Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | (Sir) Harry Anthony Wheeler (or simply Sir Anthony Wheeler) | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 7 November 1919 | Died: | 19 December 2013 | Bio Notes: | Harry Anthony Wheeler was born on 7 November 1919, the son of Herbert G Wheeler who was a Londoner and a master engineer and who had established a garage in Stranraer, and his wife Laura E Groom. He was apprenticed to Alexander Maclean Goudie of Stranraer in July 1936, transferring to the office of Lennox & MacMath in Glasgow in September 1937 to continue his apprenticeship whilst studying at Glasgow School of Architecture. He went to France under a travelling scholarship in August 1939, a month before leaving Lennox & MacMath. He undertook military service in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany during the Second World War reaching the rank of captain by the time he was demobbed. After his return, in July 1946 he undertook a study tour in Italy under the Glasgow School of Art's John Keppie Travelling Scholarship, and in September he returned to the School. A successful student, during his studies he received other awards including the GSA's Bellahouston Travelling Scholarship, the RIBA's Grissell Gold Medal and Neale Bursary, and and the RIAS's Rowand Anderson Studentship. He received his diploma in June 1948. He was admitted ARIBA on 14 December 1948, his proposers being Gavin Lennox, Daniel Walter MacMath and Professor William James Smith. His endorsement on his nomination papers describes him as the 'most outstanding student of this year'. At that time he gave an address in Stranraer, but before the year was out he had moved to Oxford as Assistant City Architect.
In 1949 (according to his FRIBA papers - though it seems the date may have been earlier) he secured another travelling scholarship that enabled him to travel to Switzerland, and in the same year he left Oxford for London to join the practice of Sir Herbert Baker & Scott. The following year he moved again, this time back to his native Scotland to take up the post of Chief Assistant to the Glenrothes Development Corporation. At some point he obtained a RIBA Diploma in Town Planning, and he was retrospectively awarded a BArch from the University of Sheffield.
Wheeler was appointed senior lecturer at Dundee School of Architecture in 1952, and at the same time established his private practice as H Anthony Wheeler with an office at Sailor's Wharf, Kirkcaldy. Two years later Frank Sproson was assumed into partnership, the practice title becoming Wheeler & Sproson.
The firm was active in the restoration work for the National Trust for Scotland under the Little Houses scheme and won many awards for their work. Wheeler also played a key role in the conversion of part of Falkland Palace into a private apartment for Major Crichton Stuart and for the conversion of Houston House into a hotel.
In 1959 Wheeler was elected FRIAS, and by 1964 he was a representative of its Edinburgh chapter. On 19 July 1967 he was elected FRIBA, proposed by Robert Hogg Matthew, Alan Reiach and John Hardie Glover. His nomination papers list further study tours, to Israel and Greece in 1963 and to Finland in 1965.
Further partners were taken on by the practice: Donald McInnes in 1965, Anthony Weir in 1967, and Alan Clark and William McLeod in 1975.
Wheeler was a talented draughtsman and remained active in exhibiting work with the Scottish Society of Architect Artists. In August 2012 he was made an honorary fellow of the society. From 1983-90 he served as president of the Royal Scottish Academy. During his term in the office the Friends of the RSA and the RSA shop were developed. He also served on the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland and had a term as president of the RIAS. He received an honorary doctorate from Robert Gordon University.
Outwith the professions he was a keen angler and loved music and theatre as well as being devoted to the Scottish countryside. He was a significant collector of Japanese prints.
He died on 19 December 2013. He was predeceased by his wife but survived by his daughter
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 9, Broomfield Gardens, Wigtown, Wigtownshire, Scotland | Private/business(?) | Before 1948 | After 1950 | |  | 26, King Edward Street, Markinch, Fife, Scotland | Business(?) | c. 1953 * | | |  | Woodley/34, Southerton Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Private | Before 1958 * | After 1967 | |  | Sailor's Walk/441-447, High Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland | Business | Before 1964 | After 1967 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA ProposalsThis architect proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes |  | Frank Sproson | 4 February 1970 | For Fellowship |
Buildings and DesignsThis architect 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 |  | | Boots the Chemist | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | | Development for the British Sailor's Society with residential accommodation | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | | Development for the British Sailor's Society with residential accommodation | Greenock | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | |  | | Falkland Palace | Falkland | | Fife | Scotland | Conversion of part of the Palace into private quarters for Major Crichton Stuart. |  | | Group of cottages | Falkland | | Fife | Scotland | |  | | Housing development in Broad Street | Cowdenbeath | | Fife | Scotland | |  | | Stirling Road housing (42 houses) | Milnathort | | Kinross-shire | Scotland | |  | | The reading room cottage | Falkland | | Fife | Scotland | Conversion to electricity substation |  | 1951 | Woodside Shopping Precinct, Community Centre and Housing | Glenrothes | | Fife | Scotland | As architect with Glenrothes Development Corporation. |  | 1953 | Burntisland redevelopment (including 128 houses) | Burntisland | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1953 | The Bowery housing estate | Leslie | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1954 | Sailor's Walk | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Major repairs |  | 1955 | Somerville Square and Somerville Street Redevelopment | Burntisland | | Fife | Scotland | |  | After 1955 | 116 houses for Leslie Town Council | Leslie | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1956 | Ardwell House | Wigtown | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | Removal of Baronial additions and new fron elevation. |  | 1957 | Lochgelly