Basic Biographical Details

Name: Henry Wylie (or Harry Wylie)
Designation:  
Born: 25 April 1914
Died: 24 August 1996
Bio Notes: Henry (Harry) Wylie was born on 25 April 1914, the son and fourth of the five children of Henry Wylie, civil engineer, and his wife Janit Capie. He was educated at george Watson's College where he excelled in rugby. He was also a dilgent pupil. He trained as an architect in the 1930s at the School of Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art and also studied there for the diploma in Town Planning. He was Hew Lorimer's brother-in-law. Whilte studying at the College he worked in the office of Rowand Anderson Paul & Partners. In September 1937 he spent a month travelling through France, Swu]itzerland and Italy. The following year he spent another month in France in the chateaux district at the Loire and in 1939 he travelled in England studying town planning and was in Paris for a week for the same purpose. In 1939-40 he was a member of the Edinburgh Architectural Association and had an address at 29 Barnton Gardens, Davidsons Mains, Edinburgh. In 1940 he was admitted ARIBA, proposed by Alexander Alan Foote, Thomas Forbes MacLennan and Frank R Mears.

During the years 1940-46 he served with the Royal Engineers and reached the rank of Captain. He was posted to Rangoon in January 1942. When it was realised that the city could not withstand the Japanese he and his small band of engineers were tasked with destroying the docks and oil terminal to prevent them from being captured. After leaving Rangoon, the Royal Engineers began the long retreat north on foot. Many including, Henry Wylie, were seriously ill on arrival in India and spent many months in hospital before being sent home.

After demobilisation he took a post as exhibitions' manager, Council of Industrial Design (Scottish Committee). He was always particularly interested in interior design. Between 1948 and 1957 he had a post as senior assistant instructor at Edinburgh College of Art while at the same time working as an 'associate partner' with Leslie Grahame Thomson. In 1957 he set up practice on his own account as Henry Wylie & Partners in which he was senior partner. Concurrently he ran another firm, Design and Industrial Styling Consultants, in which he was Principal Consultant Designer. Showrooms, shops and interiors were executed (by Henry Wylie & Partners?) on behalf of Design & Industrial Styling Consultants.

Wylie was elected FRIAS in 1954 and FRIBA on 2 October 1968, his proposers being Robert Hogg Matthew (who described Wylie as a personal friend), Andrew Renton and William Hardie Glover. During the 1960s the practice undertook a wide range of work. Alongside those listed individually they designed a housing development of 150 houses, extensions to a school building, imrpovements and alterations in offcies, as well as an improvement and interior scheme elsewhere and new houses to the value of £9,000.

Outwith his professional life, Wylie was a founder member of the Scottish Arts Club and served as lay president. He was also a keen golfer and member and past captain of Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, a member of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and a member of the Senior Golfers Society. He had the reputation of being the best dressed member of the Bruntsfield Club.

He died in Murrayfield Nursing Home on 24 August 1996. His wife Ethna West Little, consultant gynaecologist, had predeceased him but he was survived by his son, a potter, and his daughter, a graphic artist.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 515, Moray Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate 1996 
Item 2 of 529, Barnton Gardens, Davidsons Mains, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)1939 *After 1950 
Item 3 of 519, Douglas Crescent, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1954 It is not clear if this is an error for ( Douglas Crscent or 19 rather than 9 was his address.
Item 4 of 59, Douglas Crescent, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1968 *  
Item 5 of 515, Moray Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1968 *After 1970Became home address

* 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 2Henry Wylie & PartnersBefore 1964 Partner 
Item 2 of 2Henry Wylie Frank White & Partners1975 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Alexander Allan Foote9 January 1940For Associateship
Item 2 of 6John Hardie Glover2 December 1968For Fellowship
Item 3 of 6Thomas Forbes Maclennan9 January 1940For Associateship
Item 4 of 6Robert Hogg Matthew2 October 1968For Fellowship
Item 5 of 6(Sir) Frank Charles Mears9 January 1940For Associateship
Item 6 of 6Andrew Renton2 October 1968For Fellowship

