Basic Biographical Details

Name: John Alexander Thornton Dickson
Designation:  
Born: 17 June 1910
Died: 18 November 1978
Bio Notes: John Alexander Thornton Dickson was born on 17 June 1910, the son of Alexander Dickson, salesman, and his wife, Agnes Janes Thornton. and was articled to Robert Henderson Motion of Dunfermline on 15 March 1926, attending evening classes at an unspecified college. After completing his five-year apprenticeship he remained with Motion as junior assistant, and was promoted to draughtsman after three years. He was a member of the Edinburgh Architectural Association and was elected ARIAS on 23 February 1937. Motion promoted him to chief draughtsman on 15 March that year. From the following year Dickson was also employed by Fife Education Committee as a lecturer for the evening classes in Building Construction, Architectural Drawing and Quantity Surveying at Lauder Technical School, Dunfermline, where he himself had probably studied.

On 5 July 1943 Dickson left Motion's office to take up the position of chief architectural assistant in the Engineer-in-Chief's Department of the Admiralty Naval Base at Port Edgar, West Lothian, where he was responsible for Admiralty duties in the Forth area. He was admitted LRIBA on 16 May 1944, his proposers being Thomas Rutherford, John Ross McKay and Thomas Forbes Maclennan.

At some point before 1970 Dickson was taken into partnership by A B Allan, the practice title being A B Allan & Co.

Dickson died on 18 November 1978 leaving a widow, Blanche Aitken Dickson (nee Parley), living at 7 Canmore Grove, Dunfermline. His son, who also lived in Dunfermline, registered his death.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 47, Canmore Gardens, Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandPrivate 1979 
Item 2 of 414, Athol Place, Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandPrivate1939 *  
Item 3 of 44, Charles Street, Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandPrivate/business(?)1950 *  
Item 4 of 43, Cross Wynd, Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandPrivate1970 *  

* 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 6A B Allan & Co  Partner 
Item 2 of 6Robert Henderson Motion15 March 192615 March 1931Apprentice 
Item 3 of 6Robert Henderson Motion15 March 193115 March 1934Junior Assistant 
Item 4 of 6Robert Henderson Motion15 March 193415 March 1937Draughtsman 
Item 5 of 6Robert Henderson Motion15 March 19371943Chief Assistant 
Item 6 of 6Admiralty Works Department (Port Edgar)5 July 1943After 1944Assistant 

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 Maclennan16 May 1944for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3John Ross McKay16 May 1944for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3Thomas Rutherford16 May 1944for 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 221970sBarony Street and Broughton Street  EdinburghScotlandConservation work
Item 2 of 221970sBrucefield HotelDunfermline FifeScotlandAlterations
Item 3 of 221970sGarage premisesDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 4 of 221970sHM Naval Dockyard, Forth Club HMS CochraneRosyth FifeScotland 
Item 5 of 221970sLynebank Mental HospitalDunfermline FifeScotlandWorkshop added
Item 6 of 221970sMotor MuseumArbroath AngusScotland 
Item 7 of 221970sOffices for Lombard North CentralDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 8 of 221970sPrivate houseDollar ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 9 of 221970sPrivate houseAlva ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 10 of 221970sPrivate house  DundeeScotland 
Item 11 of 221970sPrivate houseDunfermline Fife  
Item 12 of 221970sPrivate housing for A & J StephenPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 13 of 221970sPublic houseRosyth FifeScotland 
Item 14 of 221970sPublic house  DundeeScotland 
Item 15 of 221970sPublic houseBroughty Ferry DundeeScotland 
Item 16 of 221970sSocial clubLumphinnans FifeScotland 
Item 17 of 221970sSocial clubLochgelly FifeScotland 
Item 18 of 221970sSocial clubTownhill, Dunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 19 of 221970sSocial clubKelty FifeScotland 
Item 20 of 221970sSocial ClubEastfield, Glenrothes FifeScotland 
Item 21 of 221970sSocial clubGlenrothes FifeScotland 
Item 22 of 221970sSquash ClubArbroath AngusScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

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 L no5603 (combined box 90)