Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Blyth
Designation:  
Born: 4 April 1901
Died: 28 November 1965
Bio Notes: Robert Blyth was born on 4 April 1901, the son of William Blyth, commercial traveller, and his wife, Margaret Hutchinson. He was articled to Robert Henderson Motion of Dunfermline in November 1917. He remained there as assistant until June 1923 when he moved to Edinburgh as assistant to John Alexander Carfrae, leaving him in November 1924 to work in the office of Alexander Murray Hardie, who had been in Carfrae's office at the turn of the century. From 1923 to 1925 he studied at Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh, achieving first-class certificates. In June 1925 he moved to Perth to work under John Duff, Chief Surveyor for Condie, Mackenzie WS, leaving them to set up practice on his own account in June 1928. For the next two years he worked in Kincardine and Arbroath, forming a brief partnership with _____ Clark from November 1928 to December 1929. However, when work became scarce as the Depression hit, Blyth abandoned independent practice and went to work for George Duffus, Burgh Engineer and Surveyor of Kirkcaldy, as an assistant. He was elected an Associate of the RIAS on 26 February 1924, and admitted LRIBA in 1931, his proposers being John Daniel Swanston, Robert Stirling Reid and the then secretary of the Edinburgh Architectural Association. By 1940 he appears to have moved to Musselburgh, so preseumably he had found a post with an Edinburgh-based practice or was by then working in independent practice.

He died on 28 November 1965 at Edenhall Hospital, Inveresk, survived by his wife Elsie Bruce Bennet.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 436, Brighton Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate 1965 
Item 2 of 4Sunnylea, Kincardine-on-Forth, Fife, ScotlandPrivate1931 *  
Item 3 of 446, Millhill, Musselburgh, Midlothian, ScotlandPrivate1940 *  
Item 4 of 479, Inveresk Road, Musselburgh, Midlothian, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)1950  

* 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 9Robert Henderson MotionNovember 1917June 1923Apprentice 
Item 2 of 9Robert Henderson Motionc. November 1922June 1923Assistant 
Item 3 of 9John Alexander CarfraeJune 1923November 1924Assistant 
Item 4 of 9Alexander Murray HardieNovember 1924June 1925Assistant 
Item 5 of 9Condie & Co / Condie, MackenzieJune 1925June 1928Assistantunder John Duff, Chief Surveyor
Item 6 of 9John DuffJune 1925June 1928Assistantat Condie, Mackenzie
Item 7 of 9Clark & BlythNovember 1928December 1929Partner 
Item 8 of 9George DuffusJanuary 1931 Assistantin Kirkcaldy Burgh Surveyor's Office
Item 9 of 9Kirkcaldy Burgh Surveyor's OfficeJanuary 1931 Assistantunder George Duffus, Burgh Engineer and Surveyor

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 2Robert Stirling Reid1931for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 2John Daniel Swanston1931for Licentiateship

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 21929Tulliallan Church hallTulliallan FifeScotland 
Item 2 of 21930CinemaArbroath AngusScotlandArchitect given in Cinemas Database. The practice seems to have been dissolved in 1929 so it is possible that the job then went to Gordon & Scrimgeour.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 2RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

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 no3925 (box 18)