Basic Biographical Details

Name: Clark Fyfe
Designation:  
Born: 28 May 1914
Died: 23 October 2005
Bio Notes: Clark Fyfe was born in Wishaw on 28 May 1914, the son of William Simpson Fyfe, engine fitter, and his wife Mary Michie. From 1929 he was articled to John Steel and, after completing his five years spell, he took a post (in April 1935) as junior architect with the Miners' Welfare Commission in London.

In 1936 he returned to Glasgow as senior assistant with J M Monro & Son. In 1937 he was assistant with the County Borough of Bolton but came back to Scotland again the following year and worked as an assistant in the practice of James Carrick in Ayr. Again his stay was brief and in 1939 with the onset of war, he took a post with Stirling & Clackmannan ARP Joint Authority, based in Stirling. In 1940 he gave his address as 971 Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow. He shared this with his wife, Grace Dawson Mitchell who was also an architect. His Nomination Paper indicates that he had spent four years as a student at Glasgow School of Architecture but as there is no gap in his CV, his studies must have been done part-time. He sat his final exams in Town Planning in July 1942.

Fyfe was elected ARIBA in 1942 and FRIAS in 1958. He had a spell with Motherwell Burgh Architect's Department in the early 1950s. Sometime after 1964, he was County Architect for Ayrshire. He had applied for the post of Director of Architecture at Strathclyde but was not successful. The Ayrshire post (later Kilmarnock & Doune Dictrict Council) was clearly not Fyfe's first choice. Rob Close who worked for Kilmarnock & Doune District Council in the late 1970s remembers he 'hardly ever came out of his office'.

Fyfe retired about 1979 and died aged 91 at Belhaven Nursing Home in Troon on 23 October 2005. His wife had predeceased him.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 61, Crosbie Court, Troon, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate 2005 
Item 2 of 6ARP Offices, Spittal Street, Stirling, Stirlingshire, ScotlandBusiness1939After 1942 
Item 3 of 6971, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1950 *  
Item 4 of 6Corporation Chambers, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, ScotlandBusiness1953 *  
Item 5 of 6179, Manse Road, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1958After 1964 
Item 6 of 61, Craigend Road, Troon, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1970c. 1979 

* 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 Steel1929 Apprentice 
Item 2 of 9John Steel19291935Assistant 
Item 3 of 9Miners' Welfare Committee (or Miners' Welfare Commission), Mines Department, (National Coal Board Divisional Welfare)c. 1934 Assistant 
Item 4 of 9J M Monro & Son1936 Senior Assistant 
Item 5 of 9County Borough of Bolton1937 Assistant 
Item 6 of 9J & J A Carrick1938 Assistant 
Item 7 of 9Lanarkshire County Architect's DepartmentEarly 1950sEarly 1960sAssistant 
Item 8 of 9Ayr County Architect's OfficeLate 1960s Chief Architect 
Item 9 of 9Kilmarnock & Loudoun District Council Architects DepartmentLate 1970s Chief Architect 

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 91953Motherwell and Wishaw Civic CentreMotherwell LanarkshireScotlandPlans prepared for new Civic Centre. This scheme was not taken forward. Competition later held for building.
Item 2 of 99 January 1953New concrete reservoir, LegbrannockNewarthill LanarkshireScotlandPlans in hand
Item 3 of 91960HousingMotherwell LanarkshireScotland 
Item 4 of 91960(?)Leven Street RedevelopmentMotherwell and Wishaw LanarkshireScotlandAs Director of Housing for Burgh of Motherwell & Wishaw.
Item 5 of 91962(?)Shops, flats and maisonettes at Main StreetWishaw LanarkshireScotlandAs Director of Housing for the Burgh of Motherwell & Wishaw.
Item 6 of 917 January 1964St Michael's College, KilwinningKilwinning AyrshireScotlandWorking in conjunction with Eric Hall & Partners.
Item 7 of 91966Auchinleck AcademyAuchinleck AyrshireScotlandAs Ayr County Architect
Item 8 of 91969Auchenharvie AcademyStevenston AyrshireScotlandAs County Architect
Item 9 of 91972Queen Margaret AcademyAyr AyrshireScotlandAs Ayr County Architect

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 3RIBA1964The RIBA Kalendar 1963-64   
Item 3 of 3RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Builder9 January 1953  p108
Item 2 of 6Builder23 October 1953  p640
Item 3 of 6Builder20 November 1953  p814
Item 4 of 6Builder28 April 1961  'Glasgow Institute of Architects' p829 - appointed as member of council along with J A Kirkwood, N R Johnston, J A Coia and W H Sanders
Item 5 of 6Builder17 January 1964  p164
Item 6 of 6Motherwell Times19 April 1935   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 4Courtesy of Rob CloseInformation via 'Contact Us' on website Sent November 2014.
Item 2 of 4H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 3 of 4RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 4 of 4RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no 8097 (Combined Box 202)