Basic Biographical Details

Name: William Allan Cairns
Designation:  
Born: 27 July 1931
Died: 2007
Bio Notes: William Allan Cairns was born on 27 July 1931, the son of James Cairns, police constable and his wife Jessie Allan Donald who had married on 1 December 1922 in Stonehaven. He studied at Dundee School of Architecture and was admitted ARIBA in 1955, proposed by William Sinclair Gauldie, Arthur Francis Stevenson Wright and William Finlayson McKenzie and was elected ARIAS in 1961. He joined the practice of Gauldie Hardie Wright & Needham in 1960 as an associate. He became a partner in 1975. The practice then became Gauldie Wright & Partners. He was admitted FRIBA in 1968, proposed by Gauldie, Wright and William Finlayson McKenzie. In his nomination paper Gauldie stated that Cairns was good at liasing with clients and ' the gift of convincing clients without leaving the impression that his opinions have been forced down their throats' and 'clients speak warmly of the conscientous attention they have received'.

He was still with the practice in 1994. He was later a retired FRIAS. The RIAS 'Chartered Architect' indicates he died in 2007.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 395, Craigie Avenue, Dundee, ScotlandPrivatec. 1954  
Item 2 of 3Craigmore/36, Albany Road, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, ScotlandPrivate(?)Before 1961After 1979 
Item 3 of 32, Osborne Place, Magdalen Yard Road, Dundee, ScotlandBusiness1984 *  

* 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 3Gauldie, Hardie, Wright & Needham1960 Associate 
Item 2 of 3Gauldie, Hardie, Wright & Needham1975 Partner 
Item 3 of 3Gauldie Wright & Partners1975After 1994Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3William Sinclair Gauldie17 July 1968For Fellowship
Item 2 of 3William Finlayson McKenzie17 July 1968For Fellowship
Item 3 of 3Arthur Francis Stevenson Wright17 July 1968For Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3William Finlayson McKenzie26 June 1963For Associateship
Item 2 of 3William Finlayson McKenzie22 July 1970For Fellowship
Item 3 of 3Robert Stewart Smith5 October 1966For Fellowship

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 101958University HallSt Andrews FifeScotlandnew women's residence on grounds of hall
Item 2 of 10c. 1963Psychiatric Hospital  DundeeScotlandTeam leader in charge of design and production drawings
Item 3 of 10c. 1968Hostel for Students, Dundee College of Education  DundeeScotlandTeam leader in charge of design and production drawings.
Item 4 of 10c. 1968Regional Police Headquarters  DundeeScotlandTeam leader in charge of the design and production drawings for the new police headquarters. (Date given in RIBA Nomination Paper of William Allan Cairns).
Item 5 of 101970Housing  DundeeScotland 
Item 6 of 10Before 1970HousingLivingston West LothianScotland 
Item 7 of 10Before 1970Private housingCraigie DundeeScotland 
Item 8 of 101975Housing work for Dundee & Hillcrest Housing Associations  DundeeScotlandRehabilitation
Item 9 of 101975Police StationFintry DundeeScotland 
Item 10 of 101978Dundee Court House and Bridewell  DundeeScotlandAdaptation of existing classical facade of Sheriff Court to conceal damage by street widening. Adaptation and repairs to main court room etc. Flat-roofedblock for district council built behind pavilion facade. Partner in charge.

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp111
Item 2 of 6RIBA1954RIBA Kalendar 1953-54   
Item 3 of 6RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 4 of 6RIBA1975RIBA Directory of practices   
Item 5 of 6RIBA1984RIBA Directory of members   
Item 6 of 6RIBA1994A Directory of RIBA Members   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIAS Chartered Architect2007v20, no2 Summer issue - death notice

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership