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Architects

Basic Biographic Details

Edith Mary Wardlaw Burnet Hughes (née Burnet)
Architect
Exact Date
Exact Date
28/08/1971
Edith (Edma) Burnet was born at 6 West Circus Place, Edinburgh, on 7 July 1888. She was the daughter of George Wardlaw Burnet, advocate, and Mary Crudelius, grand-daughter of John Burnet Senior and niece of Sir John Burnet. She was brought up in Aberdeen where her father had been appointed Sheriff-substitute for the Counties Aberdeen, Kincardine and Banff. He died in 1901 as a result of a cycling mishap and his family was cared for by John James Burnet as their only surviving uncle. Edith left school in December 1906 and went to Paris to attend lectures at the Sorbonne and study art and architecture. From there she went to Dresden to study German and Art in October 1909, and spent some time with John James and Jean Burnet, whom she arranged to meet in Leipzig. In September 1911 she moved on to Florence to study Italian and Art, extending her studies to Perugia, Siena and Assisi in 1912.

In 1911 (RIBA paper) or 1912 (information provided by EBH at a much later date) she entered Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen to study garden design, but in quickly transferred to the architecture course, gaining the diploma in June 1914. In August she submitted a competition design for the government buildings in Ottawa in association with her tutor and future husband T Harold Hughes and AG Bryett, and in September 1915 was appointed lecturer in the history of art and architecture at Gray's School of Art and at the Normal School. Later she was assistant lecturer in design, a post she retained until 1918. From 1914-15 she assisted in the offices of Jenkins & Marr and of W J Devlin.

In 1916 she won first prize for a war memorial design submitted to the Civic Arts Association, and in the same year she received her first commission, the Rutherford Memorial. Marriage to Hughes followed on 3 September 1918 at the West Parish Church, Aberdeen. They had three daughters: Dr Moira Baskerville (married surname Campbell); Frances Heather (married name Lomax, architect) and Edith Audrey (Mrs Douglas Scott).

In 1919 Hughes became a partner in John Burnet & Son's Glasgow office, but incompatibility with Norman Aitken Dick and a serious theft of clients' funds caused Hughes to withdraw and accept a teaching post at Glasgow School of Art in 1920. After an unsuccessful attempt to join Burnet's London office - there was no separate female lavatory and Burnet was perhaps wary of having Hughes in the London office - she set up practice in Glasgow in 1920, belatedly taking the qualifying exam in July 1927. She specialised in domestic architecture, and particularly in kitchen design. She is considered Britain's first practising woman architect.

Edith was nominated for admittance as an Associate of the RIBA in September 1927 by several Academicians, John James Burnet, John Alfred Gotch and John Begg. At that date there had never been a female member and the Council took counsel's opinion. When he said she could be elected, they took opinion from a second counsel who pronounced in the negative as desired. Although Josephine Haswell Miller was elected in 1938, Edith was not nominated again. It should be noted that the RIBA Kalendar of 1950-51 records that she was elected ARIBA in 1927.

In February 1939 Hughes was invited to speak at the Aberdeen Soroptimists' annual dinner in Aberdeen. She expressed the opinion that the city lagged very far behind in its lack of suitable accommodation for working and professional women and others who was doomed to lodgings.

After the Second World War Hughes was based mainly in Oxford, having resigned as head of Glasgow School of Architecture. Edith then set up house in Royal Circus, Edinburgh, becoming architect to St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Lansdowne House School and John Watson's School. She was elected Honourary Fellow of the RIAS in 1968, having failed to admite her earlier in her career as she was female (following legal advice). After her health failed she lived with her physician daughter at Tirranmuir, Kippen. She died of cerebral thrombosis following a bad attack of pneumonia on 28 August 1971 at the age of 83 at 18 Park Terrace, Stirling.

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
6 West Circus Place Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate
Cardrona Dunblane Perthshire ScotlandPrivate
30 Royal Circus Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate
Tirranmuir Kippen Stirlingshire ScotlandPrivateThe home of her daughter, Dr Moira Campbell
Aberdeen ScotlandPrivate

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
27 Ashton Terrace Glasgow ScotlandBusiness
185 St Vincent Street Glasgow ScotlandBusiness

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
William John Devlin200852After 1914In year 1915Assistant
Jenkins & Marr100358In year 1914Before 1915Assistant

RIBA Proposers

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

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

ProposerProposer LinkDate ProposedNotes
(Sir) John James Burnet2000881927/12/05For Associateship, but was not ratified
John Begg2003751927/12/05For Associateship, but was not ratified
John Alfred Gotch2048651927/12/05For Associateship, but was not ratified

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
Rutherford MemorialIn year 1916ScotlandFirst commission
House (bungalow) at East LintonIn year 1921East LintonEast LothianScotland
Woodside Terrace, conversion of terraced house into flatsIn year 1921GlasgowScotland
St Martin'sIn year 1922BearsdenGlasgowScotland
5 Windsor TerraceIn year 1922GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions
14 Huntly GardensIn year 1922GlasgowScotlandAlterations and additions
Coatbridge War MemorialIn year 1924CoatbridgeLanarkshireScotlandWon competition to secure commission
Deil's CraigIn year 1925StrathblaneStirlingshireScotland
House at BearsdenIn year 1926BearsdenGlasgowScotland
Mercat CrossIn year 1927GlasgowScotland
WoodcotIn year 1928DollarClackmannanshireScotlandAlterations and additions
Lady Artists' Club, Blythswood SquareIn year 1929GlasgowScotlandAlterations
Dalveen (?)In year 1930KippenStirlingshireScotlandAlterations and additions
HillcrestIn year 1931KippenStirlingshireScotlandAlterations and additions
BonhardIn year 1932AberfoylePerthshireScotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
RIBAThe RIBA Kalendar 1939-19401939London: Royal Institute of British Architects
RIBAThe RIBA Kalendar 1950-19511950London: Royal Institute of British Architects

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical NamePublisherDate CircEditionNotes
RIBA Journal1972/02*Obituary
Glasgow Herald1939/02/20p9

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 no 4120 (Box 7)
Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive materialProfessor David M Walker personal archive100041Personal information, CV and job list from Edith Burnet Hughes; also from letter from Esmé Gordon to D M Walker, 13 September 1989