Basic Biographical Details Name: | Thomas Arnold Jeffryes (sometimes misspelt Jeffreys) | Designation: | | Born: | 24 November 1905 | Died: | 25 December 1979 | Bio Notes: | Thomas Arnold Jeffryes (sometimes wrongly spelt Jeffreys) was born on 24 November 1905, the son of Alexander Espie White Jeffryes, interior decorator, and his wife, Margaret Hew Easton who had married in 1903 in Kirkcaldy. He commenced his apprenticeship in 1925 in the office of William Williamson of Kirkcaldy, but transferred to the office of Harold Ogle Tarbolton in Edinburgh the following year, attending classes at the Edinburgh College of Art under John Begg. He studied full-time at the School of Architecture there from 1928 to 1931 with the exception of three months working for William James Walker Todd in 1929. In 1931 he was appointed Student Teacher in the College of Art, and was awarded a Rutland travelling scholarship amongst a succession of other prizes and scholarships. As Student Teacher he worked under E A A Rowse whom he followed to the School of Planning and Research for National Development at 7 Bedford Square in London, an offshoot of the Architectural Association of which Rowse had become Assistant Director. In 1938 he exhibited a design for the redevelopment of central Dundee at the Royal Academy in association Thomas Adams who was London based.
Jeffryes received his diploma and passed the final exam in 1931, and was admitted ARIBA in early 1932, his proposers being Begg, Tarbolton and Williamson. His RIBA Associateship form indicates that his diploma was in town planning rather than architecture unless this was over and above his diploma in architecture, He was awarded the RIBA Alfred Bossom Silver Medal in 1932 and 1934. At around that time he was again living in Kirkcaldy and his application gives no business address. In 1939-40 he had moved back to Edinburgh and was living at 13 Belgrave Place.
He later married Jane Wood who was also an architect. In 1944 Jeffryes was appointed one of the three Regional Planners in the Department of Health under Robert Hogg Matthew as Deputy Chief Architect in charge of planning, and became associated with Sir Frank Mears on the Forth Valley Plan. After Matthew moved to the LCC, Jeffryes was appointed deputy chief planning officer in the Department of Health for Scotland but Sir Robert Grieve, the Department's chief planning office described him as 'a man of inspiring quality of mind who deeply comprehended the relationship and underlying unity of all things, and who was irradiated by the spirit and teaching of Professor Patrick Geddes'. In 1953 Jeffryes was made head of the DHS architects' department.
Jeffryes' career was affected by ill-health stemming from jaundice in 1944-45. In October 1969 he fractured his skull, and although he survived the injury he never worked again thereafter. He died on 25 December 1979 at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, survived by his widow, Jane Mitchell Wood. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 1, Gordon Square, London, England | Business | | | Possibly address of Thomas Adams who worked with Jeffryes | | Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1926 | After 1950 | | | Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Private | 1932 * | | | | 13, Belgrave Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1939 * | | | | 1, Great Stuart Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | 1950 * | 1979 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | John Begg | Early 1932 | for Associateship | | Harold Ogle Tarbolton | Early 1932 | for Associateship | | William Williamson | Early 1932 | for Associateship |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, Miles | 2008 | Modern architect: the life and times of Robert Matthew | | RIBA Publishing | p67-9,76,158 | | 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 | | | Royal Academy exhibitors | | | | | 1938, no 1280 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 22 May 1959 | | | 'Notes of the Week' p912 | | Scotsman | 12 January 1980 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Drawings Collection | | Student drawings and report of grant-funded trip to New York to analyse apartment block planning. Alkso Alfred Bossom Silver Medal for Commercial architecture 1932 and 1934. Acc No 1996/52 | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Additional information from Miles Glendinning | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no4824 (combined box 38) |
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