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 AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Post Office Buildings, Commerce Street, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland | Business | 1893 | 1903 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils
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 | | 1892 | Linkwood Distillery | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Warehouses | | 1893 | New Market | Forres | | Morayshire | Scotland | Arcaded shopfronts | | 1893 | Parish Offices | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1893 | Whitemire Cottages | Whitemire | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1895 | Auldearn Primary School | Auldearn | | Nairnshire | Scotland | | | 1895 | Hopeman Free Church, church hall | Hopeman | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Ardgilzean House | Quarrywood / Spynie | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1897 | Craigellachie Hotel | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1897 | Drummuir House and gatelodge | Dalmuir | | Banffshire | Scotland | GAte Lodge - perhaps designed before Alexander Reid's death in 1897 | | 1897 | Mains of Connage Farmstead | | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Reconstruction | | 1897 | Victoria Diamond Jubilee Homes | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1898 | Double Cottage, Aberborn | Aberborn (Aberlour?) | | | Scotland | | | 1898 | Grand Hotel | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1898 | Lhanbryde Church | Lhanbryde | | Morayshire | Scotland | Insertion of Y tracery | | 1898 | Pluscarden Free Church | Pluscarden, Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1898 | The Lodge | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1898 | Tortold | Nairn | | Nairnshire | Scotland | | | 1899 | Aldroughty House | Spynie | | Morayshire | Scotland | North east wing added | | 1899 | Altyre House, Kennels and house for kennelman | | | Morayshire | Scotland | Kennels and additions to kennelman's house | | 1899 | Gordonstoun, house and lodge | | | Morayshire | Scotland | East and West Lodge and gatepiers | | 1899 | Moray Golf Club, clubhouse | Lossiemouth | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1899 | Old School House | Rafford | | Morayshire | Scotland | L-plan extension | | 1899 | School | Kellas | | Morayshire | Scotland | Teacher's House | | 1899 | Two Cottages, Branderburgh | Branderburgh/Lossiemouth | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1900 | Auchinroath House | | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1900 | Elgin Joint County Infectious Diseases Hospital | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | After 1900 | Shop in Lossie Wynd | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | c. 1900 | 21 Sellar Street | Burghead | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | c. 1900 | Alvah Church | Kirkton of Alvah | | Banffshire | Scotland | Additions and alterations - probably by A & W Reid & Wittet (the firm's name by then) | | c. 1900 | Commerce Street | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Ardgye House | Alves | | Morayshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1901 | Buildings, James Street | Lossiemouth | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Buinach, offices | | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Burghead Parish Church | Burghead | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Cottages | Hopeman | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Double Cottage, Hillhead of Tarras | | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Double cottages, Monaughty | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Easter Pittendreich, double cottage | | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | House and steading | New Alves | | Morayshire | Scotland | Repairs to house and steading | | 1901 | Lossiemouth Town Hall and Library | Lossiemouth | | Morayshire | Scotland | Library | | 1901 | Steading | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1901 | Steading and cottages, Inchstellie | Alves | | Morayshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1901 | Upper Manbeen Steading | | | Morayshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1902 | Darnaway Castle, butler's cottage | | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1902 | Double House | Lossiemouth | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1902 | Elgin Academy | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1902 | Marine Hotel | Lossiemouth | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1902 | Public Schools, (Infants) | Lossiemouth | | | Scotland | Additions | | 1902 | Rosefield House | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1903 | Cawdor Parish Church | Cawdor | | Nairnshire | Scotland | Church recast, incorporating old tower, porch and aisle | | 1903 | Dallas Parish Church | Dallas | | Morayshire | Scotland | Alterations | | 1903 | Elgin Free Church | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Hall added | | 1903 | High UF Church Hall | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1903 | Lossiemouth Town Hall and Library | Lossiemouth | | Morayshire | Scotland | Clock tower and movement | | Before 1903(?) | Villa | Lossiemouth | | Morayshire | Scotland | John Wittet claims responsibility, pre-1912; Reid perhaps involved if before 1903 | | 1905 | Drill Hall | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesCurrently, 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. |