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Practices

Basic Biographic Details

Covell Matthews Partnership
Architectural practice
Year Only
1972
Year Only
1976
The origins of the firm Covell Matthews & Partners was in the practice started in 1937 by Ralph George Covell. He was joined in 1948 by Albert Edward Thurman Matthews when it became Covell & Matthews. In 1960 it changed to Covell Matthews & Partners. The following year an office was opened in Edinburgh followed by others in Glasgow and Aberdeen.

In 1963 Brian G Falk became a director followed in 1966 by John R G Wheatley and two years later by Charles Tocher Donaldson and Alfred Heasman

In 1972 when Covell retired it became Covell Matthews Partnership. In 1974 A L T Scott and Hector W Morrison was asummed into partnership followed a year later by M M Pottinger and R Ogilvie. In 1976 Covell Matthews Scotland became a separate company within the group; in 1992 the original company was closed down and the Scottish practice became Covell Matthews Architects Ltd.

In the early days Covell Matthews, and then Covell Matthews Partnership, undertook a number of what were important projects in Scotland mainly for clients that were based in London. For these projects Brian Falk was the architect and partner in charge and it involved much travel to and from Scotland. It became increasingly obvious that work in Scotland needed resident architectural practices in Scotland so in around 1963 Covell Matthews set up branch offices in Edinburgh (under Charles Tocher Donaldson) and Glasgow under Albert Heasman. In 1968 Donaldson and Heasman became full Directors (partners) in Covell Matthews Partnership and their offices began to operate as independent offices within the Covell Matthews Group. Later, as a result of the Northern Aberdeen Co-operative project an office was established in Aberdeen under Hector Morrison. In 1975 the Covell Matthews Group further split and Covell Matthews Scotland was formed, which is listed as having offices in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Orkney and Shetland. The architectural partners/directors of Covell Matthews Scotland were A Heasman, C T Donaldson, M M Pottinger, A L T Scott, H W Morrison, R Ogilvie, J R G Wheatley and Brian Falk. Wheatley and Falk were London based and represented the Head Office interest in the Scottish office.

Apart from those early years when Falk was the architect and planner partner responsible for the design and supervision of about five major Scottish projects run from the London office Falk was only the liaison partner for Scottish office work.

In 1973 the practice was appointed agents for the Telecommunications Centre HQ Scotland

Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architectural practice:

Business Addresses

Business Addresses2

AddressTypeDate FromDate ToNotes
Westminster London EnglandBusinessIn year 1975
Manchester EnglandBusinessIn year 1975
Glasgow ScotlandBusinessIn year 1975
St Kitts West IndiesBusinessIn year 1975
Calgary CanadaBusinessIn year 1975
Athens GreeceBusinessIn year 1975
Nairobi KenyaBusinessIn year 1975
Mombasa KenyaBusinessIn year 1975
Dar-es-Salaam TanzaniaBusinessIn year 1975
Kampala UgandaBusinessIn year 1975
9 Albyn Terrace Aberdeen ScotlandBusinessIn year 1975

Partners, Employees and Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this architectural practice (click on an item to view details):

Employees or Pupils2

NamePositionDate FromDate ToNotes
Charles Tocher DonaldsonPartner
Ralph George Covington CovellConsultant1970s
Albert Edward Thurman MatthewsPartner1970s
Brian Geoffrey FalkPartner1970s
John Robert Glamis WheatleyPartner1970s
Albert HeasmanPartner1970s
Hector William MorrisonPartner1970s
Derek John CarterPartnerIn year 1975
Barry Wilson PendergastPartnerIn year 1975

Buildings and Designs

This architectural practice was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):

Buildings and Designs2

BuildingPartnership GPRoleDate FromDate ToTown DistrictIslandCity CountyCountryNotes
Bonded warehouse and distribution centreAArchitectural practiceIn year 1970In year 1973CumbernauldLanarkshireScotland
Warehouse for Storage & Warehouse Co. LtdAArchitectural practiceIn year 1972West LothianScotland
University of Strathclyde, Collins BuildingAArchitectural practiceIn year 1973GlasgowScotland
Hopetoun Telephone ExchangeAArchitectural practiceIn year 1973West LothianScotland
Shopping development, Princes StreetAArchitectural practiceIn year 1973EdinburghScotland
Housing and hotelAArchitectural practiceIn year 1973North QueensferryFifeScotland
Private housingAArchitectIn year 1973MilltimberAberdeenshireScotland
Guild Street redevelopment, Phase IAArchitectural practiceIn year 1973AberdeenScotland
Offices for Berkeley ConsultantsAArchitectural practiceIn year 1973AberdeenScotland
Telephone HouseAArchitectural practiceIn year 1973EdinburghScotland
Blackwood's Office, George StreetBArchitectural practiceIn year 1974EdinburghScotlandAlterations including removal of original decoration
Regional office of the Continental Illinois National Banks and Trust Co. of ChicagoAArchitectIn year 1974EdinburghScotland
University of Strathclyde, University CentreAArchitectural practiceIn year 1975GlasgowScotland
Northern Insurance Company offices and Imperial Union ClubDArchitectural practiceIn year 1975GlasgowScotlandInterior reconstructed
Hanover Street, north section, west sideAArchitectural practiceIn year 1975EdinburghScotland

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architectural practice:

Bib ref

AuthorTitleDatePublisherPartNotes
Bailey, Rebecca MScottish architects' papers: a source book1996Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp143
RIBARIBA Directory of practices1975