Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Shekleton Balfour
Designation:  
Born: 7 March 1869
Died: 7 November 1942
Bio Notes: Robert Shekelton Balfour, who also went by the nickname of Robin, was born on 7 March 1869 at Stirling, the son of Robert Balfour and Annie Shekelton.

He was articled to Hippolyte Jean Blanc in the firm of Blanc & Gordon in November 1886, studying at Edinburgh College of Art. After serving his five-year apprenticeship he toured Europe for nine months before moving to London, where he worked in various offices including that of John Macvicar Anderson. Whilst there he passed the qualifying exam in 1893 and was admitted ARIBA on 4 December that year, his proposers being Anderson, Arthur Cates and John Alfred Gotch. He undertook a sketching tour of Wiltshire in July 1894 with Anderson's son Henry Lennox Anderson, a fellow assistant in the office, and in the same year commenced practice in London on his own account. He entered into partnership with William Alfred Pite either at that time or soon afterwards. He was admitted FRIBA on 11 June 1906, his proposers being John Belcher, Macvicar Anderson and Aston Webb; at that time his business address was 116 Jermyn Street, St James's, and his private address at 28B Albemarle Street, Piccadilly. The partnership with Pite was dissolved the following year.

On 12 December 1912 Robert Shekelton Balfour married Mabel Iris FitzGeorge, (who usually went by her middle name of Iris), at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace, St. James's, London. She was the daughter of Colonel George William Adolphus FitzGeorge of the 20th Hussars, and great grand-daughter of Adolphus Frederick Hanover, 1st Duke of Cambridge, the younger brother of King George IV.

He died, aged 73, at Sidmouth, Devon, England, leaving a widow and one son. She married secondly Prince Vladimir Emmanuelovich Galitzine on 12 August 1945 and died on 13 April 1976.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 476, Inverness Terrace, London, EnglandPrivate1893 *After 1898 
Item 2 of 428B, Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, London, EnglandPrivate1902 *1912 
Item 3 of 4116, Jermyn Street, London, EnglandBusiness1906 *  
Item 4 of 430, Montpelier Square, LondonPrivate1932  

* 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 3Blanc & GordonNovember 1886Late 1891Apprentice 
Item 2 of 3John Macvicar AndersonAfter 18921894Chief Assistant 
Item 3 of 3Pite & Balfour1894(?)1907Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6John Macvicar Anderson4 December 1893for Associateship
Item 2 of 6John Macvicar Anderson11 June 1906for Fellowship
Item 3 of 6John Belcher11 June 1906for Fellowship
Item 4 of 6Arthur Cates4 December 1893for Associateship
Item 5 of 6John Alfred Gotch4 December 1893for Associateship
Item 6 of 6Aston Webb11 June 1906for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 2Henry Lennox Anderson27 February 1911for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 2Thomas Ballantine4 March 1907for Fellowship

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 51897An Institute of Architects     
Item 2 of 51898Fittleworth  SussexEngland 
Item 3 of 51899Branksee Castle  SussexEngland 
Item 4 of 51902House near Skibbereen  CorkEire 
Item 5 of 51904St Andrew's Presbyterian ChurchHampstead LondonEngland 

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Building News11 October 1912  p500 - marriage announced
Item 2 of 2The Times13 December 1912  p61 col A Marriage to Iris Fitzgeorge.

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A v12 p64 (microfiche 54/D7); F v16 p150 no1092 (microfilm reel 11)
Item 2 of 2www.the peerage.comthePeerage.com Person page 10854