Basic Biographical Details

Name: Leo Durnin
Designation:  
Born: 10 May 1902
Died: 29 September 1988
Bio Notes: Leo Durnin was born on 10 May 1902, the son of John Durnin, slater, and his wife Catherine Reid. He studied at Robert Gordon's College during two periods, between 1917 and 1919 and between 1923 and 1924. He was articled to Wilson & Walker from July 1919 until 1922 and at that point transferred to Ballantine & Taylor where remained as assistant until August 1923. In December of that year he moved to Leek in North Staffordshire to become an assistant to Robert Thelwall Longden but returned to Aberdeen in April 1926 to take up a post on the Housing Department of Aberdeen Town Council. In that year he was admitted ARIBA.

In or around 1932 he was involved with the building of the Bon Accord Baths. In 1936-37 he visited Holland to study Dudok's buildings and after his return he re-joined the City Architect's office in 1938. He was still linked to that office in the 1960s, but by 1964 he had established the practice of Leo Durnin & Partners with an office at 252 Union Street, an address he had held from at least 1950. By 1973 he had taken Alan Booth Minto and Ian Strachan into partnership as Durnin, Minto & Strachan. They were joined by Michael McLeod at some point thereafter.

Durnin died on 29 September 1988 at Nazareth House, 34 Claremont Street, Aberdeen. His wife Agnes Mackay had predeceased him.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 555, Hazeldene Road, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate After 1984 
Item 2 of 566, Blenheim Place, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)Before 1926 *After 1930(?) 
Item 3 of 5114, Desswood Place, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)c. 1939 *  
Item 4 of 5Amicable House/252, Union Street, Abedeen, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1950After 1964 
Item 5 of 5220, Union Street, Aberdeen, ScotlandBusinessAfter 1970  

* 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 8Wilsons & WalkerJuly 19191922Apprentice 
Item 2 of 8Carruthers Ballantyne & Taylor (or Ballantyne & Taylor)July 1922August 1923Assistant 
Item 3 of 8Aberdeen City Architect's Department (later City of Aberdeen District Council Architects Division)June 19261936AssistantInitially working for the Housing Department. Later working under Alexander Buchanan Gardner, City Architect
Item 4 of 8Alexander Buchanan Gardnerc. 19321936AssistantIn Aberdeen City Architect's Office
Item 5 of 8Alexander Buchanan Gardner1938After 1954AssistantIn Aberdeen City Architect's Office
Item 6 of 8Aberdeen City Architect's Department (later City of Aberdeen District Council Architects Division)19381960s(?)AssistantWorking under Alexander Buchanan Gardner, City Architect
Item 7 of 8Leo Durnin & PartnersBefore 1964Before 1973Partner 
Item 8 of 8Durnin Minto & StrachanBefore 1973 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3John Wilson Walker29 November 1926For Associateship
Item 2 of 3George Watt29 November 1926For Associateship
Item 3 of 3Robert Gordon Wilson (junior)29 November 1926For Associateship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1Edward Alexander Meldrum6 February 1957For 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 201925Reconstruction of Houses, Gordon’s Mills Road  AberdeenScotland 
Item 2 of 201930s(?)Stewart HouseCults AberdeenshireScotlandAlterations? - as assistant in City Architect's Department
Item 3 of 201932Bon Accord Baths  AberdeenScotlandAs assistant in the City Architect's Department
Item 4 of 201938Woodend Hospital, Nurses' Home  AberdeenScotlandNew nurses' home - as assistant in the City Architects' Department
Item 5 of 20c. 1941Woodend Hospital  AberdeenScotlandTwin theatres, radiology department and cubicle isolation block - as assistant to Alexander Buchanan Gardner in the City Architects' Department
Item 6 of 201945Tenements, Rosemount Square  AberdeenScotlandIn the City Architect's Department
Item 7 of 201950Home at Mand  AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 8 of 207 August 1953Housing, Mastrick  AberdeenScotlandTo prepare plans for 124 houses
Item 9 of 201957(?)Delgaty CastleTurriff AberdeenshireScotlandConsultant architect for the postwar restoration. (Information courtesy of Dr David Walker of the University of Aberdeen).
Item 10 of 20c. 1960Sheltered housingSummerhill AberdeenScotlandIn the City Architect's Department
Item 11 of 201970St Margaret's RC ChurchAboyne AberdeenshireScotlandRefurbishment after fire
Item 12 of 201973Marine BasePeterhead AberdeenshireScotlandMay have acted as consultant
Item 13 of 201974Offices, warehouse and pipe yard  AberdeenScotlandMay have acted as consultant
Item 14 of 201975Fabrication shop for ASCOPeterhead AberdeenshireScotlandMay have acted as consultant
Item 15 of 201975Office and fitting shop  AberdeenScotlandMay have acted as consultant
Item 16 of 201975Offices and warehouse for Bernard Sunley  AberdeenScotlandMay have acted as consultant
Item 17 of 201975Offices and warehousesEast Tullos AberdeenScotlandMay have acted as consultant
Item 18 of 201978Offices, warehouse and pipe yard  AberdeenScotlandExtension to office block
Item 19 of 201978Warehouse and offices for Aird Buchan Ltd  AberdeenScotland 
Item 20 of 201978Warehouse and offices for Stubber Securities  AberdeenScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 8Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  
Item 2 of 8RIBA1930The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 8RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 8RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 5 of 8RIBA1960The RIBA Kalendar 1959-19601959-1960  
Item 6 of 8RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 7 of 8RIBA1979Directory of members   
Item 8 of 8RIBA1984RIBA Directory of members   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder29 September 1950  p379
Item 2 of 2Builder7 August 1953  p228

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 4DMW ArchiveResearch notes for 'Scottish Thirties' by Charles McKean  
Item 2 of 4H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 3 of 4RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no3985 (box 5)
Item 4 of 4School of Architecture, Garthdee, Aberdeen, RGIT: former pupils, 1937-1970Galletly, James