Basic Biographical Details Name: | Walter Scott | Designation: | | Born: | 26 January 1926 | Died: | 27 May 2010 | Bio Notes: | Walter Scott was born on 26 January 1926 in Musselburgh, the son of Walter scott, joiner and his wife Annie Barr. He was educated at Musselburgh Grammar School and studied part-time at the School of Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art while serving his articles with *** in Edinburgh. His studies were interrupted when he was called up during the Second World War. He initially served in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers in India and then as a commissioned officer in the Royal Engineers in Singapore with the rank of Captain.
After the cease of hostilities he recommenced his studies as a full-time student in 1948. He graduated in 1951 and was awarded the Edinburgh Corporation Medal for Civic Design as well as an Andrew Carnegie Travelling Scholarship. He was also elected ARIBA in 1952. Initially he took a post as assistant to Frederick W B Charles who was then a tutor at Edinburgh College of Art but moved to work for the South East Regional Hospital Board under John Holt who had recently been appointed to the post of Chief Architect and recruited a group of bright dynamic young architects to work in his section. Scott was promoted to senior assistant in 1954 and principal assistant in 1956.
One of the offices early successes was the Radio-Therapeutic building at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh which was awarded the RIBA Bronze Medal for buildings in Scotland 1950-1956. Scott was group leader for various projects, mainly in Fife, including units for mental patients at Stratheden Hospital and a Rheumatic Diseases Research Unit in Edinburgh funded by the Nuffield Foundation. In 1957 Scott joined the practice of Alison & Hutchison, becoming principal assistant architect in 1958 and principal in partnership in 1960. John Malcolm McIntosh was also working for Alison & Hutchison at this time and they left to set up their own practice at 23 Windsor Street, Edinburgh as Scott and McIntosh in January 1964 (sources for this year vary but Nomination Papers give 1964).
The practice’s first commission was for housing in Bo’ness for West Lothian Council. This won an award in *** and helped to establish the reputation of the practice. Much of the work in the 1960s was for healthcare facilities which was very wide-ranging for many medical and surgical disciplines. His obituary suggests that Scott was generally the partner in charge though an almost identical list of work appears in both Scott’s and McIntosh’s Fellowship Papers, suggesting that both partners were involved in most projects. The geographical area in which the practice worked gradually expanded. Scott was responsible for the development of the new Royal Infirmary in Perth and the practice won the competition for the new Hawick Health Centre.
In *** Scott & McIntosh took over the long-established practice of J & J Hall in Galashiels and opened a branch office there. They carried out many schemes in the Borders thereafter including educational facilities and factories for the electronic industry in Selkirk and Galashiels.
In 1968 Scott was elected FRIBA, his proposers being John Holt, Eric Dalgleish Davidson and W Fergus Smith.
Scott had inherited a love of the Borders from both his parents’ families. When he retired he moved first to Legerwood and Gordon and subsequently he converted a cottage on his son-in-law and daughter’s farm near Lauder when his sight failed and his health deteriorated.
Outwith his work he was a great supporter of good causes and served as a church elder and on many local charitable organisations. He was a keen gardener and a fine watercolourist. Throughout his life Scott took a keen interest in politics: as a young man he had been chairman of the East Edinburgh Junior Unionist Association and later was a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party of which he became president in 1971. He was appointed CBE in 1972 for his services to Scottish politics. An accomplished speaker, he was in demand for formal dinners such as Burns suppers. He also loved sport and served as a committee member of the Melrose Rugby Club, often taking over the announcing at the Greenyards.
Scott retired to the Borders, first to Legerwood and Gordon and latterly to a converted on his son-in-law and daughter's farm near Lauder. He suffered poor health and a deterioration in sight during his final years. He died at Borders General Hospital on 27 May 2010, survived by his wife Irene Duncan, whom he married in 1952, their three children Caroline, Walter and Jennie, nine grandchildren and a number of great-grandchildren. He was buried in the churchyard at Legerwood. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Chapel Cottage, Thirlestane, Lauder, Berwickshire, Scotland | Private | | 2010 | | | 101, Market Street, Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland | Private | 1950 * | | | | 101, Market Street, Musselburgh, Midlothian, Scotland | Private | 1950 * | | | | 3, Bedford Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1955 | | | | 23, Windsor Street, Edinbrgh, Scotland | Business | 1960s | 1980s | | | 23, Windsor Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1964 | | | | 12, Albert Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1968 * | | | | The Old Manse, Legerwood, Berwickshire, Scotland | Private | 1980s or 1990s * | | | | Gordon, Berwickshire, Scotland | Private | 1980s or 1990s or 2000s * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | After 1954 | Fife and Kinross District Asylum | Springfield, Cupar | | Fife | Scotland | Units for patients with mental health problems - for South East Regional Hospital Board | | 1955 | Rheumatic Diseases Research Clinic | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Job architect and group leader for South East Regional Hospital Board, under John Holt | | 22 February 1957 | Victoria Hospital, Nurses' Home | Kirkcaldy | | | Scotland | 'Architect in Charge' per Builder p 362 | | After 1964 | City Hospital, geriatric unit | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | After 1964 | Hawick Health Centre | Hawick | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | | After 1964 | Western General Hospital, coronary care unit | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1965 | City Hospital, plastic surgery and oral surgery centre | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Sketch plans drawn | | 1966 | Clermiston House | Corstorphine | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1966 | Newhailes Coachworks for Hall Brothers | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1966 | Western General Hospital, gastro-intestinal unit | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1966 | Western General Hospital, Maternity Unit | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extension and alterations | | 1966 | Western General Hospital, Metabolic Unit | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extension | | 1966 | Western General Hospital, nurses' dining room | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1967 | Crown Office | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Won first prize in competition. | | 1967 | Leith Public Health Hospital | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Ward upgrading and teaching annexes | | 1967 | Public house | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1967 | Royal Observatory | Blackford Hill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extension | | 1968 | Bangour General Hospital, Burns Unit | Bangour | | West Lothian | Scotland | Alterations and extensions | | 1968 | Eighteen (18) old person's houses | Liberton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1968 | HM Dockyard, amenity centre for civilian workers | Rosyth | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1968 | Netherknowe students residences for Galashiels College of Textiles | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1969 | 100 houses, Snab Brae | Bo'ness / Borrowstouness | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1969 | 27 houses | Bo'ness / Borrowstouness | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1969 | 63 flats, Felton Green | Musselburgh | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1969 | Bangour Village Asylum | Uphall | | West Lothian | Scotland | Improvements including kitchen and ward upgrade | | 1969 | Gogarburn House | | | Midlothian | Scotland | Ward imrpovement and occupational therapy unit | | 1969 | Houses and flats | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1969 | Houses and flats | Bo'ness / Borrowstouness | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1969 | Old people's home and housing | Liberton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1969 | Old People's Home and housing | Clermiston | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1969 | Twenty-five (25) flats and three shops, Caird's Row | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | After 1969 | Bangour Hospital, occupational therapy unit | | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | After 1970 | Western General Hospital, renal medicine unit | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1972 | Bangour Village Hospital, dormitory block (Villa 7) | Bangour | | West Lothian | Scotland | Additions to villas | | 1972 | Bangour Village Hospital, villa 32 | | | West Lothian | Scotland | Additions | | 1973 | Carstairs State Institution | Carstairs | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | New gatehouse | | 1976 | 23 houses for East Lothian District Council | Musselburgh | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1976 | Lilliesleaf House | Melrose | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Restoration and repairs | | 1976 | Sheltered housing for the Bield Housing Association | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1976 | Sheltered housing for the Bield Housing Association | Falkirk | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1976 | Sheltered housing for the Bield Housing Association | Leven | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1977 | Western General Hospital, Animal Research Centre | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1979 | Eskside West and Hercus Loan Housing | Musselburgh | | East Lothian | Scotland | Renovation of 3-storey town house and 2-storey tenement and cottage. | | 1979 | Perth Royal Infirmary, Tay and Earn Wards and Simpson Day Clinic | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | c. 1979 | Cottage | Lilliesleaf | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | Large extension to existing cottage. | | 1980 | George & Abbotsford Hotel | Melrose | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Alterations and refurbishment |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Allen, Nic (ed.) | | Scottish Architects in Conservation | | | p104 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 22 February 1957 | | | pp362-4 | | Scotsman | 31 July 2010 | | | p.49: obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F no 6412 (combined Box 137) |
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