Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Leslie Rollo
Designation:  
Born: 23 August 1888
Died: 11 January 1948
Bio Notes: Robert Leslie Rollo was born on 23 August 1888, the son of Robert Rollo. He served his apprenticeship in the office of James Lindsay, studying at Glasgow School of Art in 1906-7 and at Glasgow School of Architecture. He moved to Ayr in 1911 to join James Archibald Morris as assistant, returning to Glasgow two years later as assistant to Sir John James Burnet and Norman Aitken Dick, then working under the practice name of John Burnet & Son. He was subsequently transferred to Burnet's London office where he worked on the British Museum extension.

In 1914 he commenced independent practice at 248 West George Street, Glasgow, in collaboration with James Lindsay Junior, the son of his former employer; the elder Lindsay had died on 8 September that year and his son had taken on the practice at the early age of twenty-two. It is not clear whether a formal partnership existed, but in any case the association was cut short by the outbreak of the First World War, during which Rollo served with the Royal Engineers rising to the rank of Lieutenant and at the end of the war was divisional officer with the Ministry of Works in Antwerp. In 1917 he had married Elizabeth Whyte, daughter of Robert P Whyte.

On his return from the war Rollo moved back north to Aberdeen where he resumed independent practice in 1920 and was appointed assistant Lecturer and Demonstrator in the School of Architecture, later becoming Principal Teacher oif Architecture and Head of the School. Whilst there he was appointed architect to the Governors of Robert Gordon's College and designed the new buildings for the Technical College and School of Art. He was admitted FRIBA in early 1930, his proposers being Robert Gordon Wilson Junior, John Alexander Ogg Allan and George Watt. He was President of the Aberdeen Society of Architects 1935-37. He resigned his post in the School of Architecture in 1937 to concentrate on his private practice (possibly after a dispute with the Governors of the School over time spent on his private work). He appears to have shared an office with James Brown Nicol and his former assistant David Polson Hall until about 1939, although we do not as yet know if they were in some kind of partnership.

During the Second World War Rollo again worked for the Ministry of Works.

In private life Rollo was an active Freemason, being President of the Aberdeen Chapter from 1933 to 1936. He died suddenly at 7 King's Gate on 11 January 1948, survived by his wife Bessie, his daughter Ruth who married Dr Charles Michie, an Aberdeen man of the Colonial Medical Service, stationed at Gibraltar, and his son, R Erskine Rollo (who was entertainments staff officer with the Army Welfare Service during the Second World War) and daughter.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 717, Clifford Street, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1906After 1911 
Item 2 of 7248, West George Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1914 In collaboration with James Lindsay Junior
Item 3 of 79, Lennox Road, Cardonald, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1918 *  
Item 4 of 712, Murray Terrace, Ferryhill, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusiness1920 *  
Item 5 of 7Aberdeen School of Architecture/375, Union Street, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1929After 1930 
Item 6 of 7Camloun, Cults, Aberdeenshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1929After 1944 
Item 7 of 7146, Union Street, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusinessc. 1939 *  

* 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 5James Lindsay19041911Apprentice 
Item 2 of 5James Archibald Morris19111913Assistant 
Item 3 of 5John Burnet & Son19131914Assistant 
Item 4 of 5(Sir) John James Burnet19141914AssistantIn London office
Item 5 of 5Rollo & HallAfter 1932c. 1939(?)Partner(?) 

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 5[James] Fenton ('Tony') Wyness1927 Assistant 
Item 2 of 5George Leslie Cruickshank1929 Assistant 
Item 3 of 5William Sherriffs Joss19291930Assistant 
Item 4 of 5David Polson Hall19311932Chief Assistant 
Item 5 of 5David Gordon WilsonJuly 1938After 1940 role unclear

