Basic Biographical Details

Name: Moira & Moira
Designation:  
Born: 1951
Died: 1976
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 Chetwynd 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. In the early 1970s Betty was responsible for the Inverness office, Richard dealt with Shetland and other work was divided between Richard and James 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. Maurice Pettigrew and Robert ('Bob') Grant was associates in the Inverness office. Norman Hunter joined as an associate in 1974 (later he was a partner with Moira Moira & Wann until 1983).

Other architects in the Edinburgh office in the early 1970s were Calum Anton who moved to the Inverness office in 1973 and later became an associate and partner, David Cochrane who left in 1973 to establish Cochrane McGregor, David Stamp who left in 1973 to establish Gilmour & Stamp, Neil Ross who became a partner in Moira Moira & Wann and who moved to Historic Scotland in 1983, Alistair McLaren who became a partner in Moira Moira & Wann and later Wann McLaren, John Hope who left to establish John Hope Architects, Ron Galloway who left to establish Galloway Associates, Douglas Murray, Graham Martin and Morna Gorrie. David Galloway was in the Inverness office in the late 1970s.

The Shetland office closed on Richard Moira's death in 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 Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 312, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1964 *  
Item 2 of 39, Mounthooly Street, Lerwick, Shetland, ScotlandBusiness1975 *  
Item 3 of 311, Queensgate, Inverness, Inverness-shire, ScotlandBusinessc. 1975  

* earliest date known from documented sources.


Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 16Richard Edward Moira1951(?)1970Partner 
Item 2 of 16Betty Lydia Chetwynd Moira (née Leech)1951(?)1970Partner 
Item 3 of 16Wallace Rennie McGregor1970s Assistant 
Item 4 of 16John Donald19721974Assistant 
Item 5 of 16David CochraneBefore 1972(?)1973Assistant 
Item 6 of 16Alistair F McLaren1973 Assistant 
Item 7 of 16Neil M RossEarly 1970s Assistant 
Item 8 of 16Calum AntonEarly 1970s Assistant 
Item 9 of 16Maurice William Irwin PettigrewEarly 1970s Associate 
Item 10 of 16Robert GrantEarly 1970s Associate 
Item 11 of 16John Carlyle HopeEarly 1970s Assistant 
Item 12 of 16Ron GallowayEarly 1970s Assistant 
Item 13 of 16Douglas MurrayEarly 1970s Assistant 
Item 14 of 16Morna GorrieEarly 1970s Assistant 
Item 15 of 16David WedderburnEarly 1970s Assistant 
Item 16 of 16Calum AntonLate 1970s Associate 

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 24 Wishart Avenue housingNorth Berwick East LothianScotland 
Item 2 of 241948Town PlanLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 3 of 241956Heddell's Park and Annsbrae housingLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 4 of 241956Moredun Research Institute  EdinburghScotlandMicrobiology Laboratories for Animal Diseases Research Association
Item 5 of 241958Long HouseLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 6 of 241959Orkney Towns Development PlanKirkwall and StromnessMainlandOrkneyScotlandplanning consultants, in association with M Sergent per Builder p535
Item 7 of 241960Wigtownshire Development Plan  WigtownshireScotland 
Item 8 of 241961Fraserburgh General and Maternity HospitalFraserburgh AberdeenshireScotland 
Item 9 of 241961Moredun Research Institute  EdinburghScotlandMajor expansion - Radio Isotope and Metabolism, Farm Animals Isolation Unit.
Item 10 of 241963Greenfield HousingLerwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 11 of 241964Glenmore Forest ParkAviemore Inverness-shireScotlandGeneral development (includes campsite layout and toilets, blocks for FC and staff houses).
Item 12 of 241964Primary School, MoredunMoredun EdinburghScotlandKitchen Block added
Item 13 of 241965Kveldsro HousingLerwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 14 of 241965Lanes HousingLerwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 15 of 241966Bush Estate, Research Station for the Forestry Commission  MidlothianScotland 
Item 16 of 241966Ptarmigan RestaurantCairgorm Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 17 of 241968HotelBreiwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 18 of 241969Sound HousingLerwick ShetlandScotland 
Item 19 of 241969Strontian Village Davelopment with houses, school, police station etcStrontian ArgyllScotland 
Item 20 of 241970Ben Lawers Interpretation CentreBen Lawers, Near Killin PerthshireScotland 
Item 21 of 241970Findhorn Dunes Area landscapingFindhorn MorayshireScotland 
Item 22 of 241973Clickimin Recreational ParkLerwickMainlandShetlandScotland 
Item 23 of 241974Townscape AppraisalDumfries DumfriesshireScotland 
Item 24 of 241975St Rognvald's House sheltered housingKirkwallMainlandOrkneyScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Press 
Item 2 of 4Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp14
p168-9 Heddell's Park and Annsbrae Housing
Item 3 of 4Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  
Item 4 of 4RIBA1975RIBA Directory of practices