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 Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 9Chapel Cottage, Thirlestane, Lauder, Berwickshire, ScotlandPrivate 2010 
Item 2 of 9101, Market Street, Musselburgh, Midlothian, ScotlandPrivate1950 *  
Item 3 of 9101, Market Street, Musselburgh, Midlothian, ScotlandPrivate1950 *  
Item 4 of 93, Bedford Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1955  
Item 5 of 923, Windsor Street, Edinbrgh, ScotlandBusiness1960s1980s 
Item 6 of 923, Windsor Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1964  
Item 7 of 912, Albert Terrace, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate1968 *  
Item 8 of 9The Old Manse, Legerwood, Berwickshire, ScotlandPrivate1980s or 1990s *  
Item 9 of 9Gordon, Berwickshire, ScotlandPrivate1980s or 1990s or 2000s *  

* 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 7Frederick William Bolton Charles1951 Assistant 
Item 2 of 7South East Regional Hospital Board, Architect's Department (or South Eastern Hospital Board)19541956Senior Assistant 
Item 3 of 7South East Regional Hospital Board, Architect's Department (or South Eastern Hospital Board)19561958Principal Assistant 
Item 4 of 7Walter Alison & Hutchison1957 Senior Assistant 
Item 5 of 7Walter Alison & Hutchison1958 Principal Assistant 
Item 6 of 7Alison & Hutchison & Partners19601963Partner 
Item 7 of 7Scott & McIntosh1 January 19641980sPartner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3Eric Dalgleish Davidson2 October 1969For Fellowship
Item 2 of 3John Holt2 October 1969For Fellowship
Item 3 of 3William Fergus Smith2 October 1968For Fellowship

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 46After 1954Fife and Kinross District AsylumSpringfield, Cupar FifeScotlandUnits for patients with mental health problems - for South East Regional Hospital Board
Item 2 of 461955Rheumatic Diseases Research Clinic  EdinburghScotlandJob architect and group leader for South East Regional Hospital Board, under John Holt
Item 3 of 4622 February 1957Victoria Hospital, Nurses' HomeKirkcaldy  Scotland'Architect in Charge' per Builder p 362
Item 4 of 46After 1964City Hospital, geriatric unit  EdinburghScotland 
Item 5 of 46After 1964Hawick Health CentreHawick RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 6 of 46After 1964Western General Hospital, coronary care unit  EdinburghScotland 
Item 7 of 461965City Hospital, plastic surgery and oral surgery centre  EdinburghScotlandSketch plans drawn
Item 8 of 461966Clermiston HouseCorstorphine EdinburghScotland 
Item 9 of 461966Newhailes Coachworks for Hall BrothersMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 10 of 461966Western General Hospital, gastro-intestinal unit  EdinburghScotland 
Item 11 of 461966Western General Hospital, Maternity Unit  EdinburghScotlandExtension and alterations
Item 12 of 461966Western General Hospital, Metabolic Unit  EdinburghScotlandExtension
Item 13 of 461966Western General Hospital, nurses' dining room  EdinburghScotland 
Item 14 of 461967Crown OfficeElgin MorayshireScotlandWon first prize in competition.
Item 15 of 461967Leith Public Health HospitalLeith EdinburghScotlandWard upgrading and teaching annexes
Item 16 of 461967Public house  EdinburghScotland 
Item 17 of 461967Royal ObservatoryBlackford Hill EdinburghScotlandExtension
Item 18 of 461968Bangour General Hospital, Burns UnitBangour West LothianScotlandAlterations and extensions
Item 19 of 461968Eighteen (18) old person's housesLiberton EdinburghScotland 
Item 20 of 461968HM Dockyard, amenity centre for civilian workersRosyth FifeScotland 
Item 21 of 461968Netherknowe students residences for Galashiels College of TextilesGalashiels SelkirkshireScotland 
Item 22 of 461969100 houses, Snab BraeBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 23 of 46196927 housesBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 24 of 46196963 flats, Felton GreenMusselburgh East LothianScotland 
Item 25 of 461969Bangour Village AsylumUphall West LothianScotlandImprovements including kitchen and ward upgrade
Item 26 of 461969Gogarburn House  MidlothianScotlandWard imrpovement and occupational therapy unit
Item 27 of 461969Houses and flatsMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 28 of 461969Houses and flatsBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotland 
Item 29 of 461969Old people's home and housingLiberton EdinburghScotland 
Item 30 of 461969Old People's Home and housingClermiston EdinburghScotland 
Item 31 of 461969Twenty-five (25) flats and three shops, Caird's RowMusselburgh MidlothianScotland 
Item 32 of 46After 1969Bangour Hospital, occupational therapy unit  West LothianScotland 
Item 33 of 46After 1970Western General Hospital, renal medicine unit  EdinburghScotland 
Item 34 of 461972Bangour Village Hospital, dormitory block (Villa 7)Bangour West LothianScotlandAdditions to villas
Item 35 of 461972Bangour Village Hospital, villa 32  West LothianScotlandAdditions
Item 36 of 461973Carstairs State InstitutionCarstairs LanarkshireScotlandNew gatehouse
Item 37 of 46197623 houses for East Lothian District CouncilMusselburgh East LothianScotland 
Item 38 of 461976Lilliesleaf HouseMelrose RoxburghshireScotlandRestoration and repairs
Item 39 of 461976Sheltered housing for the Bield Housing Association  EdinburghScotland 
Item 40 of 461976Sheltered housing for the Bield Housing AssociationFalkirk StirlingshireScotland 
Item 41 of 461976Sheltered housing for the Bield Housing AssociationLeven FifeScotland 
Item 42 of 461977Western General Hospital, Animal Research Centre  EdinburghScotland 
Item 43 of 461979Eskside West and Hercus Loan HousingMusselburgh East LothianScotlandRenovation of 3-storey town house and 2-storey tenement and cottage.
Item 44 of 461979Perth Royal Infirmary, Tay and Earn Wards and Simpson Day ClinicPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 45 of 46c. 1979CottageLilliesleaf SelkirkshireScotlandLarge extension to existing cottage.
Item 46 of 461980George & Abbotsford HotelMelrose RoxburghshireScotlandAlterations and refurbishment

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Allen, Nic (ed.) Scottish Architects in Conservation  p104

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder22 February 1957  pp362-4
Item 2 of 2Scotsman31 July 2010  p.49: obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers F no 6412 (combined Box 137)