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Dictionary of Scottish Architects (1660 - 1980)
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Basic Site Details
Name
Scottish Office buildings
Town, District or Village
Calton Hill
Parish
City or County
Edinburgh
Status
Country
Scotland
Grid Ref
Grid Ref N
Grid Ref E
Notes
The drawings for the 1924 scheme have not survived. First scheme by Burnet Tait & Lorne cost £464,500. Final scheme cost £351,875 (recalculated after revision of east wing at £433,200). Of Darney stone. Sculptors Sir William Reid Dick (symbolic figures - Agriculture, Architecture, Education, Fisheries, helath and Statecraft, with actual carving by Alexander Carrick, cost £225 each) , Alexander Carrick (heraldry), Phyllis Mary Bone (heraldic animals), Walter Gilbert (bronze doors, executed by H H Martyn). Thomas Hadden did the secondary doors and stairs.
Alternative Names
The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
Alt classic
Name
Current Name
Notes
St Andrew's House
Yes
Known by this name since construction
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Building Type Classification
The building is classified under the following categories:
Class classic
Classification
Original Classification
Notes
Office
Not Known
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Street Addresses
The following street addresses are associated with this building:
Str Add classic
Address
Current Address
Notes
Regent Road
Yes
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Events
The following date-based events are associated with this building:
event classic
Event Type
From
To
Notes
1912
First proposed scheme (unexecuted); detailing identical to Aberdeen Post Office
1924
Outline scheme drawn up (not proceeded with)
1929
Scheme I (unexecuted)
1930
Scheme II (unexecuted), including sheriff court
1933/12/11
Tait selected as architect
1934/02/20
Full brief
1934/04
First scheme costed
1934/05/22
Reduced scheme (omitting wings to Regent Road)
1934/06/29
Final scheme and report
1934/10/08
Final scheme authorised
1935/01
Design revised
1936
1937
Foundation stone
1937/04/28
1939/09/04
Staff moved in
row(s) 1 - 14 of 14
People
Design and Construction
The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
design classic
Person
Partnership Group
Role
From
To
Notes
(Sir) Robert Stodart Lorimer
A
1912/12
Appointed as consulting architect to advise on first proposed scheme )by Oldrieve at H M Office of Works) and produced sketch designs
H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)
A
1912M
First proposed scheme (unexecuted); detailing identical to Aberdeen Post Office - with W T Oldrieve as architect for Scotland, assisted by chief draughtsman James Cumming Wynnes
James Cumming Wynnes
A
1912M
First proposed scheme (unexecuted); detailing identical to Aberdeen Post Office - as chief draughtsman under W T Oldrieve in H M Office of Works
William Thomas Oldrieve (sometimes William Thomas Oldgrieve)
A
1912M
First proposed scheme (unexecuted); detailing identical to Aberdeen Post Office - as architect for Scotland in H M Office of Works, assisted by James Cumming Wynnes
H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)
B
1924
Outline scheme drawn up (unexecuted) - J Wilson Paterson as architect for Scotland
John Wilson Paterson
B
1924
Outline scheme drawn up (unexecuted) - as architect for Scotland in H M Office of Works
(Sir) Richard John Allison
C
1929
Scheme I (unexecuted) - in collaboration with J Wilson Paterson of H M Office of Works, Edinburgh, and A J Pitcher
Albert J Pitcher
C
1929
Scheme I (unexecuted) - in collaboration with Sir Richard Allison and J Wilson Paterson of H M Office of Works, Edinburgh
H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)
C
1929
Scheme I (unexecuted) - J Wilson Paterson as architect for Scotland, in collaboration with Sir Richard Allison and A J Pitcher
John Wilson Paterson
C
1929
Scheme I (unexecuted) - as architect for Scotland in H M Office of Works, in collaboration with A J Pitcher and Sir Richard Allison
John Fraser Matthew
D
1929/07/03
Unexecuted proposals for new building (drawings dated)
Lorimer & Matthew
D
1929/07/03
Unexecuted proposals for new building (drawings dated)
Albert J Pitcher
E
1930
Scheme II (unexecuted), including sheriff court - in conjunction with J Wilson Paterson
H M Office of Works (later Ministry of Works, Department of the Environment and Property Services Agency)
E
1930
Scheme II (unexecuted), including sheriff court - J Wilson Paterson as architect for Scotland, in collaboration with A J Pitcher
John Wilson Paterson
E
1930
Scheme II (unexecuted), including sheriff court
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Related Buildings, Structures and Designs
References
Bibliographic References
The following books contain references to this building:
bio ref classic
Author
Year
Title
Part
Publisher
Notes
Caswell, Dawn E (McDowell, Dawn E)
1997
Thomas Tait and St Andrews House: A 1930s Scottish Public Interior
Unpublished MPhil thesis, University of Glasgow
Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M
1984
Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland)
Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd
p441
Glendinning, Miles
1997
Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75
Tuckwell Press Ltd
p2 Illustration of St Andrew's House
St Andrews House exhibition
A celebrating exhibition, St Andrews House, 1939-1989
Catalogue of exhibition, 3-31 October 1898)
Walker, David M
1989
St Andrews House: an Edinburgh controversy, 1912-39
pp14-15; summarises Office of Works files at NAS, MW5
Walker, Frank Arneil
1986
South Clyde Estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to Inverclyde and Renfrew
p39
Wardleworth, Dennis
2013
William Reid Dick, Sculptor
Farnham: Ashgate
p131-2
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Periodical References
The following periodicals contain references to this building:
period ref classic
Periodical Name
Date
Edition
Publisher
Notes
Builder
1960/05/20
'The Scottish Royal Fine Art Commission' p972
Builder
1934/11/16
CXLVII
pp 840-842
Builder
1934E
CXLVI
p200
Builder
1934L
CXLVII
p180
Builder
1936E
CL
pp69, 920, 933
Builder
1937E
CLII
p712
Builder
1939/11/17
CLVII
Architectural Review
1940
no87 (Jan-June)
pp20-22
Scotsman
1934/08/29
*
Scotsman
1937/04/29
*
Scotsman
1938/04/07
*
Scotsman
1938/08/27
*
Scotsman
1939/12/04
*
Architect and Building News
1934
Jul-Dec
pp117, 200
Architect and Building News
1939
Jul-Dec
p58 Illustration
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Archive References
The following archives hold material relating to this building:
arc ref classic
Source
Name
Cat Number
Item Name
Notes
RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum
RIBA Nomination Papers
Alexander Esmé Gordon: F no5129 (combined box 58). Harry Horace Macdonald: A no13737, F no7158 (Combined Box 176)
Professor David M Walker personal archive
Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material
Information on Andrew D Bryce from personal recollections of Esmé Gordon, Margaret Brodie and Harold Cullerne Pratt
National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS
Lorimer and Matthew Collection
LOR E/96
National Records of Scotland (formerly SRO, later NAS)
Ministry of Works files
MW5/133 (Descriptive report 29 June 1934)
Historic Environment Scotland
Listed Buildings Register
27756
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