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6John Alexander Ogg AllanEarly 1930for Fellowship
Item 2 of 6(Sir) John James BurnetLate 1920for Associateship
Item 3 of 6James Archibald MorrisLate 1920for Associateship
Item 4 of 6John WatsonLate 1920for Associateship
Item 5 of 6George WattEarly 1930for Fellowship
Item 6 of 6Robert Gordon Wilson (junior)Early 1930for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 71Alfred Easton Allan9 May 1938for Associateship
Item 2 of 71George Johnstone Anderson10 February 1942for Associateship
Item 3 of 71Frederick George Grant AngusMid 1935for Associateship
Item 4 of 71James Harrison Ball7 October 1930for Licentiateship
Item 5 of 71Douglas Beaton12 April 1937for Associateship
Item 6 of 71John Ronald Beaton19 June 1939for Associateship
Item 7 of 71Archibald Ernest Bennett5 December 1938for Associateship
Item 8 of 71Robert Muil Bremner1932for Associateship
Item 9 of 71James Cairncross4 April 1938for Associateship
Item 10 of 71John Ross Cheyne6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 11 of 71Maxwell Fordyce Christie13 August 1940for Associateship
Item 12 of 71John Lamont Coghill8 March 1937for Associateship
Item 13 of 71James Conner12 March 1940For Associateship
Item 14 of 71George Cruickshank19 May 1942For Associateship
Item 15 of 71George Leslie CruickshankLate 1930for Associateship
Item 16 of 71John George Davidson8 January 1934for Associateship
Item 17 of 71Gordon David Diack9 May 1938for Associateship
Item 18 of 71Alexander Duncan14 January 1935for Associateship
Item 19 of 71John Flett Duncan11 February 1935for Associateship
Item 20 of 71Charles Ritchie Emslie9 May 1938For Associateship
Item 21 of 71John Findlay2 December 1935for Licentiateship
Item 22 of 71George Flett24 June 1935for Associateship
Item 23 of 71Alastair Stewart Foster19 July 1937for Associateship
Item 24 of 71Alexander Fraser30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 25 of 71Eric Melvin Galloway10 February 1936for Associateship
Item 26 of 71William James Geddes14 January 1935for Associateship
Item 27 of 71Isobel Margaret Gordon (Mrs Adams)3 December 1934for Associateship
Item 28 of 71William Halkerston11 February 1935for Associateship
Item 29 of 71David Polson HallLate 1932for Associateship
Item 30 of 71Haydn Albert Edward Halstead5 February 1934for Associateship
Item 31 of 71William Gibson Henderson3 December 1934for Associateship
Item 32 of 71Robert Archibald Hendry11 February 1947For Licentiateship
Item 33 of 71Douglas William InnesLate 1930 or early 1931for Associateship
Item 34 of 71Alexander Murdoch (or Murdock) Irvine5 February 1934for Associateship
Item 35 of 71William James Castell Irvine18 October 1937for Associateship
Item 36 of 71John Brown Johnston12 April 1937for Associateship
Item 37 of 71Jessie Elizabeth Kennedy (Mrs Bassett)11 March 1935for Associateship
Item 38 of 71Stewart Kilgour5 March 1934for Associateship
Item 39 of 71Lionel Ethelbert Knight13 May 1935for Associateship
Item 40 of 71Arthur Lyall (or Lysall) Chisholm Lemon7 January 1941for Associateship
Item 41 of 71Neil MacLeodMid 1932for Associateship
Item 42 of 71John Edward Martin19 June 1939for Associateship
Item 43 of 71Chessor Lille Matthew11 May 1936for Associateship
Item 44 of 71Edward Mackie McIntyre1 May 1940For Associateship
Item 45 of 71(Captain) Douglas Stuart McMillanMid 1931for Fellowship
Item 46 of 71Frances Jane Harvey Mercer11 May 1936for Associateship
Item 47 of 71Kenneth Bradley Miller6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 48 of 71Frederick William Morgan11 March 1935for Associateship
Item 49 of 71Sidney Patrick Murray9 May 1938for Associateship
Item 50 of 71John Baillie Noble20 July 1936for Associateship
Item 51 of 71John Charles Richardson12 April 1937for Associateship
Item 52 of 71James Rattray RiddellLate 1930for Associateship
Item 53 of 71Charles Alexander RoseEarly 1931for Associateship
Item 54 of 71Albert Ruddiman4 December 1933for Associateship
