Basic Biographical Details Name: | Charles William Gray | Designation: | | Born: | 15 May 1899 | Died: | 17 January 1987 | Bio Notes: | Charles William Gray was born on 15 May 1899. He studied under the direction of John Ross McKay from May 1921 until 1927, both in the latter's office and at home, and attended classes at Edinburgh College of Art from October 1922. He was successful in his studies, winning a number of prizes including a travelling bursary in 1925, and spent three months of every year sketching in France, Italy, Spain and England. In June 1928 he was elected an Associate of the RIAS, and he acted as the secretary of its Associate section in that year.
He spent November 1928 to January 1930 with Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel in Cannes and St Raphael, thereafter joining the office of René Darde, Architect of the Société Centrale de Paris. In September 1931 (or 1932 - sources vary) he commenced practice on his own account at Ste Maxime with a small villa at St Raphael. He was admitted LRIBA in late 1931, his proposers being Goodhart-Rendel, Reginald Francis Joseph Fairlie and John Begg. Over the following years he carried out a considerable amount of work in the area, including the restorations of the ruined Carthusian monastery at Montrieux and of the monastery of La Grande Chartreuse near Grenoble, as well as new villas on the French Riviera for British and French celebrities.
He returned to Edinburgh in 1936 and was appointed chief of staff to Reginald Fairlie, who was then working on the National Library of Scotland. He remained with Fairlie until 1939, whilst also carrying out his own private practice which consisted mainly of church halls.
Gray reached the rank of Major during the Second World War. In 1948 Fairlie took him into partnership, joined soon after by Alexander Ritchie Conlon. Gray's principal work within the partnership was the Ewing Building, University College, Dundee. He continued the practice of Reginald Fairlie & Partners after Fairlie's death in 1952, and practised alone from 1953 to at least 1960. The address given for him in the RSA catalogue of 1958 shows that he had an office in the same building as Leslie Grahame-Thomson & Associates. He was elected FRIBA on 21 June 1960, proposed by Grahame-Thomson, Ian Gordon Lindsay and William Hardie Kininmonth.
Gray died at Nazareth house, Lasswade on 17 January 1987. His wife, Lysette (her name is given as 'Mary Alice Breton' in death register) had predeceased him but he was survived by his daughters Nicole and Rosline, his son Gilbert and his grandchildren. At some point prior to his death he was elected a Knight of St Gregory. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Villa Idargalym, Ste Maxime, Var, France | Private | 1931 * | | | | St Raphael, Var, France | Private(?) | 1931 * | | | | 4, Craiglockhart Bank, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1938 * | | | | 7, Ainslie Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1938 | | Reginald Fairlie's office | | Tigh-Na-Geat, Lothianburn, Midlothian, Scotland | Private | 1950 * | 1987 | | | 6, Ainslie Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1964 * | | | | 65, York Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1970 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers* earliest date known from documented sources.
RIBARIBA Proposers
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 | | | St Columba's RC Cathedral | Oban | | Argyll | Scotland | Font (no date given by Frank Walker) | | 1926 | RC Church of St John the Baptist | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | After 1932 | Estate of Mr Debenham | Beauvallon | | | France | Unspecified estate work | | After 1932 | Monastery of La Grande Chartreuse | Grenoble (near) | | Isere | France | Restoration | | After 1932 | Montrieux Carthusian monastery | Montrieux, near Toulon | | Var | France | Restoration of ruin | | After 1932 | Villa for Gilbert Franco | Cap Ferrat | | Var | France | | | After 1932 | Villa for Monsieur Carrabussier | | | | France | | | After 1932 | Villa for Monsieur Combartet | | | | France | | | After 1932 | Villa for Mr Thomson of Thomson & Houston | Cap Ferrat | | Var | France | | | After 1932 | Villa for Princess Marie of Greece | St Tropez | | Var | France | | | After 1932 | Villa for Sir Samuel Hoare | Cap Ferrat | | Var | France | | | After 1932 | Villa for the director of l'Illustration | | | | France | | | 1936 | National Library of Scotland | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Chief of Staff for Reginald Fairlie during this project | | 1950 | Ewing Building, Dundee University College | | | Dundee | Scotland | In partnership with Reginald Fairlie, but responsible for design | | 1950 | St Michael RC Church | Kilmarnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1951 | Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Plans to be prepared for extensions, alterations and additions | | 1952 | St Catherine Laboure RC Church | Balornock | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | After 1953 | Carmelite Convent | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Large additions | | After 1953 | Carmelite Convent | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | Large additions | | After 1953 | Church | Bonnyrigg | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | After 1953 | Church | Liberton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | After 1953 | Church (probably RC) | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | | | After 1953 | Church (probably RC) | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | | | After 1953 | Convent | Oulton | | Staffordshire | England | Alterations | | After 1953 | Convent of the Good Shepherd | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Large additions | | After 1953 | Home for mentally deficient girls | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | After 1953 | St Hugh's Charterhouse, Parkminster | Cowfold, Horsham | | Sussex | England | Restoration and rebuilding | | After 1953 | St James RC Church | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | After 1953 | St Joseph's Convent of the Little Sisters of the Poor | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Large additions | | After 1953 | St Margaret's Convent of the Ursulines of Jesus | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Large additions | | After 1953 | St Patrick's public hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | After 1953 | St Peter's RC Church | Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | After 1953 | St Saviour's RC Church | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | After 1953 | Youth club for Jesuits | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1954 | 3 Arnothill | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | Chapter house addition | | 1954 | St Augustine RC Church | Milton | | Glasgow | Scotland | As a partner with Reginald Fairlie & Partners (from address given in RSA catalogue) | | 1954 | St Laurence RC Church and Presbytery | Drumchapel | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1954 | St Philip RC Church | Ruchazie | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1955 | Baro House | Gifford | | East Lothian | Scotland | Completed | | 1957 | RC Church of St Mary of the Assumption | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Alterations to adapt Cathedral to modern liturgical requirements. | | 1957 | St Paul's RC Church | Whiteinch | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1958 | Church of the Holy Name | Oakley | | Fife | Scotland | Design of building as constructed | | 1958 | St Francis Xavier RC Church | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1958 | St Giles RC Church | Kennoway | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1958 | University of St Andrews, St Mary's College | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | South extension to library (cost: £85,000) | | 1959 | St Bernard's RC Church | Ballingry | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1959 | St Matthew's RC Church | Auchtermuchty | | Fife | Scotland | | | Mid 1950s | St Columba's College | St Boswells | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Additions including chapel | | 1960s(?) | RC Church | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1960s | RC Church | Mastrick | | Aberdeen | Scotland | | | 1960s | RC Church | Dalmellington | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1960 | Church (probably RC) | Kilmarnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1960 | St Columba's College | St Boswells | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Large extension | | 1960 | St Joseph RC Church | Catrine | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1960 | St Paul RC Church | Hurlford | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Alterations to church | | 1960 | St Teresa's RC Church | Craigmillar | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1960 | Theological college | Melrose | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | c. 1960 | Liverpool RC Cathedral of Christ the King | | | Liverpool | England | | | 1961 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Church | Kilmarnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1962 | Our Lady of Perpetual Succour | Broomhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1963 | Our Lady of Lourdes and St Patrick RC Church | Auchinleck | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Church | | c. 1963 | Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Church | Kilmarnock | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Design for Civory, HES Archives, LOR LOR K/10/1/1 | | 1964 | St Vincent's RC Church | | Barra | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1965 | Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church | Blackburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1965 | Roman Catholic Church, Spean Bridge | | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1965 | St Francis Xavier RC Church | Waterside | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Open porch | | 1965 | St Peter's RC Church | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Sanctuary re-ordered | | 1966 | St Paul RC Church | Hurlford | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Presbytery - may have been responsible | | c. 1966 | St Benedict's Abbey | Fort Augustus | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | West narthex, baptistery and porch | | 1967 | St Edward's RC Church | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1967 | St Joseph's RC Church | Spean Bridge | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1967 | St Serf's RC Church | Airdrie | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1969 | St Martin of Tours RC Church | Tranent | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1970 | RC Church | Clarkston | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1970 | St John's RC Church | Caol, Fort William | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1970 | St Martin of Tours RC Church | Renton | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | Perhaps retired by this date | | 1973 | St Francis Xavier RC Church (new) | Carfin | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p162 National Library of Scotland | | Municipal Annual | 1964 | Scottish Municipal Annual | 1964-1965 | | | | Post Office Directories | | | | | First appears 1938 | | Pride, Glen L | 1999 | The Kingdom of Fife | 2nd Edition | The Rutland Press | p20 | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RSA | 1957 | | | | 426 | | RSA | 1958 | | | | 436, 440 etc |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 12 March 1965 | | | p605 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L no3979 (box 19); F no5460 (combined box 80) |
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