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Architects

Basic Biographic Details

Robert McDowall Symonds
Architect
Year Only
1892
Year Only
18/06/1926
1963
Robert McDowall Symonds was born in Edinburgh in 1892 and studied at Edinburgh College of Art. He served his articles with David McArthy from 1906 to 1910 (or 1911, sources vary). During the period 1911-13 he was an assistant in the practice of Burnett Napier Henderson Orphoot, working mainly on theatres and domestic design, moving to a similar position in the office of Alan Keith Robertson where he worked on Moray House Training College. This was followed by a spell in the office of Leadbetter Fairley & Reid working on Scottish domestic commissions, and on general design. His final move in Edinburgh was back to the office of David McArthy where he assisted on the design for the Dick Vet.

He left Scotland for Canada on 22 February 1913 to assist Thomas Reid Peacock on the Quebec Harbour commission. He served with the Canadian Army in France during World War 1, but after the cease of hostilities he returned to Canada and settled in Toronto where he worked as a draftsman for a succession of firms including Horwood & White (1919-20) where he worked on large department stores for the Hudson Bay Company, the City Architect’s Office (1920-23), here he was in charge of the design and preparation of drawings for all buildings erected by the City including the Coliseum Exhibition Building and other municipal structures including hospitals. He then moved as assistant and designer for Burden & Gouinlock (1923-25), where he worked on schools, domestic buildings and churches and finally to Chapman & Oxley (1926-27) working on a theatre and some large office buildings.

From 1926-28 he worked in Moose Jaw, Saskatoon and Edmonton, Alberta where he worked as assistant and designer for Richard Geoffrey Bunyard on hotels hospitals and schools. He was then invited by R P Blakey to form a partnership. The practice was a general one and undertook a range of commissions including industrial buildings, apartment blocks and schools. In 1928 he was elected a member of the Alberta Association of Architects and he served as president for three years.

However this partnership was dissolved in 1934. He returned to Great Britain and he continued his career in London working as chief assistant to W B Binnie on the Arsenal Football Stadium, hospitals, the Phoenicia Hotel, Malta and on factory designs.

During the Second World War he was attached to the Canadian Engineers at the Canadian Military Headquarters in London and worked on machine shops, hospitals and camps. After the cease of hostilities he returned to Binnie as partner and was involved with the design of a brewery in Malta, hotel work, factories and a football stadium. In 1954 he opened his own private practice which was a general one with factory and domestic work among other commissions.

He was elected ARIAS in 1955 suggesting he retained an interest in Scottish architecture. He was elected LRIBA the following year, proposed by Cecil S Burgess, C W Fowler and Edward Maufe.

Symonds died in 1963.



'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
Edinburgh ScotlandPrivate
417 Empire Block Edmonton Alberta CanadaPrivate/business

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2 classic

AddressClassDate From Date From TypeDate ToDate To TypeNotes
417 Empire Block Edmonton Alberta CanadaPrivate/business1930 or 1931
27 Wellesley Road Chiswick London EnglandBusiness1939After 1955

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
David McArthy201968In year 1906In year 1910Apprentice
Burnett Napier Henderson Orphoot202918In year 1911In year 1913AssistantWithin this period of time.
Alan Keith Robertson202452In year 1911In year 1913AssistantWithin this period of time.
Leadbetter, Fairley & Reid201273In year 1911In year 1913AssistantWithin this period of time.
Thomas Reid Peacock203505In year 1913In year 1916Assistant
Toronto City Architect's Department204665In year 1919In year 1923Architect
Burden & Gouinlock408796In year 1923In year 1926Assistant
Chapman & Oxley407818In year 1923In year 1926AssistantWithin this period.
Horwood & White408797In year 1923In year 1926AssistantWithin this period
Richard Geoffrey Bunyard408798In year 1926In year 1928Assistant
Richard Palin Blakey408799In year 1928In year 1935Partner
William Bryce Binnie (Major)204889In year 1935In year 1939Chief Assistant
William Bryce Binnie (Major)204889In year 1946In year 1953Partner
David McArthy201968In year 1913Assistant

RIBA Proposers

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

RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic

ProposerProposer LinkDate ProposedNotes
Cecil Scott Burgess2034461956/04/10For Licentiateship
Edward Brantwood Maufe1004681956/04/10For Licentiateship
C W Fowler4088001956/04/10For 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
University of Edinburgh, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeonsc. 1913EdinburghScotlandAs assistant to David McArthy
Arsenal football stadiumIn year 1935HighburyLondonEnglandAs chief assistant to Binnie - west stand?
Hotel Phoeniciac. 1935ValettaMaltaAs chief assistant and later partner

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this person:

Bib ref classic

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
RIBAThe RIBA Kalendar 1930-19311930London: Royal Institute of British Architects
RIBAThe RIBA Kalendar 1939-19401939London: Royal Institute of British Architects
http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/Per Robert Hill

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this person:

Arc ref classic

Archive NameSourceSource Cat NoBuilding IdItem NameNotes
Records of membershipRIAS, Rutland Square201006
RIBA Nomination PapersRIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum100005L no 6699 (Box 155)