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 AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 36, Brighton Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | | 1965 | | | Sunnylea, Kincardine-on-Forth, Fife, Scotland | Private | 1931 * | | | | 46, Millhill, Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland | Private | 1940 * | | | | 79, Inveresk Road, Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland | Private/business(?) | 1950 | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersThe following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | Robert Stirling Reid | 1931 | for Licentiateship | | John Daniel Swanston | 1931 | for Licentiateship |
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1929 | Tulliallan Church hall | Tulliallan | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1930 | Cinema | Arbroath | | Angus | Scotland | Architect 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. |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1939 | The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L no3925 (box 18) |
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