© All rights reserved. Courtesy of Bert Dobie 

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Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert Watt Young Dobie
Designation: Architect
Born: 27 November 1932
Died:  
Bio Notes: Robert ('Bert') Watt Young Dobie was born in Edinburgh on 27 November 1932, the son of Thomas Carey Dobie, plumber, and his wife Agnes Thomson Hardie. He was educated at James Gillespie's School for Boys and Leith Academy Senior Secondary School. He studied architecture at Edinburgh College of Art and Heriot Watt College. After being articled to Basil Spence & Partners from 1952-56, he moved to the practice of Law & Dunbar Nasmith for two separate periods of time 1957-58 and 1959-63. In the intervening year he returned to complete his architecture course which had been interrupted by illness. In 1963 he moved to a post with the South East Regional Hospital Board, Architects Division for three years. He was elected ARIBA in 5 February 1962 and ARIAS on 27 February 1963.

Dobie married Caroline Elliott Wilson on 11 September 1959 and the couple had two children, a son and a daughter.

He joined the practice of Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall & Partners from 1966 and remained there for twenty years and worked on a wide range of projects. He subsequently worked for the the Common Services Agency in Glasgow where he was liaison architect for various hopitals including Kilmarnock, Raigmore in Inverness, Craig Phadrig, the Blood Transfusion Service and Ninewells in Dundee. He also was involved with the development of several health centres for the Lanarkshire Health Board. Prior to retirement in 1997 he worked with the hospital specialist W S Atkins.

He transferred to the retired member category of both the RIBA and RIAS. He is still registered with the ARB.

Outwith his professional life his interests are his family, the Church of Scotland, golf, photography, computing and scouting.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 7Basil Spence & Partners19521956ApprenticeIn Edinburgh office.
Item 2 of 7Law & Dunbar-Nasmith19571958  
Item 3 of 7Law & Dunbar-Nasmith19591963  
Item 4 of 7South East Regional Hospital Board, Architect's Department (or South Eastern Hospital Board)19631966Architect 
Item 5 of 7Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners (RMJM)1966c. 1986Architect 
Item 6 of 7W S Atkins & PartnersAfter 19861997Architect 
Item 7 of 7Scottish Health Services Common Services AgencyAfter 1986Before 1997Architect 

Buildings and Designs

This architect 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 26 Royal Victoria Infirmary, Department of Virology (or Biology?)  Newcastle-upon-TyneScotland 
Item 2 of 26 Royal Victoria Infirmary, nurses changing accommodation  Newcastle-upon-TyneEngland 
Item 3 of 261952Scottish School of Art & IndustryKilsyth StirlingshireScotlandAs apprentice in the office of Basil Spence worked on completion of project
Item 4 of 261952Secondary School, DuncanrigWestwood, East Kilbride LanarkshireScotlandAs apprentice with Basil Spence
Item 5 of 261953Council housesDunbar East LothianScotlandWorked on the implementation of the reduced scheme as apprentice with Basil Spence & Partners
Item 6 of 261956Flats, Great Michael Rise and AnnfieldNewhaven EdinburghScotlandWorked on scheme as apprentice with Basil Spence.
Item 7 of 261956Tenement blocks, New LaneNewhaven EdinburghScotlandAs apprentice to Basil Spence & Partners
Item 8 of 261956Tenements, 14-20 Great Michael RiseNewhaven EdinburghScotlandAs apprentice to Basil Spence & Partners
Item 9 of 261956Tenements, 4-12 Great Michael RiseNewhaven EdinburghScotlandAs apprentice to Basil Spence & Partners
Item 10 of 261956Tenements, New LaneNewhaven EdinburghScotlandAs apprentice to Basil Spence & Partners
Item 11 of 261957Ochlochy Village HousingDunblane PerthshireScotlandAs assistant with Law & Dunbar Nasmith
Item 12 of 261959Scottish Churches HouseDunblane PerthshireScotlandConversion - as assistant
Item 13 of 261960s441 Corporation houses, Springburn CDA Area A Springburn GlasgowScotland 
Item 14 of 261960sHouse for Leopold David de RothschildExbury HampshireEnglandAs assistant
Item 15 of 26After 1963Western General Hospital, Outpatient Department  EdinburghScotlandAs architect with SERHB
Item 16 of 261966Ninewells Hospital and Medical School  DundeeScotlandAs assistant worked on Concourse Block
Item 17 of 26Mid 1960sWestern General Hospital, Scottish Health Service Centre  EdinburghScotlandAs architect with SERHB
Item 18 of 26c. 1970University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Department of Psychology  Newcastle-upon-TyneEngland 
Item 19 of 26c. 1972University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Departments of Plant Biology and Biochemistry  Newcastle-upon-TyneEngland 
Item 20 of 26Early 1970sDental Hospital and School  Newcastle-upon-TyneEngland 
Item 21 of 26Early 1970sRoyal Victoria Infirmary  Newcastle-upon-TyneEngland 
Item 22 of 26After 1986Kirklands HospitalBothwell LanarkshireScotlandCentral services building
Item 23 of 26After 1986Law HospitalCarluke LanarkshireScotlandMaternity block added - as architect with the CSA
Item 24 of 26After 1994Hairmyres Hospital, Private Finance Initiative Hospital blockEast Kilbride LanarkshireScotlandAs architect with W S Atkins
Item 25 of 26After 1994Law HospitalCarluke LanarkshireScotlandPrivate Finance Initiative hospital block added - as architect with W S Atkins
Item 26 of 26After 1994Private Finance Initiative Hospital blockHereford HerefordshireEnglandAs architect with W S Atkins

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Glendinning, Miles1997Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75  Tuckwell Press Ltdp96-7 Kilsyth Academy
p96 Duncanrig Secondary School
Item 2 of 2Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p92-5 Ninewells Hospital

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect:
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Courtesy of Robert W Y DobieInformation sent via 'Contact Us' on Dictionary website Sent February 2010

Images

© All rights reserved. Courtesy of Bert Dobie 

© All rights reserved. Courtesy of Bert Dobie