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Architects

Basic Biographic Details

(Sir) Thomas Duncan Rhind
Architect
Exact Date
Exact Date
24/04/1927
Thomas Duncan Rhind was born in Edinburgh on 14 July 1871, the son of sculptor John Rhind and younger brother of William Birnie Rhind. He was educated at George Watson's and studied sculpture with his father and brother. He was articled to Hippolyte Jean Blanc in Edinburgh from 1887 to 1892, spending his holidays sketching around Scotland, in particular visiting the abbeys and cathedrals. On completing his apprenticeship he moved to London and spent six months in the offices of London County Council Architectural Department before moving to the firm of Gibson & Russell. He passed the qualifying exam in November 1894, and was elected ARIBA at the early age of 24 on 11 March 1895, his proposers being John Macvicar Anderson, Thomas Edward Collcutt and William Leiper. In 1898, Rhind formed a partnership with Robert Hamilton Paterson (born 1843), with whom he is said to have studied. In 1902 he married Mary Elizabeth Gilbert, the elder daughter of W Matthews Gilbert, chief reporter of 'The Scotsman'. The partnership with Hamilton Paterson was short-lived, being dissolved by 1906 when Paterson decided to take his nephew Thomas Tolmie Paterson into partnership. Thereafter Rhind practised alone in close association with his sculptor brother.

Rhind's work was either Arts and Crafts or a sculptural London neo-baroque, his views on the role of sculpture in architecture being set out in a paper entitled 'Sculpture as applied to Architecture', published in the EAA Transactions, Vol 6 (1910), pp54-64. He was also a skilful etcher.

Rhind was an enthusiastic volunteer and territorial, becoming a major in The Royal Scots and receiving the TD. On the outbreak of the First World War he was appointed Commandant of Redford Barracks while German prisoners of war were held there and was for a time provost marshal. Thereafter he became Brigade Major in the Lothian Brigade and was appointed CBE in January 1916. Shortly thereafter he was called to the War Office to join the staff of Sir Andrew Geddes, Director of Recruiting, and appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant General, War Office, undertaking the organisation of the statistical branch of the Recruiting Department. He was promoted Brevet Lieutenant Colonel in 1917 and appointed Assistant Adjutant General. During that time he was attached to the London Scottish.

On the transfer of recruiting to the civil administration he was appointed Controller of Statistics to the Minister for National Service. Latterly he was Chief Recorder at the Ministry and as such was responsible for estimates of civil manpower as well as the progress of recruiting. He was created KBE in 1919.

After the war Rhind resumed practice at a very low level at 8 Hope Street in Edinburgh, but retained his London base at 8 Gunterstone Road, W14. He died in a nursing home at Hove, Sussex on 24 April 1927. He was survived by his wife.

Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this person:

Private Addresses

Private Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From CharDate From TypeDate To CharDate To TypeNotes
97-99 Jeffrey Street Edinburgh? ScotlandPrivate
9 Manor Terrace Highbury London EnglandPrivate
4 Duke Street Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate
1 Wester Coates Gardens Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate
8 Gunterstone Road London, W14 EnglandPrivate

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
11 Gray's Inn Square London EnglandBusiness1895With Gibson & Russell
44 Queen Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 18971898Practising separately from R Hamilton Paterson
10A George Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 1899c. 1902Hamilton Paterson & Rhind
28 Rutland Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 1905c. 1911
8 Hope Street Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessc. 1911|1912c. 1922

Employment and Training

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this person (click on an item to view details):

Employers2 classic

NameName LinkDate FromDate ToPositionNotes
Hippolyte Jean Blanc2000311887/10/03In year 1892Apprentice
Gibson & Russell2012221892 or 1893After 1895Assistant
London County Council Architects' Department (LCC Architects' Department)201590In year 18921892 or 1893Assistant
Hamilton-Paterson & Rhind100339In year 1898Before 1906Partner

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this person (click on an item to view details):

Employees or Pupils2 classic

NameName LinkDate FromDate ToPositionNotes
Douglas De-Butts Robertson1005151905/10In year 1910Apprentice
James Fulton Ford200387After 1911In year 1914Chief Draughtsman
Thomas Aikman Swan202929Before 1906In year 1906Apprentice
Arthur John Alexander Illingworth203483In year 1903In year 1908Apprentice
John Mailler Scott204664In year 1905In year 1911Improver
James Fulton Ford200387In year 1906In year 1911Apprentice
James Fulton Ford200387In year 1911Before 1914Draughtsman

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this person for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

ProposerProposer LinkDate ProposedNotes
William Leiper2000021895/03/11for Associateship
John Macvicar Anderson2000351895/03/11for Associateship
Thomas Edward Collcutt2020651895/03/11for Associateship

RIBA Proposals

This person proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):

RIBA PROPOSALS2 classic

PersonDate ProposedNotes
William Beattie-Brown1911/07/20for Licentiateship
Alfred Greig1911/07/20for Licentiateship
Walter Fairbairn1911/07/20for Licentiateship
George Donaldson Macniven1911/07/20for Licentiateship
George Mackie Watson1911/07/20for Licentiateship

Buildings and Designs

This person was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):

Buildings and Designs2 classic

Building NameDate StartedTown, District or VillageIslandCity or CountyCountryNotes
Cottage, 87 Portland Streetc. 1890LeithEdinburghScotland
NorhamIn year 1895North BerwickEast LothianScotlandFor his brother, W Birnie Rhind
GlenorchyIn year 1897North BerwickEast LothianScotland
HouseIn year 1897North BerwickEast LothianScotland
VillaIn year 1898North BerwickEast LothianScotland
Macvitties Guest & Co / McVities Guest & Co shop and tea roomIn year 1900EdinburghScotlandOriginal L-plan development round the corner house
Business Premises, Randolph Placec. 1900EdinburghScotland
House, 9 Succoth Gardensc. 1900EdinburghScotland
The Hollies1900 or 1901BarntonEdinburghScotland
83 George StreetIn year 1901EdinburghScotland
Queen Victoria MemorialIn year 1902LiverpoolEnglandCompetition design
St Giles Cathedral, Royal Scots Boer MemorialIn year 1903EdinburghScotland
South African War MemorialIn year 1903HawickRoxburghshireScotlandSculpture? - possibly by William Birnie Rhind
St Rule'sIn year 1903DunbarEast LothianScotland
NorhamIn year 1904North BerwickEast LothianScotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, AA History of Scottish Architecture1996
Who's Who in Architecture1914
Post Office Directories
Who Was WhoWho was Who

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical NamePublisherDate CircEditionNotes
Builder1927/05/06*p716 Obituary
The Times1927/04/26*Obituary
Scotsman1927/04/25*Obituary
The Watsonian1927/07/03XXIIIp137

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this person:

Arc ref classic

Archive NameSourceSource Cat NoBuilding IdItem NameNotes
RIBA Nomination PapersRIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum100005A v13 p37 (microfiche 59/F7)