor Parish ChurchCawdor NairnshireScotlandChurch recast, incorporating old tower, porch and aisle
Item 51 of 561903Dallas Parish ChurchDallas MorayshireScotlandAlterations
Item 52 of 561903Elgin Free ChurchElgin MorayshireScotlandHall added
Item 53 of 561903High UF Church HallElgin MorayshireScotland 
Item 54 of 561903Lossiemouth Town Hall and LibraryLossiemouth MorayshireScotlandClock tower and movement
Item 55 of 56Before 1903(?)VillaLossiemouth MorayshireScotlandJohn Wittet claims responsibility, pre-1912; Reid perhaps involved if before 1903
Item 56 of 561905Drill HallElgin MorayshireScotland 

References

Currently, there are no references for this . The information has been derived from: the British Architectural Library / RIBA Directory of British Architects 1834-1914; Post Office Directories; and/or any sources listed under this individual's works.