Basic Biographical Details Name: | Richard Edward Moira | Designation: | | Born: | 23 February 1910 | Died: | 19 August 1988 | Bio Notes: | Richard Edward Moira was born on 23 February 1910, the son of Gerald Edward Moira, artist, and his wife Alice Mary Vicary. He studied at the Architectural Association in London from October 1928 until 1934, spending the year 1931-2 gaining experience in an unspecified office. He passed the final exam on 13 July 1934 and was admitted ARIBA on 14 January 1935, his proposers being Giles Gilbert Scott, Leonard Holcombe Bucknell and Howard Morley Robertson. He began independent practice in Edinburgh in 1948 with an office at 12 Inverleith Row. Three years later he was joined in practice by his wife, Betty Lydia C Moira. Around 1966 they opened a second office in Lerwick, Shetland and about 1968 another office at 11 Queensgate, Inverness which moved to 6 Queensgate about 1978.
In 1970 James Wann was taken into partnership and the practice name changed to Moira Moira & Wann. However around 1976 the practice split with Betty Moira operating offices in Edinburgh and Inverness and Richard Moira in offices in Edinburgh and Shetland. In the 1981 RIBA Directory, under the Lerwick office entry of Moira & Wann, amongst other jobs, there is a note of 'various private houses' designed 1975-79 in the Lerwick office, therefore presumably in Shetland, though details are not given. Moira & Wann also undertook various hotel and restaurant reconstructions in Lerwick in the years 1975-76.
The Shetland office closed on Richard Moira's death of leukemia at the Western General Hospital on 19 August 1988. After the death of Betty Moira a year later the Edinburgh office closed. Since that time the Inverness office has been run by Calum Anton. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 24, Addison Road, London, England | Private | 1935 * | | | | 5, Cobden Crescent, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1946 * | | | | 8, Dick Place, Edinburgh | | 1950 | | | | 12, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1964 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Moira & Moira | 1951(?) | 1970 | Partner | | | Moira Moira & Wann | 1970 | 1976 | Partner | | | Moira & Wann | 1976 | | Partner | |
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA ProposalsThis proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | Robert McMillan Clive | 5 October 1966 | For Fellowship |
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1947 | Exhibition on the properties and work of the National Trust for Scotland, Gladstone's Land | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1948 | Town Plan | Lerwick | Mainland | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1950 | Donmaree Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Architect for additional bedroom accommodation | | 1950 | Moredun Research Institute | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Microbiology Laboratories for the Animal Research Association | | 1951 | Lerwick Town Plan | Lerwick | | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1956 | Heddell's Park and Annsbrae housing | Lerwick | Mainland | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1958 | Long House | Lerwick | Mainland | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1959 | Orkney Towns Development Plan | Kirkwall and Stromness | Mainland | Orkney | Scotland | | | 1960 | Wigtownshire Development Plan | | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | | | 1961 | Fraserburgh General and Maternity Hospital | Fraserburgh | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | | | 1961 | Housing Scheme | Lerwick | Mainland, Shetland | | Scotland | | | 1961 | Moredun Research Institute | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Major expansion - Radio Isotope and Metabolism, Farm Animals Isolation Unit. | | 1961 | Open Air Swimming Pool | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | Before 1962 | Wishart Avenue housing | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1963 | Greenfield Housing | Lerwick | | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1963 | Poultry Research Centre | Roslin | | Midlothian | Scotland | Or perhaps later (Bailey?) | | 1964 | Glenmore Forest Park | Aviemore | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | General development (includes campsite layout and toilets, blocks for FC and staff houses). | | 1965 | Kveldsro Housing | Lerwick | | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1965 | Lanes Housing | Lerwick | | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1966 | Bush Estate, Research Station for the Forestry Commission | | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1966 | Ptarmigan Restaurant | Cairgorm | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | 1968 | Hotel | Breiwick | | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1969 | Lerwick Hotel | Lerwick | Mainland | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1969 | Sound Housing | Lerwick | | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1969 | Strontian Village Davelopment with houses, school, police station etc | Strontian | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1970 | Ben Lawers Interpretation Centre | Ben Lawers, Near Killin | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1970 | Findhorn Dunes Area landscaping | Findhorn | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1970 | Redevelopment of town centre | Wick | | Caithness | Scotland | | | 1971 | Hanover Square Housing | Stranraer | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | | | 1971 | St Mary's Street development, Ben Line Building | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | 'Buildings of Scotland' gives 1975-1977 for Ben Line Building | | 1971 | Torridon Youth Hostel | Torridon | | Ross and Cromarty | Scotland | | | 1973 | Clickimin Recreational Park | Lerwick | Mainland | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1973 | Glencoe Visitor Centre | Glencoe | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1973 | Telephone Exchange | Lerwick | Mainland | Shetland | Scotland | | | 1974 | Townscape Appraisal | Dumfries | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | | | 1975 | St Rognvald's House sheltered housing | Kirkwall | Mainland | Orkney | Scotland | | | Before 1975 | Cairngorm Skiing facilities | | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | | Before 1975 | Office development for Diploma Properties Ltd | | | | Scotland | | | Before 1975 | Old People's Home | Kirkwall | Mainland | Orkney | Scotland | | | Before 1975 | Old People's Home | Stornoway | Lewis | Western Isles | Scotland | | | Before 1975 | Scottish Plant Breeding Station, laboratories | Pentlandville | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Before 1975 | Stornoway Senior Training Centre | Stornoway | Lewis | Ross & Cromarty | Scotland | | | Before 1975 | Telephone exchange | Grantown-on-Spey | | Morayshire | Scotland | | | 1976 | Moredun Research Institute | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Biochemistry unit | | 1979 | Loch Morlich Water Sports Centre | Aviemore | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Practice had split at this date so unclear who was responsible | | 1981 | Private warehousing | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Before 1981 | Sports facilities for Lothian Regional Council | | | Lothian | Scotland | | | c. 1981 | British Philatelic Headquarters for the Postal Board, office | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | c. 1981 | Postal engineering and vehicle maintenance depot | Lerwick | Mainland | Orkney | Scotland | | | c. 1981 | Postal engineering and vehicle maintenance depot | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | c. 1981 | Private warehousing | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | | | 1982 | Block of housing and shops, Nicolson Street and West Richmond Street corner | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1983 | Lerwick Boating Club | Lerwick | Mainland | Shetland | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p168-9 Heddell's Park and Annsbrae Housing | | Municipal Annual | 1964 | Scottish Municipal Annual | 1964-1965 | | | | Willis, Peter | 1977 | New architecture in Scotland | | | p9, p14 Torridon Youth Hostel |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Building | 1 March 1968 | | | p145 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no5618 (combined box 91) |
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