Basic Biographical Details

Name: Eric Wray MacDonald
Designation:  
Born: 1 February 1919
Died: November 1989
Bio Notes: Eric Wray MacDonald studied architecture at the University of Liverpool from October 1937 to June 1940. During the summer vacation of 1939 he worked for two months in the office of Hobart & Heron in Belfast. His course was interrupted by the Second World War but he resumed in October 1945 (working for a brief spell in the office of Herbert Thearle that year) and was awarded a First Class Honours, BArch, in June 1947. He was admitted ARIBA on 9 December 1947, proposed by Lionel B Budden, Donald Brooks and Ernest Marshall. At the time of his election he was living in Portobello, Edinburgh and may have had a short-term post in an office in Edinburgh.

In 1947 he returned to the Department of Civic Design at the University of Liverpool where he studied for a diploma in civic design. In 1948 after completing the course he took a post as senior planning assistant with Lanark County Council but moved within a few months to the planning section of East Kilbride Development Corporation as senior architect but transferred to the architects' section in 1951.

In 1953 MacDonald moved once again, this time to Northern Ireland as Housing Trust Architect in which position he was section leader with a staff of eight. As architect with the Trust as well as houses, he designed the layouts for housing, shops, offices, a community centres, a post office and urban redevelopment In March 1966 he was appointed a lecturer at Queen's University. At the same time he ran a consultancy which specialised in the preparation of action plans (for example for Coleraine), the area plan for Portnish-Coleraine having been prepared by Sir Robert Matthew & Partners. He also had a small architectural practice during this period and also undertook research on housing development in Northern Ireland.

In his private practice with three associates he designed County Tyrone Education Committee Offices, completed 1968 and a new hall for the local scout troop, completed in 1966.

He was elected FRIBA on 2 December 1970, proposed by Alexander Potter, Victor Hall and John Neil.

MacDonald moved, perhaps on retirement, to North Yorklshire. He resigned from the RIBA in 1985. He died in Claro, Yorkshire in November 1989.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 4c/o Stewart/54, King's Road, Portobello, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1947 *  
Item 2 of 4Torrance House, East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, ScotlandBusiness1950 *1953 
Item 3 of 419, Windsor Avenue, Hollywood, Co. Down, Northern IrelandPrivate1953 *After 1970 
Item 4 of 413, St John's Drive, North Rigton, North Yorkshire, EnglandPrivateJanuary 1985  

* 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 5Hobart & HeronAugust 1939September 1939Assistant 
Item 2 of 5J F (or Herbert?) ThearleOctober 1945December 1945Assistant 
Item 3 of 5Lanark County Councilc. 1948 Senior AssistantSenior Planning Assistant
Item 4 of 5East Kilbride Development Corporationc. 1948 *After 1954Architect 
Item 5 of 5Northern Ireland Housing Trust19531966ArchitectSection leader

* 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 6Donald Brooke9 December 1947For Associateship
Item 2 of 6Lionel Bailey Budden9 December 1947For Associateship
Item 3 of 6Victor Hall2 December 1970For Fellowship
Item 4 of 6Ernest William Marshall9 December 1947For Associateship
Item 5 of 6John Neil2 December 1970For Fellowship
Item 6 of 6Alex Potter2 December 1970For Fellowship

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 4RIBA1964The RIBA Kalendar 1963-64   
Item 3 of 4RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 4 of 4RIBA1979Directory of members   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers Eric Wray MacDonald: A no9332; F no7350 (Combined Box 186)