Item 55 of 71Henry Edwin Scott30 November 1936for Associateship
Item 56 of 71Edmond Patrick Sharkey20 June 1938for Associateship
Item 57 of 71Gordon Alexander Smart4 June 1940for Associateship
Item 58 of 71George Dudley Stalker3 December 1934for Associateship
Item 59 of 71Norman StephenLate 1930for Associateship
Item 60 of 71Stephen Sutherland4 April 1938for Associateship
Item 61 of 71William Robert Hector TaylorEarly 1931for Associateship
Item 62 of 71Robert ThomsonMid 1935for Associateship
Item 63 of 71John Comrie Todd23 October 1933for Associateship
Item 64 of 71William Caie Walker1930 or 1931for Associateship
Item 65 of 71Thomas ('Tom') Campbell Watson4 June 1940for Associateship
Item 66 of 71Robert George Will8 January 1934for Associateship
Item 67 of 71Alexander Milne Wilson6 December 1937for Associateship
Item 68 of 71David Gordon Wilson16 July 1940for Associateship
Item 69 of 71William WittetEarly 1932for Licentiateship
Item 70 of 71Duncan James Johnston Wright21 October 1941for Associateship
Item 71 of 71John Phin Miller WrightEarly 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 231914British MuseumBloomsbury LondonEnglandKing Edward VII Wing (North Wing) and British Museum Avenue running N from new wing laid out -as assistant to Sir John James Burnet
Item 2 of 231923Gray's School of Art  AberdeenScotlandAlterations
Item 3 of 231924Cottage for F A Garden EsqCults AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 4 of 231924Cottage for F A Garden Esq  AberdeenScotland 
Item 5 of 231924The Post Office BlockFyvie AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 6 of 231925Robert Gordon's Technical College, Technical Buildings  AberdeenScotlandEngineering laboratories
Item 7 of 231927Robert Gordon's Technical College, Technical Buildings  AberdeenScotlandEast block
Item 8 of 231928Gray's School of Art  AberdeenScotlandMajor additions
Item 9 of 231928Laboratory buildings for Fisadco LtdTorry AberdeenScotland 
Item 10 of 231929Robert Gordon's Colleges, MacRobert Hall  AberdeenScotland 
Item 11 of 231929Robert Gordon's Technical College, Technical Buildings  AberdeenScotlandMajor additions
Item 12 of 231930sKaimhill Housing EstateKaimhill AberdeenScotland 
Item 13 of 231930Robert Gordon's Secondary School  AberdeenScotlandAlterations
Item 14 of 231935Aberdeen CrematoriumKaimhill AberdeenScotland 
Item 15 of 231935Social hall and other officesTorry AberdeenScotlandPlans in hand
Item 16 of 231935Social halls and officesHilton AberdeenScotland 
Item 17 of 231936House of GlennieMarnoch AberdeenshireScotlandAttribution
Item 18 of 231936Inverurie Hospital, administration block, nurses' home, staff accommodation and gate lodgeInverurie AberdeenshireScotlandIn consultation with the new hospital's Medical Officer for Health
Item 19 of 231936The Picture HouseStonehaven KincardineshireScotland 
Item 20 of 231936The Red House  AberdeenScotland 
Item 21 of 231937Inverurie Infectious Diseases HospitalInverurie AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 22 of 231939Kingsway Cinema  AberdeenScotland 
Item 23 of 231939Nazareth House  AberdeenScotlandRebuilding

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Post Office Directories     
Item 2 of 4RIBA1930The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 4RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 4Scottish Biographies1938  E J Thurston (pub.) 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Aberdeen Press and Journal24 February 1937  p8. Portrait of Rollo in article about talk given by Rollo to the Aberdeen Rotarians about the importance of providing community facilities in areas of new housing.
Item 2 of 5Aberdeen Press and Journal22 January 1948  p6
Item 3 of 5Aberdeen Weekly Journal18 May 1944  p4
Item 4 of 5London Gazette17 September 1917  Supplement
Item 5 of 5RIAS QuarterlyMay 1948no72Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)p36 - obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no3103 (microfilm reel 25); F no2773 (box 11)