Basic Biographical Details

Name: John Alistair Ross
Designation:  
Born: 5 June 1882
Died: 17 June 1955
Bio Notes: John Alistair Ross was born at Riverfield, Inverness on 5 June 1882, the son of Alexander Ross of Ross & Macbeth and his wife Mary Ann Finlayson. He was educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond and at Inverness College and was articled to the family firm on 1 October 1900. After completing his apprenticeship, moved to Edinburgh where he spent two years in the office of Peddie & Washington Browne. Whilst there he attended classes at Edinburgh School of Art and Heriot-Watt College. In 1906 he went to London to work as a draughtsman with Marshall Mackenzie & Son, returning at the end of the following year to join his father in partnership as Alexander Ross & Son following the dissolution of the partnership of Ross & Macbeth. In the same year, 1907, he was appointed architect to Inverness County Council and to the Inverness and North Board of Control.

In 1914 he was mobilized. He formed the anti-aircraft defences at Cromarty in 1915, and subsequently served in France, as a Major in command of the 192 Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery. On his return in February 1919 he rejoined the family firm, becoming sole partner following the death on 19 May 1925 of his father, who had ceased taking an active role in the business two years previously. A few years earlier, in 1921, he had married Olive Cameron, daughter of the Rev Allan Cameron.

He was admitted LRIBA in early 1931, his proposers being John Watson, George Arthur Boswell and the then secretary of the RIAS, and was advanced to FRIBA by the RIBA Council on 27 October of the same year. By that time he had been architect to the Inverness District Board of Control for over twenty years. He continued the practice until his death on 17 June 1955, latterly in partnership with W W Mitchell who died in 1966. He was survived by his wife Olive Cameron and a daughter.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 2Queensgate Chambers, Inverness, Inverness-shire, ScotlandBusiness1931 *After 1950 
Item 2 of 2Nessdale, Island Bank Road, Inverness, Inverness-shire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 19311955 

* 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 4Ross & Macbeth1 October 19001904 or 1905Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4Peddie & Washington Browne1904 or 19051906Assistant(?) 
Item 3 of 4A Marshall Mackenzie & Son19061907DraughtsmanIn London office
Item 4 of 4Alexander Ross & SonLate 19071955PartnerWith the exception of war service, 1914-19

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3George Arthur BoswellEarly 1931for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3RIBA Council27 October 1931for Fellowship
Item 3 of 3John WatsonEarly 1931for Licentiateship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 10William Watt Allan10 February 1948For Licentiateship
Item 2 of 10Robert Carruthers-Ballantyne (or Robert Ballantyne Carruthers; or Roy Carruthers Ballantyne)5 March 1934for Fellowship
Item 3 of 10William Affleck Dalgleish17 November 1942For Associateship
Item 4 of 10Kenneth John Finlayson10 January 1956For Licentiateship
Item 5 of 10David Polson Hall1 May 1951For Fellowship
Item 6 of 10Jessie Knowles (Mrs Ingoldsby)8 January 1934for Associateship
Item 7 of 10Robert Neish6 May 1947For Associateship
Item 8 of 10Hamish Noble Paterson10 February 1948For Licentiateship
Item 9 of 10James Rattray Riddell10 April 1956For Fellowship
Item 10 of 10Thomas ('Tom') Campbell Watson4 June 1940for 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 461907National Bank of Scotland, Inverness BranchInverness Inverness-shireScotlandReconstruction of premises
Item 2 of 46After 1907Bank of ScotlandAvoch Ross and CromartyScotland 
Item 3 of 46After 1907Corrimony HouseGlenurquhart Inverness-shireScotlandAdditions
Item 4 of 46After 1907Inverernie Lodge  Inverness-shireScotlandAlterations
Item 5 of 46After 1907Killin Lodge  Inverness-shireScotlandAlterations
Item 6 of 46After 1907Kincraig HouseAlness Ross and CromartyScotlandAdditions?
Item 7 of 46After 1907Kinrara HouseAlvie Inverness-shireScotlandAdditions
Item 8 of 46After 1907Lord Roberts Memorial WorkshopInverness Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 9 of 46After 1907Nairnside House  Inverness-shireScotlandAlterations
Item 10 of 46After 1907Newmore HouseInvergordon Ross and CromartyScotlandAdditions
Item 11 of 46After 1907Petty ChurchPetty Inverness-shireScotlandAlterations
Item 12 of 46After 1907St Andrew's Episcopal ChapelFasque KincardineshireScotlandAlterations
Item 13 of 46After 1907Stratton Lodge  Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 14 of 461908Royal Northern InfirmaryInverness Inverness-shireScotlandWards
Item 15 of 461908St Regulus Episcopal ChurchCromarty Ross and CromartyScotlandExtension and completion
Item 16 of 461909Fassaig, School buildingsTorridon Ross and CromartyScotlandAdditions
Item 17 of 461909Kintail ManseKintail Ross and CromartyScotlandAdditions and repairs
Item 18 of 461909Riding School, The CitadelInverness Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 19 of 461909Shieldaig School buildingsShieldaig Ross and CromartyScotlandAdditions
Item 20 of 461909Skating RinkInverness Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 21 of 461910Post OfficePortreeSkyeInverness-shireScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 22 of 46After 1910Kinmylies HouseInverness Inverness-shireScotlandFarm buildings
Item 23 of 461911Inverness PoorhouseInverness Inverness-shireScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 24 of 461911OrphanageAberlour BanffshireScotlandAdditions
Item 25 of 461911St Michael's and All Angels RectoryInverness Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 26 of 461911Villa, Lochalsh RoadInverness Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 27 of 461912St Finnbarr's Episcopal ChurchDornoch SutherlandScotland 
Item 28 of 461913Druid Temple Farm steading    Restoration of farm steading
Item 29 of 461913Glenmohr DistilleryInverness Inverness-shireScotlandAdditions
Item 30 of 461913Inverness DispensaryInverness Inverness-shireScotlandRear additions
Item 31 of 461913Inverness District AsylumInverness Inverness-shireScotlandCottages; also recreation hall (no date)
Item 32 of 461913Kelso's La Scala CinemaInverness Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 33 of 461913Lochcarron (Janetown) ManseLochcarron Ross and CromartyScotlandAdditions and repairs
Item 34 of 461913Lochcarron Established ChurchLochcarron Ross and CromartyScotlandAdditions and repairs
Item 35 of 461913Territorial Drill HallFort Augustus Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 36 of 461914Bogbain FarmBaigmore Ross and CromartyScotlandRestoration of farm
Item 37 of 461914Territorial Drill Hall and Instructor's HouseBroadfordSkyeInverness-shireScotland 
Item 38 of 46After 1919War memorialHalkirk CaithnessScotland 
Item 39 of 46After 1919War memorialAvoch Ross and CromartyScotland 
Item 40 of 46After 1919War memorialAlness Ross and CromartyScotland 
Item 41 of 461925Kinmylies Farm SteadingInverness Inverness-shire  
Item 42 of 46c. 1930House of RosskeenInvergordon Ross and CromartyScotland 
Item 43 of 461931Urquhart Parish ChurchUrquhart MorayshireScotlandAddition of chancel and vestry
Item 44 of 461932Inverness District AsylumInverness Inverness-shireScotlandNurses' home and sanatorium
Item 45 of 461934Invergordon Town HallInvergordon Ross and CromartyScotlandAdditions and alterations for conversion to cinema
Item 46 of 461954St Paul's Episcopal ChurchKinlochleven ArgyllScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4RIBA1930The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
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 4Scottish Biographies1938  E J Thurston (pub.) 

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 no3765 (box 16); F no2946 (box 14)