Basic Biographical Details

Name: Duncan Maclean
Designation:  
Born: 20 May 1924
Died: 16 May 2014
Bio Notes: Duncan MacLean was born on 20 May 1924 in Portree, the third of five children and educated at Portree High School. After leaving school he took a job as a postal and telegraph officer. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he enlisted in the Royal Signals Corps and was mainly stationed near Portsmouth, serving latterly in France.

After the cease of hostilities he decided to embark on the course in architecture at Aberdeen School of Architecture. He was elected ARIBA in 1954. That same year he married Violet Corless whom he had met at a dance in Portree some years previously.

His first post in architecture was with the Ross and Cromarty County Council in Dingwall. He moved to Edinburgh to work for the National Coal Board but he moved to a senior position in the Architect's Department, Northern Ireland Housing Trust in Belfast. He spent five years in Belfast (where his two children were born) but returned to Scotland in 1961. He worked briefly for Stirling County Council before taking a senior post in Lanarkshire County council’s Public Buildings Department.

MacLean arrived in Lanarkshire when the new headquarters for the Council were on the point of construction. The design was primarily the work of David Bannerman, the Deputy County Architect but Maclean was the team leader. The building was opened by the Queen Mother on 14 April 1964. MacLean moved to a new post with East Kilbride Development Corporation. He attended night classes at the Royal College of Science and Technology for a diploma in town planning. After the college became Strathclyde University he was appointed its deputy bursar with responsibility for estates and buildings, overseeing the creation of new university buildings and halls of residence. He remained in this post until he retired in 1985.

During his retirement he pursued various interests becoming an excellent golfer. He was also a keen fisherman and was involved with his church, Hamilton Old Parish Church, as elder and session clerk, Hamilton. He also took up painting.

He died on 16 May 2014, just short of his 90th birthday, survived by his wife, his daughter and grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3c/o Francis/322, Clifton Road, Aberdeen, ScotlandPrivate1954  
Item 2 of 3Northern Ireland Housing Trust/12, Hope Street, Belfast, Northern IrelandBusiness1956 *1961 
Item 3 of 312, Abercorn Crescent, Hamilton, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivate1964 *After 1971 

* 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 7Strathclyde University Estates Department 1985Chief Architect 
Item 2 of 7Northern Ireland Housing Trust1950s Architect 
Item 3 of 7Ross & Cromarty County Council Architects' Departmentc. 1954 Architect 
Item 4 of 7Miners' Welfare Committee (or Miners' Welfare Commission), Mines Department, (National Coal Board Divisional Welfare)Mid 1950s Architect 
Item 5 of 7Stirling County Council Architects' Department1961 Architect 
Item 6 of 7Lanarkshire County Architect's DepartmentEarly 1960sEarly 1970sChief Architect 
Item 7 of 7East Kilbride Development Corporation1970s 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 126 May 1961Roxburgh County BuildingsNewtown St Boswells RoxburghshireScotlandMaclean's competition entry (no. 11) commended per Builder p990

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4RIBA1954RIBA Kalendar 1953-54   
Item 2 of 4RIBA1957The RIBA Kalendar 1957-1958 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 3 of 4RIBA1964The RIBA Kalendar 1964-65   
Item 4 of 4RIBA1971RIBA Directory 1971   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder26 May 1961  'County Offices, Roxburgh' pp990-993
Item 2 of 2RIAS Quarterly201418Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)Summer 2014

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership