Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Collyer
Designation:  
Born: 5 January 1911
Died:  
Bio Notes: William Collyer was born on 5 January 1911. He served a five-year apprenticeship with Reid & Forbes from 16 August 1926, while attending morning classes at Edinburgh College of Art and evenings classes at Heriot-Watt College. On completion of his apprenticeship in August 1931 he was immediately appointed chief assistant to the same firm. He was awarded his intermediate certificate in 1932 and became a student member of the RIBA in 1933.

He left Reid & Forbes in October 1939 to become assistant to the Commander of the Royal Engineers in Edinburgh. He passed the special final exam in July 1944 and was admitted ARIBA on 12 December that year, his proposers being Charles Edward Tweedie (junior), Thomas Forbes Maclennan, and John Ross McKay, who described him as a 'promising & capable architect as a result of his close attention to all his studies'. He had also been a member of the Edinburgh Architectural Association since at least 1939.

He emigrated to South Africa about 1947. His initial job was with the Department of Public Works in Pretoria but from the early 1950s he worked in the office of the Provincial Architect in Cape Town. His RIBA membership ceased in 1976.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 4126, Broomfield Crescent, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate(?)1939  
Item 2 of 487, Broomhouse Park, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1944 *  
Item 3 of 4Department of Public Works, Pretoria, South AfricaBusinessc. 1948  
Item 4 of 4c/o The Provincial Architect/Provincial Building, Cape Town, South AfricaBusinessBefore 1954 *After 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 2Reid & Forbes16 August 19261931Apprentice 
Item 2 of 2Reid & ForbesAugust 1931October 1939Chief Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Thomas Forbes Maclennan12 December 1944for Associateship
Item 2 of 3John Ross McKay12 December 1944for Associateship
Item 3 of 3Charles Edward Tweedie (junior)12 December 1944for Associateship

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 5RIBA1946The RIBA Kalendar 1946-1947 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 5RIBA1948The RIBA Kalendar 1948-1949 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 5RIBA1955Kalendar 1954-1955   
Item 5 of 5RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   

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 no8403 (combined box 209)