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Architects

Basic Biographic Details

Gordon Thomas Tait
Architect
Exact Date
Exact Date
10/03/1999
Gordon Thomas Tait was born in London on 20 March 1912, the eldest son of Thomas Smith Tait and his wife Constance Hardy. Despite a desire to become a sculptor, he was persuaded instead to follow his father into the profession of architecture, and studied at the Architectural Association with his younger brother Kenneth from 1930 to 1935. In 1933-34 he acted as clerk of works under his father's partner Francis Lorne on the Mount Royal flats in London's Oxford Street, during which time he amused himself sketching the workmen on the project. In 1935 and 1936 he found employment as an assistant first to Alliston & Drew and then to Hugh Minty, and in 1936 he re-joined his father's firm of Burnet Tait & Lorne, working on the Glasgow Empire Exhibition of 1938 and on housing schemes. He was admitted ARIBA on 3 April 1939, his proposers being his father, Minty and Joseph Emberton. His FRIBA nomination papers suggest that he was made a partner in the practice in that year, but soon afterwards he joined the RAF and served in Rhodesia during the Second World War, reaching the rank of squadron leader.

After the war the practice was in some financial difficulty as a result of the sharp decline in business, the death of Ludovic Gordon Farquhar and the cancellation of the Colonial Office commission. Gordon Tait gradually took over the London practice from his father who remained a partner up to the time of his death; the younger Tait was admitted FRIBA in 1948, Basil Spence being among his proposers. From that year his main residence was at Bedford Square.

Francis Lorne remained in charge of the Edinburgh office until he moved to South Africa c.1949. In order to inject new capital Gordon Tait reluctantly took on new partners F Kennedy Axten, E A Blade, H G Hammond and C Spencer Willmott - not all of whom he liked - in the London practice, its title changing to Sir John Burnet Tait & Partners (later abbreviated to Burnet Tait). The turbulent post-war economic conditions soon gave way to a massive increase in commissions, particularly for corporate headquarters buildings, schools and housing: the practice also expanded overseas, opening an office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where it built the King Faisal Hospital.

Gordon Tait took an active part in public life as a conservative councillor in Paddington and as Master of the Worshipful Company of Masons. He married twice: first in 1934 to Patricia, by whom he had two children. The elder of these, Gavin, continued the practice. Patricia died in 1960. By his second wife, Marion, Tait had three children.

Tait retired in 1979 at the age of sixty-seven. He left London to live at Ladymead, East Harting, Petersfield, which he had bought in 1962 as a weekend and holiday home, and where he assembled an important collection of vintage cars and rode. He also owned and raced a sailing dinghy - a Flying Fifteen - which he kept at Hayling Island, conveniently close to Petersfield.

In his later years Tait suffered somewhat from back problems, but characteristically remained on his feet. He died on 3 October 1999. He was married twice, first in 1934 to Patricia who died in 1960 and by whom he had two sons and second in 1977 to Marion by whom he had three children. He was a man of impressive presence, bearded in his youth but with a military moustache after the war. Although described by obituarists as quiet and retiring, which in some respects he was, he was forthright and no-nonsense in manner, going straight to the crux of any issue.

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
10 Bedford Square London EnglandPrivate/business
Ladymead East Harting, Petersfield Hampshire EnglandPrivateWeekend and holiday home

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
1 Montague Place London WC1 EnglandBusiness1939
10 Bedford Square London EnglandPrivate/business19481978

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
Robert James Hugh Minty400031After 1935In year 1936Assistant
(Sir) John Burnet, Tait & Lorne200089After 1939c. 1949Partner
(Sir) John Burnet, Tait & Lorne200089In year 1934In year 1935AssistantAssisted his father in Glasgow, and subsequently worked in London under Lorne
Alliston & Drew400032In year 1935Before 1936Assistant
(Sir) John Burnet, Tait & Lorne200089In year 1936After 1939AssistantGradually took over the practice
(Sir) John Burnet, Tait, & Partners400308In year 1947Partner

RIBA Proposers

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

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

ProposerProposer LinkDate ProposedNotes
Thomas Smith Tait2007291939/04/03for Associateship
Robert James Hugh Minty4000311939/04/03for Associateship
Joseph Emberton2011661939/04/03for Associateship
(Sir) Basil Urwin Spence203352In year 1948for Fellowship
Thomas Smith Tait2007291948/05/05For Fellowship

RIBA Proposals

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

RIBA PROPOSALS2 classic

PersonDate ProposedNotes
Leonard George PargiterEarly 1953sFor Fellowship
George Gilroy Graham1955/03/01For Associateship
Horace George Marsh1956/03/10for Associateship
Thomas Kenneth Jack1969/10/01For 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
Mount Royal FlatsIn year 1933LondonEnglandAs assistant clerk of works under his father, Thomas Smith Tait
Glasgow Empire Exhibition, masterplanIn year 1936BellahoustonGlasgowScotlandWorked with his father, Thomas Smith Tait on masterplan
Joseph Tritton SchoolBatterseaLondonEnglandProbably responsible for revision of scheme

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this person:

Period ref classic

Periodical NamePublisherDate CircEditionNotes
Herald, The1999/12/04Obituary p18

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 no7182 (combined box 177); F no4395 (combined box 12)
Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive materialProfessor David M Walker personal archive100041Information from Gordon Tait's son Russell Tait, per Dawn McDowell