Basic Biographical Details Name: | Peter Scott Ferguson | Designation: | | Born: | 22 August 1916 | Died: | 1 February 1969 | Bio Notes: | Peter Scott Ferguson was born on 22 August 1916, the son of Harry Scott Ferguson, solicitor, and his wife, Lillian Ethel Bridlan. He was educated at Glenalmond School, and studied engineering at the University of St Andrews from 1933 to 1937, subsequently continuing his studies at the School of Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art. He was on active service in the Second World War, in 1939 in the Royal Artillery TA and from 1940 in the Royal Engineers.
On his return, he obtained an appointment as assistant to A H Mottram, while completing his Dip.Arch. He was admitted ARIBA in 1947, and in the same year was awarded a travelling scholarship to Switzerland. The following year he joined Basil Spence & Partners at 40 Moray Place. He also obtained a Dip.TP and was an Associate of the Town Planning Institute by 1950. He was elected FRIAS om 1955.
He was made an associate in the Spence firm in 1951 and was taken into partnership in 1956, along with John Hardie Glover. The practice title did not change, however, until 1964, when Spence had split his firm into three practices: Sir Basil Spence OM RA and Sir Basil Spence, Bonnington & Collins in London, and Sir Basil Spence, Glover & Ferguson in Edinburgh.
Ferguson was a vice-president of the Edinburgh Architectural Association in 1959. He was elected FRIBA in 1960, proposed by Spence, Robert Hogg Matthew and Peter Dunham.
Peter Ferguson believed in a completely integrated approach to his work and he 'embraced the problems of clients, designers and contractors with a sureness that won admiration'. He was very concerned about the quality of our environment and was committed to the preservation of Edinburgh's New Town and he was a committee member of several amenity groups. He tackled a wide variety of work including housing, universities, airports public buildings and hospitals. Glasgow Airport received a Civic Design Award shortly before his death.
He died at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh on 1 February 1969 after an illness which had begun the previous year and left him 'inactive and almost blind'. He was survived by his wife, Sheila Marjorie Anne Mottram who was the daughter of the architect Alfred Hugh Mottram and sister of James A H Mottram.
BSc, ARIBA, AMIStructE, AMTPI, FRIAS | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 30, Royal Circus, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1950 * | | | | 40, Moray Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1951 | 1968 | Basil Spence & Partners and subsequently Sir Basil Spence, Glover & Ferguson | | 10, Moray Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | Before 1955 * | 1960 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1947 | Glasgow University, Natural Philosophy Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Extension to N, for research and housing the synchrotron. | | 1950(?) | Secondary School, Duncanrig | Westwood, East Kilbride | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | Partner in charge | | After 1951 | Private house(s) | Bedale | | Yorkshire | Scotland | | | After 1951 | Private house(s) | Ormiston | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1954 | St Andrew's Church | Clermiston | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1955 | Scottish Agricultural Industries Fertilizer Works | Leith | | Edinburgh, Midlothian | Scotland | In consultation with Kinnear & Gordon | | 1956 | Bannerfield Estate | Selkirk | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | | 1956 | Flats, Great Michael Rise and Annfield | Newhaven | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1956 | Housing, Laverockbank Avenue and Laverockbank Crescent | Newhaven | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Partner in charge | | 1956 | Tenement blocks, New Lane | Newhaven | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1956 | Tenements, 14-20 Great Michael Rise | Newhaven | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1956 | Tenements, 4-12 Great Michael Rise | Newhaven | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1956 | Tenements, New Lane | Newhaven | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1956 | Western General Hospital, Old Boiler House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1957 | Trinity College Glenalmond | Glenalmond | | Perthshire | Scotland | Extension at E end of N range | | 1958 | Glasgow University, Institute of Virology Department building | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Completion when practice operated as Spence Glover & Ferguson. | | 1958 | Housing, Gorbals Redevelopment Scheme, Commercial Road Area | Gorbals | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1958 | Hutchesontown / Gorbals Area C Housing Redevelopment | Hutchesontown/Gorbals | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1958 | Scottish Widows Head Office | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1958 | Thurso High School | Thurso | | Caithness | Scotland | | | 1959 | Claremont Court housing | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Partner in charge | | 1959 | Glasgow University, Natural Philosophy Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | W, for teaching and lecture theatre. | | 1959 | Western General Hospital, Operating Theatre Block | | | Edinburgh, Midlothian | Scotland | | | Late 1950s(?) | Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, blood transfusion extension | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1960s | Durham University, St Aidan's College | Durham | | Co. Durham | England | | | 1960s | Edinburgh University Library | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1960s | Glasgow Royal Infirmary | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Redevelopment | | 1960s | ICI Silicones Factory | Ardeer | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | | 1960s | King's College, University of Durham, Physics Department | | | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | England | | | 1960s | Newcastle Central Library and Laing Art Gallery | | | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | England | | | 1960s | Procter & Gamble computer building | | | | | | | 1960s | Secondary School | Dinnington | | Sheffield | England | | | 1960s | University College Dublin library | | | Dublin | Eire | | | Before 1960 | Associated Electrical Industries showroom | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | Before 1960 | House for A H Alexander | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Before 1960 | Recreation centre for Scottish Oils | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | Before 1960 | Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society branch | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Before 1960 | University of Edinburgh, Department of Natural Philosophy | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Extension | | Before 1960 | University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Animal Breeding Research Organisation Headquarters | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | William Norman Hunter was job architect | | 1961 | 65-71 and 97-103 Canongate and 1-3 Brown's Close | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Perhaps not involved | | 1961 | Glasgow (Abbotsinch) Airport | nr Paisley | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | £2m terminal building | | 1961 | Ten (10) 19-storey tower blocks, New Gorbals | New Gorbals | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1961 | Trinity College Glenalmond, Sanatorium | Glenalmond | | Perthshire | Scotland | Altered and extended | | 1961 | University of Glasgow, Department of Genetics | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1962 | Trinity College Glenalmond, Chapel | Glenalmond | | Perthshire | Scotland | New gallery and screen | | 1963 | Trinity College, Glenalmond, Music School | Glenalmond | | Perthshire | Scotland | Partner in charge and principal architect | | 1964 | Crookfur Old People's Homes, Crookfur Road | Newton Mearns | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1964 | Mortonhall Crematorium | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1966 | Glasgow University, Natural Philosophy Buildings | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Further additions | | 1966 | Western General Hospital, laundry and boiler house | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1968 | Bar and Buffet Extension at Glasgow (Abbotsinch) Airport | Abbotsinch | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1970s | