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 Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 51, Gordon Square, London, EnglandBusiness  Possibly address of Thomas Adams who worked with Jeffryes
Item 2 of 5Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1926After 1950 
Item 3 of 5Kirkcaldy, Fife, ScotlandPrivate1932 *  
Item 4 of 513, Belgrave Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1939 *  
Item 5 of 51, Great Stuart Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate/business1950 *1979 

* 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 4William Williamson19251926Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Harold Ogle Tarbolton19261928Apprentice 
Item 3 of 4J M Dick Peddie & Walker Todd19291929Assistant(?) 
Item 4 of 4Department of Health for Scotland (Scottish Board of Health; later Scottish Development Department)1950s Chief Architectlisted in Builder 22 May 1959 as Chief Architect p912

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3John BeggEarly 1932for Associateship
Item 2 of 3Harold Ogle TarboltonEarly 1932for Associateship
Item 3 of 3William WilliamsonEarly 1932for Associateship

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 6 Sighthill Experimental FlatsSighthill EdinburghScotlandAs Chief Architect for the Department of Health for Scotland.
Item 2 of 61931RIBA Headquarters  LondonEnglandCompetition design with John Denoon Carnegie and Eric Antony Ambrose Rowse. Scheme highly commended.
Item 3 of 61937Dundee Central Development Scheme  DundeeScotland 
Item 4 of 61953Garrick HospitalStranraer WigtownshireScotlandLow extension to east
Item 5 of 61953Health CentreStranraer WigtownshireScotlandAs Chief Architect in the Department of Health for Scotland
Item 6 of 61956Demonstration Housing Project, Experimental Maisonettes and Houses, MuirhouseMuirhouse EdinburghScotlandAs Chief Architect of the Department of Health for Scotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Glendinning, Miles2008Modern architect: the life and times of Robert Matthew RIBA Publishingp67-9,76,158
Item 2 of 4RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 4RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 4Royal Academy exhibitors    1938, no 1280

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder22 May 1959  'Notes of the Week' p912
Item 2 of 2Scotsman12 January 1980   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 4H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 4National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSDrawings 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
Item 3 of 4Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Additional information from Miles Glendinning
Item 4 of 4RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no4824 (combined box 38)