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 49After 1957Eglinton Hotels  EdinburghScotlandInterior upgrade and installation of bathrooms
Item 2 of 49After 1957Leith Public Health HospitalLeith EdinburghScotlandUpgrading of three wards
Item 3 of 491959British Olivetti Company Showroom  EdinburghScotland 
Item 4 of 491959Kellie CastlePittenweem FifeScotlandRestoration
Item 5 of 491959McCallum Advertising Showrooms  EdinburghScotland 
Item 6 of 491959Office premises for Equity & Law  EdinburghScotland 
Item 7 of 491960sBank of Scotland, New Town Branch  EdinburghScotlandInterior reorganisation and improvement scheme - in full charge.
Item 8 of 491960sBritish Olivetti Showroom  GlasgowScotland 
Item 9 of 491960sCator Consolidated Properties Ltd office  GlasgowScotlandPartnership responsibility.
Item 10 of 491960sFalkirk Metropolitan HotelFalkirk StirlingshireScotlandComplete interior design
Item 11 of 491960sHydropathic InstitutionNorth Berwick East LothianScotlandSwimming pool, recreation rooms, and banqueting rooms - in full charge
Item 12 of 491960sJ C White Ltd office development   ScotlandIn full charge
Item 13 of 491960sJohn Menzies & Co Ltd despatch depot  AberdeenScotlandin full charge
Item 14 of 491960sKames Development Scheme ButeButeScotland 
Item 15 of 491960sOffice premises for JW and RN Oswald CA  EdinburghScotland 
Item 16 of 491960sPrivate house   Scotland 
Item 17 of 491960sPrivate house  EdinburghScotland 
Item 18 of 491960sR & W Advertising premises   ScotlandAlterations and improvements - in full charge
Item 19 of 491960sUnion Bank of Scotland  EdinburghScotlandInterior reorganisation and improvement scheme - in full charge
Item 20 of 491960Craiglynne HotelGrantown-on-Spey MorayshireScotlandExtension and improvements
Item 21 of 491960Dano Plant Buildings (Municipal Refuse Disposal)East Calder West LothianScotlandIn full charge
Item 22 of 491960University of Edinburgh, royal dispensary  EdinburghScotlandInterior reorganisation
Item 23 of 491961Sandersons wallpaper showrooms  EdinburghScotland 
Item 24 of 491962British Linen Bank  EdinburghScotlandInternal remodelling - in full charge
Item 25 of 491962Showrooms for Justerini & Brooks  EdinburghScotland 
Item 26 of 491963Caledonian Insurance Company  EdinburghScotlandDevelopment of hotel including 7-storey extension at east to contain 100 bedrooms, banqueting room and kitchen services - Wylie in full charge
Item 27 of 491963Dano Plant buildings (Municipal Refuse Buildings)Paisley RenfrewshireScotlandin full charge
Item 28 of 491966Stock Exchange premises  EdinburghScotlandRehousing, planning and interior design fo Exchange Hall and offices
Item 29 of 491967Office block for Naviewland Properties Ltd  GlasgowScotlandMay be retired by this date.
Item 30 of 491968Despatch depot building for John MenziesAirdrie LanarkshireScotlandProbably retired by this date and not involved.
Item 31 of 491968Despatch depot building for John MenziesKilmarnock AyrshireScotlandProbably not involved by this date
Item 32 of 491968Despatch depot building for John Menzies  GlasgowScotlandPorbably not involved by this date.
Item 33 of 49Before 1968Edinburgh Life Assurance Company  EdinburghScotlandInterior reorganisation and improvement scheme.
Item 34 of 49Before 1968Trefoil SchoolGogarburn EdinburghScotlandRecreation room and theraputic swimming pool - in full charge.
Item 35 of 49After 1969World Tavern  EdinburghScotland 
Item 36 of 49Early 1960sOffices for Thomson McLintock  EdinburghScotlandOffice premises for Thomson McLintock CA
Item 37 of 491970sCafé Royal  EdinburghScotlandStaff accommodation
Item 38 of 491970sCommercial depot for H G Bremner   Scotland 
Item 39 of 491970sConservation Study, Melville Street  EdinburghScotlandConservation report
Item 40 of 491970sForth Bridge Lodge HotelSouth Queensferry West LothianScotland 
Item 41 of 491970sHousing, Forth Street and East RoadNorth Berwick East LothianScotland 
Item 42 of 491970sLuxury flatsDalkeith  Scotland 
Item 43 of 491970sOffice and workshops for D Fisher & SonBalerno MidlothianScotland 
Item 44 of 491970sScheme of housing for the elderly   Scotland 
Item 45 of 491970sSt Ermin's Hotel  LondonEngland 
Item 46 of 491970sWallace Arnold housing   Scotland 
Item 47 of 49After 1972Offices for Sedgwick Forbes, insurance brokers  EdinburghScotlandSuite of interiors
Item 48 of 491973Sunbury Works, office and showroom for Whytock & Reid  EdinburghScotland 
Item 49 of 491975Lennox Tower Gardens housingBalerno MidlothianScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 4RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 4RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 4 of 4Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p11 George Hotel/Caledonian Insurance, Edinburgh
p12 Showrooms for Justerini & Brooks

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIAS NewsletterNovember 1996v7, no9 Death notice

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSNMRS Manuscripts Office papers - fairly complete. Acc No 1997/94
Item 2 of 3RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership Obituary written by his grandson and other records.
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no7425 (Combined Box 190); F no 6138 (Combined Box 139)