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Basic Biographic Details

(Sir) William Hardie Kininmonth
Architect
Exact Date
Exact Date
08/08/1988
William Hardie Kininmonth was born in Forfar on 8 November 1904, the son of John Kininmonth and his wife Isabella McLean Hardie. He was educated at Dunfermline High School and George Watson's College and was articled to William N Thomson of Leith. While there he studied at Edinburgh College of Art 1924-29 under John Begg and at Heriot-Watt College, for some of this time also working as an assistant in the office of Rowand Anderson & Paul (1925-29). From there he obtained a place in the office of Sir Edwin Lutyens in London where he renewed his friendship with a former contemporary at Edinburgh College of Art, Basil Spence, who was three years younger. From 1929 to 1930 he attended classes at London University working in an atelier there.

Kininmonth was awarded the RIBA Diploma in 1931 and was placed second in the Rowand Anderson Silver medal competition. He returned to Edinburgh in 1930 but Paul could not afford to re-employ him. He did, however, offer him a room in his office. It had only a drawing board and a telephone but it enabled him to form a partnership with his friend and colleague in Lutyens' office, Basil Urwin Spence as Kininmonth & Spence in October 1931. It specialised in presentation work for other practices as well as original design work, supplemented by teaching at Edinburgh College of Art. Kininmonth and Spence's practice was immediately successful, Kininmonth's own modernist house at 46A Dick Place (1933) acting as an excellent advertisement. In 1934 Paul offered Kininmonth a partnership but he felt he had to decline unless Spence was taken into partnership as well. Paul accepted this proposal and the Kininmonth & Spence partnership merged into Paul's as Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners. Kininmonth and Spence continued teaching although by that date business had significantly recovered. This arrangement continued until June 1938 when Paul died. From 1939 to 1941 Kininmonth held the post of senior lecturer in design at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1942 he was called up and served with the Royal Engineers in Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily and Italy.

On their return from war service Kininmonth and Spence found that there was little work on offer. Spence left the practice in 1946 to found Basil Spence & Partners. Kininmonth continued the Rowand Anderson partnership as Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul. The post-war years of this partnership, when William Gray Leslie and Richard Gale Ewing did most of the design work, lie outwith the present scope of the Dictionary of Scottish Architects.

He joined the Building Standards Advisory Committee in 1959, advising the Secretary of State for Scotland on the proposed Building (Scotland) Act, 1959.

Kininmonth was President of the RSA from 1969 to 1972 and was knighted in the latter year. He died in Edinburgh in August 1988.

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

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
Cambourne Hotel/62 Leanster Square London EnglandPrivate
46A Dick Place Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
16 Rutland Square Edinburgh ScotlandBusinessBefore 1934After 1951

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
Kininmonth & Spence2033531931/10 or 1932In year 1934Partner
Edwin Landseer Lutyens200727In year 1929In year 1931Assistant
Rowand Anderson & Paul200081In year 1931In year 1934Draughtsman
Rowand Anderson, Paul & Partners203371In year 1934In year 1946Partner
Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul200101In year 1946In year 1976Partner
W N Thomson & Co203908c. 1924c. 1929Apprentice

RIBA Proposers

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

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

ProposerProposer LinkDate ProposedNotes
John Begg200375Early 1931sfor Associateship
Charles Denny Carus-Wilson202706Early 1931sfor Associateship
(Sir) Frank Charles Mears202402Early 1931sfor Associateship
Ebenezer James MacRae2006991948/04/06for Fellowship
2016502016501948/04/06for Fellowship
Alfred Hugh Mottram3000031948/04/06for Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

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

RIBA PROPOSALS2 classic

PersonDate ProposedNotes
Ian Charles Gordon1951/12/01For Associateship
Hugh Sinclair MacdonaldLate 1955sfor Fellowship
Frank Wood Johnston1956/01/10For Licentiateship
Thomas Stanley Aitchison Kennedy1956/10/09For Licentiateship
Alan ReiachEarly 1959sfor Fellowship
Charles William Gray1960/06/21for Fellowship
Ian Charles Gordon1968/06/06For Fellowship

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
LismohrIn year 1932EdinburghScotland
Housing estate for Berwickshire County CouncilIn year 1932BurnmouthBerwickshireScotland
Planning scheme for redevelopment of seafront, including fishermen's cottagesIn year 1932DunbarEast LothianScotland
Housing estateIn year 1932DunsBerwickshireScotland
6 Castlelaw RoadIn year 1932ColintonEdinburghScotland
Prestwick Municipal Buildings, pavilion and officesIn year 1933PrestwickAyrshireScotlandCompetition design - placed second
Glenburn HouseIn year 1933GlenlockhartEdinburghScotlandAttributed to Kininmonth (DWW)
Council housesIn year 1933DunbarEast LothianScotlandDesign of original scheme
46A Dick PlaceIn year 1933EdinburghScotland
4 Easter Belmont RoadIn year 1933EdinburghScotland
GlenwoodBefore 1933GlenlockhartEdinburghScotlandOriginal building
Southern Motors Garage1933 or 1937EdinburghScotland
Murrayfield Golf ClubhouseIn year 1934MurrayfieldEdinburghScotlandConversion of clubhouse into dwelling house
15 Braid Hills AvenueIn year 1934EdinburghScotland
House for St Katherine'sIn year 1934LibertonEdinburghScotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
Glendinning, MilesRebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 1997Tuckwell Press Ltdp1 Night view of the Glasgow Empire Exhibtion - from brochure. ICI Pavilionp4 Pollock Halls; Philiphaugh; Adam House (Examination Hall); Drylaw Church p12 Site plan and perspective of Timber Housing, Lanarkshirepp35-6, 150, 164 Scottish Provident Officespp74-5, 151 Martello Courtp96-7 Kilsyth Academyp163 Pollock Halls
Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, StefanTower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland1994Yale University Press: New Haven and LondonMartello Court: p43, p215, p216, p321, p326p380 Gazetteer 2p238 Photograph
Wodehouse, LawrenceKininmonth & Spence and the International Style in Edinburgh1979Unpublished dissertation, NMRS Library
RIBAThe RIBA Kalendar 1939-19401939London: Royal Institute of British Architects
Willis, PeterNew architecture in Scotland1977p11 Scottish Provident Officesp84-7 The New Club

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical NamePublisherDate CircEditionNotes
Scotsman1988/08*Obituary by Charles McKean
Scotsman1988/08/12*Date may be wrong by a couple of days either way
Architects Journal1988/08/24*Obituary
Daily Telegraph1988/08/20*Obituary
Builder1960/06/10'Scottish Advisory Committee' p1106
Builder1964/01/10p96
Builder1961/08/18'Civic Trust Design Awards, 1960 - Results of Competitions in the County Boroughs, The Awards, Scotland' pp304-305 - served as assessor for Glasgow projects
Builder1948/9/17p329
Builder1951/7/13p69
Scotsman1969/10/24"New offices for Scottish Provident Institution" article by Leslie Fraser
Builder1959/08/28'Building Standards: Scottish Committee Appointed' p113
The Grange Newsletter2011Spring
Builder1951/4/13p534

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 4466 (stored under F no 4351, combined box 9); F no4351 (combined box 9)