Architects

Name:

Norman Alexander Gordon Neil

Designation :

Architect

Date of Birth:

Exact Date

Exact DOB:

15/01/1899

Year of Birth :

Circa Year of Birth :

Date of Birth Before (Year):

Date of Birth After (Year):

DOB (1st 'Or' Year):

DOB (2nd 'Or' Year):

Date of Death:

Exact Date

Exact DOD:

04/12/1972

Year of Death:

Circa Year of Death:

Date of Death Before (Year):

Date of Death After (Year):

DOD (1st 'Or' Year):

DOD (2nd 'Or' Year):

Town of Birth :

Bio Notes :

Norman Alexander Gordon Neil was born on 15 January 1899, the son of Alexander Neil, Church of Scotland minister, and his wife Cecilia Morrison. He studied at Edinburgh College of Art from 1919 to 1927, attending day classes for the first two years and morning classes for the rest of his certificate course whilst working as an assistant in the office of Frank Charles Mears. In 1926 he spent time travelling in France and Italy. He remained with Mears after the formation of the latter's partnership with Charles Denny Carus-Wilson, and by 1931 had been promoted to chief assistant. In July that year he passed the qualifying exam in Edinburgh and he was admitted ARIBA at the end of the year, his proposers being Mears, Carus-Wilson and John Begg.

In 1932 he formed a partnership with a younger colleague in Mears's office, Robert Hurd (born 1905), who had recently arrived in Scotland to 'write about architecture and investigate national traditions'. Neil was the modernist in practice (whilst at the same time being a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland), designing Ravelston flats in 1935 while Hurd undertook three restoration commissions for the Marquess of Bute.

Neil's first wife was German and he took a keen interest in German architecture. He was also a keen photographer and took many official pictures of the early years of the Edinburgh International Festival.

The partnership with Hurd was suspended when Neil left for India, his engagement to the practice's secretary having caused some embarrassment. It is said that he was friendly with a maharaja and a large scheme of high-density housing was prepared for him when he returned to the practice after the war. The practice title remained unchanged as Neil & Hurd until 1950 when Neil left altogether, marrying his secretary at around that time; the name was then changed to Robert Hurd Architect.

Neil died on 12 April 1972 at his home in Edinburgh. He had been married twice, first to Hedy Deasson and second to Elizabeth Beatrice Helen Bentinck.

'Biography authored by the Dictionary of Scottish Architects Compilation Team.'

Bio Notes continued...

Additional Notes

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

Private Addresses2 classic

Address	Class	Date From Char	Date From Type	Date To Char	Date To Type	Notes
7 Glenorchy Terrace Edinburgh Scotland	Private
7 North West Circus Place Edinburgh Scotland	Private

row(s) 1 - 2 of 2

Business Addresses2 classic

Address	Class	Date From	Date To	Notes
3 Forres Street Edinburgh Scotland	Business	1932	1944	Neil & Hurd from 1934
12 Randolph Place Edinburgh Scotland	Business	1944	c. 1950
Renton Hall Haddington East Lothian Scotland	Business

row(s) 1 - 3 of 3

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

Employers2 classic

Name	Name Link	Date From	Date To	Position
(Sir) Frank Charles Mears	202402	In year 1921	c. 1928	Assistant
Mears & Carus-Wilson	202705	In year 1931		Chief Assistant
Neil & Hurd	202895	In year 1932	In year 1950	Partner
Mears & Carus-Wilson	202705	c. 1928	Before 1931	Assistant

row(s) 1 - 4 of 4

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

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

Proposer	Proposer Link	Date Proposed	Notes
John Begg	200375	Late 1931s	for Associateship
(Sir) Frank Charles Mears	202402	Late 1931s	for Associateship
Charles Denny Carus-Wilson	202706	Late 1931s	for Associateship

row(s) 1 - 3 of 3

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 Name	Date Started	Town, District or Village	Island	City or County	Country	Notes
7-8 Moray Place	In year 1932			Edinburgh	Scotland	Stage and proscenium
Torwoodlee House	In year 1934	Galashiels		Selkirkshire	Scotland	Alterations
Oxenfoord Estate, Sanatorium	In year 1934	Oxenfoord		Midlothian	Scotland
Buckholm Farm	In year 1934			Roxburghshire	Scotland
Parish Church Manse	In year 1934		Iona	Argyll	Scotland	Addition
Ravelston Flats	In year 1935	Ravelston		Edinburgh	Scotland
Council Chambers	In year 1935	Inverness		Inverness-shire	Scotland	Probably competition design
Cnoc Mor	In year 1935		Iona	Argyll	Scotland
Alderside	c. 1935	Gullane		East Lothian	Scotland
Royal Hotel	In year 1936	North Berwick		East Lothian	Scotland
Acheson House	In year 1936			Edinburgh	Scotland	Restoration
Eaglescairnie	In year 1937	Haddington		East Lothian	Scotland	Rebuilding
Lamb's House	In year 1937	Leith		Edinburgh	Scotland	Restoration (completed after Second World War)
Highland Home Industries	In year 1937			Edinburgh	Scotland
House	In year 1937	Corpach		Inverness-shire	Scotland

row(s) 1 - 15 of 23

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

Author	Title	Date	Publisher
Post Office Directories
RIBA	The RIBA Kalendar 1930-1931	1930	London: Royal Institute of British Architects
RIBA	The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940	1939	London: Royal Institute of British Architects

row(s) 1 - 3 of 3

The following archives hold material relating to this person:

Arc ref classic

Archive Name	Source	Source Cat No	Notes
RIBA Nomination Papers	RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum	100005	A no4782 (combined box 35)
Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material	Professor David M Walker personal archive	100041	Personal information from Ian Begg (letter, 20 January 2005)
Death Register	H M Register House	100027

row(s) 1 - 3 of 3

Basic Biographic Details

Addresses

Private Addresses

Private Addresses2 classic

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

Employment and Training

Employers2 classic

RIBA Proposers

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

Buildings and Designs

Buildings and Designs2 classic

References

Bibliographic References

Bib ref classic

Archive References

Arc ref classic