Central Area redevelopment (including 308 houses and 2 Laundrettes) | Lochgelly | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1957 | Priory Acres | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1957 | Villa, 34 Southerton Road | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1958 | Dysart redevelopment (including 162 houses) | Dysart | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1960s | 263 houses | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | H M Detention Centre and Staff housing | Alloa | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Married quarters for MPBW | Rosyth | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1960s | Research laboratory and offices for Tullis Russell | Markinch | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1960 | St Columba's Church and halls | Glenrothes | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1961 | 5, 6, 7 Rumford and 54 High Street | Crail | | Fife | Scotland | Restoration (one of the first buildings restored under the National Trust's Little Houses Scheme). Nos 5 & 6 Rumford made into one house. |  | 1962 | Housing development, Prinlaws | Leslie | | Fife | | |  | 1962 | The Gyles housing | Pittenweem | | Fife | Scotland | Restoration and new buildings |  | 1963 | Houses in School Place | Uphall | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1964 | Hill Court Housing | South Queensferry | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1964 | Housing, Oxgangs Avenue, Oxgangs Drive and Oxgangs Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1964 | Married officers quarters for MPBW | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | |  | 1964 | Married quarters for MPBW | Rhu | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | |  | 1964 | Married quarters, Coulport | Coulport | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | 1964 | Royal Navy Base, Married quarters for MPBW | Faslane | | Argyll | Scotland | |  | 1964 | Torbain Parish Church | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1964 | Whitburn Academy | Whitburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1965 | Boghall Parish Church | Bathgate | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1965 | Housing development, Langlee Estate | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | |  | 1965 | RNAS Pinefield, Barracks | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Married quarters |  | 1965 | Springfield Housing Development (144 houses), West Barns | Dunbar | | East Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1965 | The Anchorage | Dysart | | Fife | Scotland | Restoration and new houses |  | 1966 | Bannockburn Heritage Centre | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1966 | Youth and Community Centre | Blackburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1967 | Balbirnie Paper Mill | Markinch | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations to water purification plant; new research and physics laboratory added; alterations to offices |  | 1967 | Grangemouth Central Area redevelopment with shopping centre | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1967 | The Towers | Dysart | | Fife | Scotland | Restoration as housing |  | Before 1967 | West Fife Infectious Diseases Hospital | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | Extension |  | 1968 | Adamson Hospital | Cupar | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations |  | 1968 | Blackburn Town Centre | Blackburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1968 | Broxburn Old Town redevelopment (250 houses) | Broxburn | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1968 | Fife and Kinross District Asylum | Springfield, Cupar | | Fife | Scotland | Psychiatric inpatient unit for adolescents. administration and central blocks, classrooms and dormitory wing |  | 1968 | Four houses, Abronhill | Cumbernauld | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1968 | Macdonalds buildings | Culross | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1968 | West Church | Cowdenbeath | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1968 | Wood's Hospital | Upper Largo | | Fife | Scotland | Conversion into Cottage housing |  | c. 1968 | St John's Church, Langlee | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | |  | 1969 | 370 houses for Cumbernauld Development Corporation, Abronhill 4 | Cumbernauld | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | |  | 1969 | Forth Road Bridge | Firth of Forth | | | | Garages for service vehicles added to administration block |  | Before 1969 | University of St Andrews, Students' Union | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | |  | Early 1960s | Housing in old Buckhaven (180 houses) | Buckhaven | | Fife | Scotland | |  | Late 1960s(?) | Housing for SSHA | Culross | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1960s or 1970s | Staff housing for Tullis Russell, Cadham | Markinch|Glenrothes | | Fife | | |  | 1970s | Aberdeen Royal Infirmary | Foresterhill | | Aberdeen | | Staff housing added |  | 1970s | Boots the Chemist | Broughty Ferry | | Angus | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Educational Centre for the Chartered Accountants of Scotland | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Factory | Cowdenbeath | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Factory | Inverkeithing | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Housing for Local Authority | Buckhaven | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Housing for SSHA | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Housing for SSHA | | | Dundee | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Housing for SSHA | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Housing for SSHA | Kinghorn | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Local Authority housing | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Local Authority Housing | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Local Authority Housing | St Monans | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Local Authority Housing | Strathmiglo | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Local Authority housing- Howden F | Livingston | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Ninewells Hospital and Medical School | | | Dundee | Scotland | Staff housing. In the RIBA Directory of 1975 this is given as 'nurses' quarters for SSHA'. Unclear if this is actually an error for ERHB or SERHB. |  | 1970s | Premises of James D Bruce | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | Reconstruction? |  | 1970s | Sheltered housing for Royal British Legion | Glenrothes | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Sheltered housing for the Church Army | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Sheltered housing for Viewpoint Housing Association | Livingston | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Shopping centre | Stenhousemuir | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Telephone exchange | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970s | Telephone Exchange | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1970 | Bank of Scotland | Cowdenbeath | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1970 | Houstoun House | Uphall | | West Lothian | Scotland | Conversion into hotel |  | 1971 | Housing, Borrowfield | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | |  | 1972 | Edinburgh College of Art, Hunter Building | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1972 | St John's Church | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | |  | 1974 | Hawthornbank House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1974 | Housing, Harbour Place | Burntisland | | Fife | Scotland | Restoration |  | 1975 | Wood's Hospital | Upper Largo | | Fife | Scotland | Restoration |  | Before 1975 | Alliance Building Society | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | |  | Before 1975 | Alliance Building Society | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | |  | Before 1975 | Factories for Fife County Council | Hillend | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1976 | 43-67 High Street | Dysart | | Fife | | Reconstruction of group of historic buildings and conversion into flats. |  | 1976 | Boots the Chemist | Berwick-upon-Tweed | | Northumberland | England | |  | 1976 | Housing, Old Farm Court, for Viewpoint Housing Association | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1976 | St Peter's Episcopal Church | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1978 | Housing for Viewpoint Housing Association | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1978 | Path House | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Restoration and conversion of 17th century house into nurses' home. |  | 1979 | Tourist Information Centre | Stranraer | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | |  | Late 1970s | St George's Free Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations |  | Late 1970s | Tourist Information Centre | Jedburgh | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | |  | 1980s | Bannockburn Heritage Centre | Bannockburn (Whins of Milton) | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |  | 1980 | Bell's Brewery | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and additions |  | 1980 | Sandport Industrial Estate, factory | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1981 | Sheltered housing, Woodthorpe | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | Before 1981 | Boots The Chemist Shop | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | |  | Before 1981 | Forth Park House | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations including new Maternity wing |  | Before 1981 | Kirkcaldy Burgh Infectious Diseases Hospital | Kirkcaldy | | Fife | Scotland | Alterations including new A & E Department and cafeteria for visitors |  | c. 1981 | Kinmount House | Annan | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | Conversion of N range of stable to house |  | 1983 | Flats, Broughton Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | |  | 1983 | Free Church | Burntisland | | Fife | Scotland | Conversion to sheltered housing |  | 1983 | Glamis House (Cheshire Home) | Glenrothes | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1983 | Royal Bank | Dunfermline | | Fife | Scotland | |  | c. 1983 | Viewpoint sheltered housing | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | |  | 1986 | Block of buildings 34 High Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Redevelopment for Castlerock Housing Association |  | 1986 | Community outdoor and education centre | Linlighgow | | West Lothian | Scotland | |  | 1988 | Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton Campus, Students' Union | Riccarton | | Midlothian | Scotland | |  | 1991 | Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton Campus, Leonard Horner Hall | | | Midlothian | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p14 The Bowery, Leslie; Somerville Street, Burntisland; Dysart Housing, Pittenweem Housing; Old Buckhaven p34-5 Cumbernauld Housing p35-6 Stirling Road p38 Torbain Parish Church p110-115 p156 Dysart Redevelopment |  | Glendinning, Miles | 2008 | Modern architect: the life and times of Robert Matthew | | RIBA Publishing | p467 |  | Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan | 1994 | Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland | | Yale University Press: New Haven and London | p381 Gazetteer 2 |  | International Who's who | | International Who's who | | | |  | Miles Glendinning, Diane Watters, David Whitham | | Docomomo Scotland Leaflet | | | p228 Image of Forth Road Bridge and Dysart Housing Scheme |  | Municipal Annual | 1964 | Scottish Municipal Annual | 1964-1965 | | |  | Post Office Directories | | | | | 1953-54 |  | RCAHMS | 1999 | Homebuilders: Mactaggart & Mickel and the Scottish housebuilding industry | | RCAHMS | p167, 185 |  | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |  | Willis, Peter | 1977 | New architecture in Scotland | | | p8 Dysart Redevelopment p92-5 Ninewells Hospital |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this architect: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes |  | Architects Journal | 14 February 1962 | | | p338 Dysart Housing Scheme |  | Architectural Review | April 1967 | | | p277-9 Dysart Housing Scheme |  | Builder | 18 August 1961 | | | 'Civic Trust Design Awards, 1960 - Results of Competitions in the County Boroughs, The Awards, Scotland' pp304-305 - served as assessor for Motherwell & Wishaw projects |  | Housing Review | August 1967 | | | 7/8-1967 p107-10 Dysart Housing Scheme |  | Municipal Journal | 20 December 1953 | | | p2759, Bowery Development |  | RIAS Quarterly | 2014 | | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | Spring issue |  | Scotsman | 28 December 2013 | | | Obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | | |  | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | A no10296 (stored under F5841); F no5841 (combined box 103) |
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