Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Govan Lindsay
Designation:  
Born: 26 February 1900
Died: 25 February 1978
Bio Notes: Robert Govan Lindsay was born on 26 February 1900, the son of Robert Clyde Lindsay, cycle agent, and his wife Colina Govan. He was articled to Alexander Caldwell Thomson of Ayr in February 1915. He remained in Thomson's office as a draughtsman after completing his apprenticeship, leaving in January 1921 to join the architectural staff of Ayrshire Education Authority. From 1929 when the County Council took over the Education Authority he was engaged on a wider variety of local authority projects.

During his apprenticeship and early employment Lindsay studied at the Glasgow School of Architecture where he won the Whitelaw silver medallion and was awarded a gilt medallion in his final year. He passed the qualifying exam in Edinburgh in July 1931 and was admitted ARIBA on 30 November that year, his proposers being James Archibald Morris, Thomas Harold Hughes and David Salmond.

In 1938 he was appointed Depute County Architect, becoming County Architect in 1940. During the Second World War he was responsible for the design of a number of wartime nurseries and in co-operation with W A Fairhurst, he developed a rapid-build housing system based in a reinforced concrete frame. The first experimental houses were built in Dalrymple in 1945 and over 700 built throughout Ayrshire by 1954. From the Lindsay House was developed the Whitson Fairhurst house which was used throughout Scotland, over 3000 remaining in use.

In 1946 Lindsay was given the additional title of Director of Housing, overseeing numerous developments throughout the county. He was elected FRIBA in 1952 proposed by Edward Grigg Wylie, Andrew Graham Henderson and George Frederick Shanks. He was elected FRIAS in 1954. In his RIBA Fellowship Paper, Lindsay gives general information about the buildings for which he had been responsible: apart from the Ayrshire Central Hospital, he had designed five central kitchens for school meals, each serving 3,000 meals per day; new schools including 2 junior secondary schools, several primary schools which were 'under construction' in 1952; state aided housing in all its aspects for 63 communities throughout Ayrshire, serving a population of 134,350. He also perfomed all architectural duties in connection with function of the Committees of the County Council.


He appears to have retired in 1963.

Lindsay died at Biggart Hospital, Prestwick on 25 February, 1978. He was married twice, first in 1933 to to Elizabeth Herbert Telfer, and second to Helen Lobb McQueen or Hardie. His daughter who lived in the Unites States registered his death.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 4Cranford, Seafield Drive, Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate1931 *1939 or after 1940(?) 
Item 2 of 4County Buildings, Wellington Square, The Sandgate, Ayr, ScotlandBusiness1950After 1954 
Item 3 of 4Redhurst, Corsehill Road, Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate1970 *1978 
Item 4 of 414, Rosebank Crescent, Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1952After 1953 

* 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 6Alexander Caldwell ThomsonFebruary 1915c. 1919Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6Alexander Caldwell Thomsonc. 1919January 1921Assistant 
Item 3 of 6Ayrshire Education AuthorityJanuary 19211929Draughtsman 
Item 4 of 6Ayr County Architect's Office19291938Draughtsman 
Item 5 of 6Ayr County Architect's Office19381940ArchitectDepute County Architect
Item 6 of 6Ayr County Architect's Office1940After 1952Chief ArchitectCounty Architect; also Director of Housing from 1946

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Andrew Graham Henderson31 July 1952For Fellowship
Item 2 of 6Thomas Harold Hughes30 November 1931for Associateship
Item 3 of 6James Archibald Morris30 November 1931for Associateship
Item 4 of 6David Salmond30 November 1931for Associateship
Item 5 of 6George Ferguson Smellie Shanks31 July 1952For Fellowship
Item 6 of 6Edward Grigg Wylie31 July 1952For Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3David Ferguson19 June 1956For Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3Thomas Kerr Irving9 October 1956For Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3John Wilson19 June 1956For 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 221935(?)Ayrshire Central HospitalIrvine AyrshireScotlandClaims responsibility for design - working in County Architect's Office
Item 2 of 221950Ayr Grammar SchoolAyr AyrshireScotlandArchitect for extension annexe
Item 3 of 221950Primary School, Ayr RoadAyr AyrshireScotlandTo prepare plans
Item 4 of 221951Combined School, Junior Secondary and Primary, DroganDrogan AyrshireScotland 
Item 5 of 22August 1951Roman Catholic School, DalmillingDalmilling AyrshireScotlandNew school
Item 6 of 221952Bellsbank Primary SchoolBellsbank AyrshireScotland 
Item 7 of 221952Monkton SchoolMonkton AyrshireScotlandExtension
Item 8 of 221952Nursery school, Ayrshire  AyrshireScotlandNew school
Item 9 of 221952Public school, WallacebankWallacebank AyrshireScotlandNew school
Item 10 of 2226 December 1952New police station and houses, MonktonMonkton AyrshireScotlandNew police station and houses
Item 11 of 2228 August 1953Technical School, St Leonards RoadAyr AyrshireScotlandAlterations and additions
Item 12 of 2213 November 1953New Public School, DroganDrogan AyrshireScotlandTo prepare plans for new school
Item 13 of 2227 November 1953Junior Secondary School, CumnockCumnock AyrshireScotlandPlans prepared for new school
Item 14 of 221954Police HousesSt Fillans PerthshireScotland 
Item 15 of 221954Public LibraryCumnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 16 of 221954Sorn Village HallSorn AyrshireScotlandAs County Architect
Item 17 of 221955Fire StationBeith AyrshireScotland 
Item 18 of 221957Dunlop Memorial HallDreghorn AyrshireScotlandAs County Architect
Item 19 of 2214 June 1957Houses at DoonfootDoonfoot AyrshireScotlandper Builder p1102
Item 20 of 2214 June 1957Houses at Main Road, WhitlettsWhitletts AyrshireScotlandper Builder p1102
Item 21 of 221961New Technical College, AyrAyr AyrshireScotland 
Item 22 of 221961New Technical College, KilmarnockKilmarnock AyrshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Close, Robert1992Ayrshire and Arran, an Illustrated Architectural Guide Edinburgh: RIASp159
Item 2 of 3RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 3RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 13Builder6 January 1950  p28
Item 2 of 13Builder1 September 1950  p296
Item 3 of 13Builder3 August 1951  p137
Item 4 of 13Builder29 August 1952  p313
Item 5 of 13Builder12 September 1952  p384
Item 6 of 13Builder26 December 1952  p957
Item 7 of 13Builder28 August 1953  p333
Item 8 of 13Builder13 November 1953  p764
Item 9 of 13Builder27 November 1953  p862
Item 10 of 13Builder26 March 1954  p572
Item 11 of 13Builder25 June 1954  p1134
Item 12 of 13Builder23 July 1954  p157
Item 13 of 13Builder14 January 1955  p116

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no4765 (combined box 34); F no4736 (combined box 32)