Basic Biographical Details

Name: Stanley White Edgar
Designation:  
Born: 13 March 1909
Died: 2 November 1991
Bio Notes: Stanley White Edgar was born at Kirklinton, Cumberland on 13 March 1909, the son of George Edgar, clerk of works and his wife, Margaret Isabella White. From 1925-1931 he was an apprentice and later junior assistant in the practice of John Ross McKay while at the same time studying part-time at Edinburgh College of Art for design subjects and at Heriot Watt for technical subjects.

He gained wide experience by moving from office to office after about a year spent in each. From 1931-32 he was a junior assistant with Reginald Fairlie and 1932-33 had a similar post in the office of John Alexander Carfrae. He moved again in 1933 to work for as assistant in the firm Adam Currie & Sons, shopfitters and again the following year to an assistant post in the office of Frank Wood. In 1935 he took a post as chief assistant with George Gordon & Co in Inverness and then in 1938 moved to as senior assistant with Lanarkshire County Council with John Stewart as County Architect. .He was an Associate of the Glasgow Institute of Architects in 1939-1940 and his address at that time was 34 Albert Street, Motherwell. This was the address of James Cullen, one of the three sons of Alexander Cullen, architect. Edgar was presumably an assistant with the younger Cullen at this time. (This does not appear on his LRIBA paper - he records there that he was working for John Stewart, County Architect, Lanarkshire County Council at this time (whose address was 10 Albert Street, Motherwell).

During the war Edgar moved again to the post of chief assistant architect with the War Department, the Royal Engineers, Orkney & Shetland. In October 1942 he was commissioned in the Royal Engineers as garrison engineer, the works services branch. From April 1943 to July 1946 he served in India with the Royal Engineers (again the works services branch), attached to the Indian Army. After demobilisation he returned to Edinburgh to the post of chief assistant with Dick Peddie McKay & Jamieson. He was elected LRIBA in 1954, proposed by John Ross McKay, Frank Wood and William Archibald Park Jack.

In 1955 he became partner with Dick Peddie & McKay. He retired in 1974 and withdrew from the RIBA in 1983.

He died at Chalmers Hospital, Edinburgh on 2 November 1991. He was married twice, his second wife being Isobel Hunter Cunningham.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 534, Albert Street, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, ScotlandBusiness1939 *  
Item 2 of 540, Silverknowes Crescent, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1954 *  
Item 3 of 58, Albyn Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1970 *  
Item 4 of 51, Craigmillar Park, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1980s  
Item 5 of 51, Craigmillar Park, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivatec. 1981c. 1991In 1991 his address is recorded as 1/1 Craigmillar Park - perhaps the house became divided.

* 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 9John Ross McKayNovember 19251931ApprenticeInitially apprentice then later junior assistant
Item 2 of 9Reginald Francis Joseph Fairlie19311932Junior Assistant 
Item 3 of 9John Alexander Carfrae19321933Junior Assistant 
Item 4 of 9Adam Currie & Son19331934Assistant 
Item 5 of 9Frank Wood19341935Assistant 
Item 6 of 9George Gordon & Co19351938Chief Assistant 
Item 7 of 9James Garroway Cullen1939 or 1940 * Assistant 
Item 8 of 9Dick Peddie, McKay & JamiesonSeptember 1946c. 1954Chief Assistant 
Item 9 of 9Dick Peddie & McKayc. 19551974Partner 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3William Archibald Park Jack12 October 1954For Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3John Ross McKay12 October 1954For Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3Frank Wood12 October 1954For 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 201959Whitburn Parish ChurchWhitburn West LothianScotlandRebuilding after fire
Item 2 of 201960sCentral area redevlopment for Royal, London & Lancashire and Scottish Equitable Insurance Companies  EdinburghScotland 
Item 3 of 201960sChurch hallMorningside EdinburghScotland 
Item 4 of 201960sChurch hallDavidson's Mains EdinburghScotland 
Item 5 of 201960sFactoriesBathgate West Lothian  
Item 6 of 201960sFire StationBathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 7 of 201960sMoir & Baxter motor showroom  EdinburghScotland 
Item 8 of 201960sOld people's homeLiberton EdinburghScotland 
Item 9 of 201960sPlessey Scottish Headquarters, office and factoryBathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 10 of 201960sRoyal Bank of ScotlandJuniper Green EdinburghScotland 
Item 11 of 201960sRoyal Insurance Group officesKirkcaldy Fife  
Item 12 of 201960sThe Blue Blanket restaurant  EdinburghScotland 
Item 13 of 201960sThe Cavalier restaurant  EdinburghScotland 
Item 14 of 201964Scottish Equitable Life Assurance Company, computer buildng  EdinburghScotland 
Item 15 of 201969Liverpool London & Globe Insurance Office  EdinburghScotlandReconstruction
Item 16 of 201969Royal Bank of Scotland branchForfar AngusScotland 
Item 17 of 201970sRoyal Bank of Scotland branchLanark LanarkshireScotland 
Item 18 of 20197024 St Andrew Square  EdinburghScotland 
Item 19 of 201975Boots the Chemist  EdinburghScotlandExtension- unclear if still involved.
Item 20 of 201975Roseburn Free Church  EdinburghScotlandAlterations to form Bible Society offices

References

Bibliographic References

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

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIAS NewsletterJanuary 1992v3, no3 Death note

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 PapersL6602 (Box 148)