Basic Biographical Details Name: | George Haslehurst Lawrence (sometimes misspelt George Hazelhurst Lawrence) | Designation: | | Born: | 29 February 1912 | Died: | 31 August 1985 | Bio Notes: | George Haslehurst Lawrence (his middle name is misspelt Hazelhurst in some sources) was born on 29 February 1912, the son of George Henry Lawrence, civil servant, and his wife, Mary Haslehurst Stewart. He studied at Edinburgh College of Art under John Begg from October 1929. On 12 September 1933 he commenced a year's practical experience in the office of Burnet, Tait & Lorne, working on the Masonic Hospital at Ravenscourt Park, Silver End, and the Curzon Cinema. He returned thereafter to complete his studies, receiving his diploma on 30 June 1935 and passing the Professional Practice exam on 9 July that year to obtain an exemption from the RIBA final exam. This entitled him to be admitted ARIBA on 2 December the same year, his proposers being Thomas Smith Tait, James Alexander Arnott, and Begg, who wrote in his supporting statement : 'His work was invariably of a very high quality'. He was also a member of the Edinburgh Architectural Association, serving as Senior Vice President (see Builder 7 June 1957 - CHECK dates; Builder 1 May 1959 notes him as president elect) and president (1959 - 1961).
In 1936 he returned to Edinburgh to set up his own practice, and designed one good traditional house and a remarkable modernist house. Two years later he returned to London to join the London County Council's Town Planning Department. After war service from 1939 to 1946 he returned once more to Scotland and remained there thereafter, working in the Department of Health for Scotland as Planning Officer, Senior Architect and finally Deputy Chief Architect. In 1950 he is recorded as being Lieutenant Colonel and presumably must have either seen active service in the Second World War or been involved with the Territorial Army.
Lawrence was a member of the Technical Aid Team on Low-Cost Building Survey in Northern Nigeria in 1963, and was appointed Chief Executive of the National Building Agency in July 1964. He remained in this post until at least 1967. He was elected FRIBA on 7 April 1965, hsi proposers being Clive Bain, William Sinclair Gauldie and Stirrat Johnson-Marshall.
He died at home in Edinburgh on 31 August 1985. He was survived by his wife, Angela Beatrix Boyd. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 18, Mansionhouse Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1935 | c. 1940 | | | London, England | Business | After 1938 | | | | 11, Warriston Crescent, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | Before 1952(?) | After 1957 | | | 2, Dalrymple Crescent, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | Before 1970 | 1985 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and Designs
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 | p11, p164-5 Sighthill Health Centre | | McKean, Charles | 1987 | The Scottish Thirties: An Architectural Introduction | | Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press | p195 | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | | | RIBA | 1979 | Directory of members | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 7 June 1957 | | | p1024 | | Builder | 1 May 1959 | | | 'Edinburgh Architectural Association' p832 | | Builder | 22 May 1959 | | | brief mention in 'Notes of the Week' p912 | | Builder | 28 April 1961 | | | 'Edinburgh Architectural Association: A Lively 1961 Year Book' p803 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | DMW Archive | Interview with Charles McKean, early 1980s (copy) | | | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no5860 (stored under F5710, combined box 96); F no5710 (combined box 96) |
|