Basic Biographical Details | Name: | John Duncan Allan | | Designation: | | | Born: | 2 May 1912 | | Died: | 10 December 1989 | | Bio Notes: | John Duncan Allan was born on 2 May 1912, the son of John Mearns Allan, school teacher and his wife Isabella Margaret Spark. From September 1930 until 1937 he studied part-time at Glasgow School of Architecture and during this period served his articles with Stewart & Paterson. In 1935 he moved to the office of McNair & Elder as assistant. Robert Forsyth worked with him in the office of McNair & Elder and writes the following:
'When I was an apprentice architect with CJ McNair & Elder from 1935-1939 Jack Allan was the architect in the office I most admired when working on the art deco type of cinemas which was the main source of work in the office at that time. I aprticularly enjoyed site visits with him on his motor bike! His father was the schoolmaster at Auchinleck and I see you have him practising from there which must have been in the beginning. I have no information as to what happened to him when the war started and all building came to a halt'.
In 1939-40 Allan was an Associate of the Glasgow Institute of Architects and at that date his address was Schoolhouse, Auchinleck, Ayrshire, presumably still living with his parents at this date. From 1942 until 1947 he was an architectural and civil engineering assistant with the Admiralty Chief Engineer in Command's (?)department (Eastern Mediterranean) serving in Egypt, Eritrea and Palestine. He resigned from this post on 30 June 1947 and took a position in the office of William Baillie. He was elected LRIBA in 1948, his proposers being John Stewart, William McLean, Secretary of the Glasgow Institute of Architects and Colin Sinclair.
Subsequently he moved to Ayrshire and worked for the Regional Authority. He died in Heathfield Hospital Ayr as a result of bronco-pneumonia and heart disease on 12 October 1989. He was a divorcee. | Private and Business Addresses| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | Schoolhouse, Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | c. 1939 | | | | Brooklea, Coral Glen, Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private/business(?) | 1948 | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployers| The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Stewart & Paterson | 1930 | 1935 | Apprentice | | | McNair & Elder | 1935 | 1942 | Assistant | | | William Baillie | 10 July 1947 | | Assistant | |
RIBARIBA Proposers| The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | (Dr) Colin Sinclair | 9 March 1948 | For Licentiateship | | John Stewart | 3 September 1948 | For Licentiateship |
ReferencesBibliographic References| The 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 References| The following archives hold material relating to this : | | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Research by Iain Paterson. - no date given. Also personal information from Robert Forsyth. | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L 6226 (Combined Box 126) |
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