Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Harvie
Designation:  
Born: 17 May 1857
Died: 10 March 1932
Bio Notes: Robert Harvie was born in Bothwell, Lanarkshire on 17 May 1857 and was at first apprenticed as a joiner for five years, subsequently working as a wright and builder for ten years whilst taking classes at Gartsherrie Academy, Coatbridge and Glasgow School of Art. Thereafter he took up a post as inspector of works to Bothwell School Board and remained there for four years before obtaining several further years' experience as a clerk of works to Pugin & Pugin of Westminster for whom he erected seven churches and five schools. He then returned to Glasgow where he worked for a number of firms and supervised the building of eight or nine schools, enabling him to commence practice in Motherwell in 1892. He was admitted LRIBA on 20 March 1911, his proposers being George Bell, Duncan McNaughtan and James Lochhead. By that time he was working in partnership with an unidentified Mr Rankin as Harvie & Rankin, Architects, Surveyors and Valuators, based at 8 Clyde Street, Motherwell, and was a Fellow of the Surveyors' Institute.

Harvie emigrated to Vancouver in 1912, but the boom period ended in the following year and he found it difficult to establish a practice. He remained in Vancouver nevertheless, and had more success in the 1920s when he built Presbyterian churches at Mount Pleasant and Norrisdale and the Metal Crafts building on Beatty Street, Vancouver.

Harvie died on 10 March 1932 survived by his wife and five children, one of whom was presumably Robert Harvie (born 15 February 1891) who studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1908 to 1910 and appears to have taken his place in the practice of Harvie & Rankin as he gave a business address of 8 Clyde Street, Motherwell in 1914. He may have subsequently joined his father in Canada.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 38, Clyde Street, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, ScotlandBusiness1911 *  
Item 2 of 3Greenpark House, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1911 * Misspelt 'Greenbrock House' in BAL Directory
Item 3 of 3Garfield Road, Bellshill, Lanarkshire, ScotlandBusiness1911 Branch office?

* 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 2Pugin & PuginAfter 1887Before 1892Clerk of WorksCarried out seven churches for the firm
Item 2 of 2Harvie & RankinBefore 1911Before 1914Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3George Bell II20 March 1911for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3James Lochhead20 March 1911for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3Duncan McNaughtan20 March 1911for Licentiateship

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 15After 1892Bellshill SchoolBellshill LanarkshireScotlandDrawings listed on LRIBA nomination form - possibly competition design, may be unexecuted
Item 2 of 15After 1892Cemetery and offices (including lodge)Stewarton AyrshireScotlandDrawings listed on LRIBA nomination form. Must be competition design. Close & Riches indicate that the walls and gatepiers are by Harvie.
Item 3 of 15After 1892Fairbairn UF Church halls  GlasgowScotland 
Item 4 of 15After 1892Holytown Parish Church hallsHolytown LanarkshireScotland 
Item 5 of 15After 1892House(?) for David Reid   ScotlandDrawings
Item 6 of 15After 1892House(?) for W D L Armstrong   Scotland 
Item 7 of 15After 1892MansionBlairmore ArgyllScotlandReconstruction
Item 8 of 15After 1892Model dwellings for Steel Smelters' Union of Great Britain     
Item 9 of 15After 1892Shops and dwelling houses for Dalziel Co-operative SocietyMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 
Item 10 of 15After 1892Villa for Andrew Simpson EsqBathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 11 of 15After 1892Villa for Baillie BressingtonMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 
Item 12 of 151897General offices for D Colville & Son Ltd, Dalzell SteelworksMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 
Item 13 of 151901Shops and dwelling houses for Bellshill & Mossend Co-operative SocietyBellshill LanarkshireScotland 
Item 14 of 151904(?)Dalziel PoorhouseMotherwell LanarkshireScotlandCompetition design?
Item 15 of 151907Dalziel UF Church hallsMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3British Architectural Library, RIBA2001Directory of British Architects 1834-1914   
Item 2 of 3Luxton, Donald (ed.)2003Building the West: the early architects of British Columbia Vancouver: Talon Bookspp 466-7 & 504
Item 3 of 3Measurers\' Companion1911The Scottish Architects' and Measurers' Companion   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v12 no789 (microfilm reel 33)