Basic Biographical Details

Name: Stewart Sim
Designation:  
Born: 21 May 1898
Died: 12 January 1988
Bio Notes: Stewart Sim was born on 21 May 1898, the son of John Sim, fish salesman, and his wife Margaret Armstrong. He appears to have been articled to George Washington Browne. He studied at Edinburgh College of Art from 1919-1921 and visited Oxford and Cambridge on a sketching tour of England during that period. He later went to work for Durham County Council but moved back to Edinburgh and worked as a senior architect in the Office of Works from the 1930s. He was living at 16 Melville Terrace when he exhibited a landscape at the RSA in 1929. He was responsible in his capacity as senior architect in HM Office of Works for the building of the National Library to which he bequeathed all his drawings and papers.

He retired in 1958 (Builder article states he retired on 31 May 1961 after 38 years' service) and died at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on 12 January 1988. He never married.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 416, Melville Terrace, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1929After 1930 
Item 2 of 457, Newington Road, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivatec. 19381988 
Item 3 of 4Ministry of Works, Sighthill, ScotlandBusiness1951  
Item 4 of 4Ministry Offices, George Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1955 *  

* 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 3George Washington Browne  Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3Durham County Council Architect's Department  Assistant 
Item 3 of 3H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)  Senior Architect 

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 16 HM Stationery OfficeSighthill Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandsenior architect at MoW per Builder p18
Item 2 of 161939Montrose House  GlasgowScotland 
Item 3 of 161948Telephone Exchange  EdinburghScotlandIn Office of Works
Item 4 of 161949Multi-Story Building in Prestressed Concrete, SighthillSighthill EdinburghScotland 
Item 5 of 161949Offices at IbroxholmIbroxholm Edinburgh (or Glasgow?)Scotland 
Item 6 of 161951Offices for the Ministry of Works (HMSO store)Broomhouse EdinburghScotland 
Item 7 of 161951Section Stock Store, McDonald Road  EdinburghScotland 
Item 8 of 161952National Library of Scotland  EdinburghScotlandTo supervise construction
Item 9 of 161953Government Offices (Ministry of Works), John StreetAyr AyrshireScotland 
Item 10 of 161953Greyfriars House  AberdeenScotlandAs senior architect to Ministry of Works
Item 11 of 161954St Rollox Post Office  GlasgowScotland 
Item 12 of 161955Government Offices, High StreetKirkcaldy FifeScotland 
Item 13 of 161956Carstairs State InstitutionCarstairs LanarkshireScotlandAs senior architect to Ministry of Works; Mr. D. Wilkie of Chief Engineer's Division resp. for mechanical and electrical engineering; Mr. E. A. Mackay resp. for structural engineering
Item 14 of 161958Royal Scottish Museum, Lecture Theatre and exhibition rooms  Edinburgh, MidlothianScotlandAs architect for Ministry of Works
Item 15 of 161958Tulliallan Castle, gardens and lodgeKincardine-on-Forth FifeScotlandAlterations and additions including Dining Room, Assembly Hall and Residential unit
Item 16 of 161961Post OfficeBurntisland FifeScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp258
Item 2 of 5Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp4 image of Montrose House; Fountainbridge Telephone Exchange
p162 National Library of Scotland
Item 3 of 5Post Office Directories     
Item 4 of 5RIBA1930The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 5 of 5RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 7Builder1 July 1949  p26
Item 2 of 7Builder15 December 1950  p649
Item 3 of 7Builder7 December 1951  p813
Item 4 of 7Builder11 March 1955  p452
Item 5 of 7Builder18 November 1955  p864-865
Item 6 of 7Builder28 January 1958  p196
Item 7 of 7Builder7 July 1961  'Scottish Ministry Architect Retires' p18

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 2National Library of ScotlandManuscript Collection Papers of Stewart Sim