Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Reid Mill
Designation:  
Born: 5 July 1886
Died: 26 January 1952
Bio Notes: Robert Reid Mill was born on 5 July 1886, the son of John Mill, slater and plasterer, and his wife Margaret Drysdale. He served his apprenticeship with Cooper & Taylor in Edinburgh from 1901 and attended classes at Edinburgh College of Art and Heriot-Watt College. From 1904 until the outbreak of the First World War Mill was architect and surveyor of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. After serving with the Royal Engineers during the war, reaching the rank of Lieutenant and after returning briefly to the post with the Royal Infirmary (1919-1921), he was appointed to the architectural staff of the Lanarkshire County Council. During his years in Edinburgh he also taught Building Construction and Art for Edinburgh Education Authority and when he moved to Lanark as architect to Lanarkshire County Council he did the same for Lanarkshire Education Authority for two years.

In 1924 Mill was appointed suryeror to the Scottish Prisons Commission, and later served in the same capacity in the Prisons Department for Scotland, and the Scottish Home Department. He acted as advisor on all structural matters relating to police buildings, and in his last year assumed general responsibility for fire brigades. His main works were prisons, fire stations and community centres.

Mill was elected LRIBA in 1931, his proposers being John Wilson, Joseph Weekes and T Aikman Swan, FRIAS, and was awarded an MBE. By 1939 he appears to have been in charge of the Scottish Home & Health Department.

He died on 26 January 1952, aged 65, at his home in Corstorphine in Edinburgh. He was survived by his wife Agnes Rose.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Prisons Department for Scotland/11, Rutland Square, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1924After 1931 
Item 2 of 3Hill Crescent, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)c. 1926c. 1927 
Item 3 of 3Hillcrest/26, Cairnmuir Road, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate(?)1932 *1952(?) 

* 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 4Cooper & Taylor19011904Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Lanarkshire County Architect's Department19211924Architect 
Item 3 of 4H M Prison Commissioners for Scotland Architects Office1924After 1931Surveyor 
Item 4 of 4Scottish Home and Health DepartmentBefore 1939(?)After 1946Chief Architect(?) 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 1John GlendinningAfter 1937 DraughtsmanIn the Scottish Home Department

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Thomas Aikman SwanLate 1931for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3Joseph WeekesLate 1931for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3John WilsonLate 1931for 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 11904Edinburgh Royal Infirmary  EdinburghScotlandUnspecified work, as architect and surveyor of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (with the exception of the war years)

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Post Office Directories     
Item 2 of 2RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA JournalFebruary 1952 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp150 - obituary
Item 2 of 2Scotsman28 January 1952  Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no3993 (box 19); John Glendinning: L no5891 (box 106) - information on Scottish Home & Health Department role