Basic Biographical Details

Name: Thomas Armstrong
Designation:  
Born: 13 December 1912
Died:  
Bio Notes: Thomas Armstrong was born on 13 December 1912. He was articled to Charles S Welsh in Leven from 1929-1935 and attended day classes at Edinburgh College of Art the following year. During the years 1936 to 1940 his services were sought as an architectural draughtsman. From 1936 to 1937 he assisted in the practice of Messrs T P Marwick & Son in Edinburgh. He moved to Glasgow for a fairly brief period between 1937 and 1938 to work as a draughtsman under Thomas Smith Tait on the Empire Exhibition but returned to Marwick therafter and remained with him until he was called up for war service in 1940. At that time he was living at 18 Carlyle Road, Kirkcaldy.

After the war he returned to Edinburgh and sat the RIBA Special Final Exam. He was admitted ARIBA in 1947, his proposers being Thomas Craigie Marwick, Alexander Alan Foote and John Ross McKay.

At the time of his election he was working in the Midlothian County Architect's Department. By the late 1950s he seems to have been in partnership with Edward Trevor Thomas. He was still in this partnership in about 1964 but by 1970 Armstrong was operating as Armstrong & Thomas on his own. In 1979 he gives his address as c/o Mr J P Armstrong, 135 Commercial Street, Kirkcaldy.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 318, Carlyle Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife, ScotlandBusiness1939 or 1940 *  
Item 2 of 313, Kirk Wynd, Kirkdcaldy, Fife, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)1950 *After 1953 
Item 3 of 38, Hunter Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife, ScotlandBusiness1970 *  

* 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 6Charles Scott Welch19291935Apprentice 
Item 2 of 6T P Marwick & Son19361937Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 6(Sir) John Burnet, Tait & Lorne19371938Draughtsman 
Item 4 of 6T P Marwick & Son19381940Draughtsman 
Item 5 of 6Midlothian County Council Architect's Department1947 Assistant 
Item 6 of 6Armstrong & ThomasLate 1950s Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Alexander Allan Foote24 June 1947For Associateship
Item 2 of 3Thomas Craigie Marwick24 June 1947For Associateship
Item 3 of 3John Ross McKay24 June 1947For 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 231935St Cuthbert's Co-operative Society Furniture Showroom  EdinburghScotlandAs draughtsman with Marwick
Item 2 of 231936Premises for Jays the Furnishers  EdinburghScotlandAs draughtsman with Marwick
Item 3 of 231936Temporary National Bank of Scotland Headquarters  EdinburghScotlandAs draughtsman with Marwick
Item 4 of 231937Glasgow Empire Exhibition, masterplanBellahouston GlasgowScotlandAs draughtsman with Thomas Smith tait
Item 5 of 2321 November 1958Kirk Wynd ShowroomsKirkcaldy FifeScotland'architects Messrs. Armstrong & Thomas of Kirkcaldy' per Builder p866
Item 6 of 231961Three storey flatsKennoway Fife  
Item 7 of 23After 196112 units of housing, Pettycur BayKinghorn FifeScotland 
Item 8 of 23After 196115 units of housing, ViewforthKinghorn FifeScotland 
Item 9 of 23After 1961Essangee Holiday HomesKinghorn FifeScotland 
Item 10 of 23After 1961Hall of culture and sports centreKennoway FifeScotland 
Item 11 of 23After 1961Housing, Harriet Street and Fraser PlaceKirkcaldy FifeScotlandModernisation
Item 12 of 23After 1961Landscaping, South OvergateKinghorn FifeScotland 
Item 13 of 23After 1961Pettycur Bay Holiday CampKInghorn FifeScotland 
Item 14 of 23After 1961Wellpark BakeryMarkinch FifeScotlandExtension
Item 15 of 231963Industrial factoriesGlenrothes FifeScotland 
Item 16 of 231963Trustee Savings Bank, Head OfficeKirkcaldy Fife Extension
Item 17 of 231964Industrial factoriesGlenrothes FifeScotlandAdapted for Elliott Automation
Item 18 of 231964Premises of Emihus MicrocomponentsGlenrothes FifeScotlandTwo extensions
Item 19 of 231967Clem's BarKirkcaldy FifeScotland 
Item 20 of 231967Factory for Beckman Instruments LtdGlenrothes FifeScotlandExtension
Item 21 of 231968Office for Fife Free PressKirkcaldy FifeScotland 
Item 22 of 231969CEFCO supermarketKirkcaldy Fife  
Item 23 of 23Before 1975Dutch MillKirkcaldy FifeScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Miles Glendinning, Diane Watters, David Whitham Docomomo Scotland Leaflet  p227 Image of St Cuthbert's Co-operative Society on Bread Street
Item 2 of 6RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 6RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 6RIBA1964The RIBA Kalendar 1963-64   
Item 5 of 6RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 6 of 6RIBA1979Directory of members   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no9020 (Combined Box 221)