Basic Biographical Details

Name: John Buchan Hall
Designation:  
Born: 9 August 1915
Died: 27 February 1978
Bio Notes: John Buchan Hall was born on 9 August 1915, the son of John Campbell Hall, architect, of J & J Hall, Galashiels and his wife Mary. He served his apprenticeship with J & J Hall from October 1931, and on completion of it on 1 October 1935 he commenced day classes for the diploma course at Edinburgh College of Art, continuing to assist in his father's firm as and when he could. He won the RIBA Archibald Dawney Scholarship in 1938, passed the intermediate exam in June the same year (and was admitted ARIAS that November - this conflicts with information from RIAS archives which state 1956 as the year of his election to the RIAS).

Having joined the Territorial Army in 1936, he was commissioned in the Royal Engineers in 1937. He served with them from May 1939, spending the war years with the Indian Army and from 1941 to 1945 he was with the 4th Corps of the 14th Army in Burma, gaining the Territorial Decoration. He was demobilised in January 1946, having reached the rank of Captain.

The following month he resumed his ECA studies, and he received his diploma on 28 June that year. He was admitted ARIBA on 10 December the same year, his proposers being John Ross McKay, Leslie Grahame Thomson and Reginald Fairlie. It appears that he was then immediately taken into partnership by his father. He also studied fior the diploma in town planning at Edinburgh College of Art.

Hall succeeded to the practice on his father's death in 1965. He also succeeded him as County Architect of Selkirk, becoming County Planning Officer as well. He was also architect to the joint Berwick, Roxburgh and Selkirk Police Board, but all these appointments were to end with the reorganisation of local government in 1975.

He was elected FRIBA on 5 June 1968, proposed by James Dunbar Nasmith, Eric Hall, and Robert Hogg Matthew, a friend since student days. His nomination papers give an extensive list of types of work carried out and costs of contracts - such as a new dyehouse associated with a woollen mill, a skin tannery, offices and shops, housing schemes for the Local Authority, old peoples houses, police stations, schools, and the modernisation of farms and cottages - but name relatively few specific buildings.

Hall died at his home, The Hawthorns, in Galashiels on 27 February 1978. He was survived by his widow, Mona Islay Mason MacFarlane, three sons and a daughter.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Ladhope Vale, Galashiels, Selkirkshire, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1939After 1968 
Item 2 of 3Marmuran, Galashiels, Selkirkshire, ScotlandPrivate1946 *  
Item 3 of 3The Hawthorns, Galashiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland(?)Private1968 *  

* 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 2J & J HallOctober 19311 October 1935Apprentice 
Item 2 of 2J & J Hall1965 Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6(Professor Sir) James Duncan Dunbar-Nasmith5 June 1968for Fellowship
Item 2 of 6Reginald Francis Joseph Fairlie10 December 1946for Associateship
Item 3 of 6Eric Walker Hall5 June 1968for Fellowship
Item 4 of 6Robert Hogg Matthew5 June 1968for Fellowship
Item 5 of 6John Ross McKay10 December 1946for Associateship
Item 6 of 6Leslie Grahame Thomson (or Leslie Grahame-Thomson; later Leslie Grahame MacDougall)10 December 1946for 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 221952High School, Gala PoliciesSelkirk  ScotlandPlans prepared for new school
Item 2 of 22c. 1964Galashiels AcademyGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 3 of 221965College of Further EducationGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 4 of 221965Ladykirk estate, multi-purpose sheds, farm cottages and estate workLadykirk BerwickshireScotland 
Item 5 of 221966Purves HallGreenlaw BerwickshireScotlandAlterations and additons
Item 6 of 221967LodgeGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 7 of 221967Oakwood LodgeGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 8 of 221967Police HeadquartersHawick RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 9 of 221967Primary School, Easter LangleeGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 10 of 221967Village housing scheme (20 units)Clovenfords SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 11 of 221968Abattoir and administrative officesGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 12 of 221968Electronics and general purposes factorySelkirk SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 13 of 221968Regional Fire StationGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandBegun
Item 14 of 221969Gala Rugby Football Club, NetherdaleGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandExtensions
Item 15 of 221969Two social clubsGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandExtensions
Item 16 of 221970Electronics and general purposes factoryGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 17 of 221970Exacta Circuits FactorySelkirk SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 18 of 221970Telephone exchangeHawick RoxburghshireScotlandIst phase
Item 19 of 221971Andrew Ford HousingColdstream BerwickshireScotland 
Item 20 of 221972Factory premises for the Tweeddale PressHawick RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 21 of 221972Fire StationEyemouth BerwickshireScotland 
Item 22 of 221974Factory for Gala Process EngraversGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 3RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 3RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA JournalJuly 1978v85London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp303

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no8805 (stored under F6020); F no6020 (combined box 114)