Basic Biographical Details Name: | Robert Robb Gall | Designation: | | Born: | 1878 | Died: | 1950 | Bio Notes: | Robert Robb Gall was born on February 6th 1878 in Old Machar, Aberdeenshire, the son of John Gall, master mason, and his wife Mary Robb. His parents had married in Old Deer in 1864.
He was articled to Alexander Mavor of Aberdeen in January 1892 and remained as assistant until 1897, attending evening classes at the Aberdeen School of Art and obtaining an Art Class Teacher's and Art Master's certificate under the South Kensington regulations. In 1896 he obtained two Queen's Medals from a competition involving 7000 applicants throughout Great Britain and Ireland. He then sought experience in London, first with the elderly John Birch, leaving him in November of the same year to work for Henry Hewitt Bridgeman. He stayed with Bridgeman until April 1899, after which he moved to the office of hospital specialist Alfred Walter Saxon Snell. During that period he studied at the RA Schools between 1898 and 1903.
In the 1901 census he is still recorded as being in London (living as a lodger in Sebbon Street, Islington). Later in 1901 he returned to Aberdeen to work as chief assistant to the School Board architect John Alexander Ogg Allan. He passed the qualifying exam in June 1903 and was admitted ARIBA on 30 November of the same year, his proposers being Snell, Mavor, Allan, Alexander Graham (of London) and John Slater (of London).
He commenced independent practice in Aberdeen in 1918 and three years later entered into partnership with George Morrison Hay (born 1875), who had been a fellow assistant in Snell's office around 1900 and had subsequently spent time in Johannesburg, Hong Kong and Canada. The office of Gall & Hay was at 177 Union Street, and Gall was still at this address when he was elected FRIBA on 29 November 1926, proposed by Allan, George Watt and James Brown Nicol. The partnership had been dissolved by the time of Hay's admittance as FRIBA in the following year, although both partners remained at the same address.
He then entered into a partnership with the older George Gregory. Gregory died in 1927 and there was a dispute between Gall and Gregory's widow. Gall continued to operate as Gregory & Gall until at least 1939.
He died in 1950 in Glenmuick, Aberdeenshire, leaving an estate of almost £15K. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 10, Loanhead Terrace, Aberdeen, Scotland | Private | Before 1903 | After 1926 | | | 25, Union Terrace, Aberdeen, Scotland | Business | 1911 * | | | | 177, Union Street, Aberdeen, Scotland | Business | 1921 | After 1939 | Would seem to have kept the Aberdeen office as well as the one in Stonehaven. |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Stephen Sutherland | March 1927 | September 1927 | Assistant | | | John Edward Martin | August 1927 | August 1931 | Apprentice | |
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A v15 p135 (microfilm reel 18); F no2425 (microfilm reel 34) |
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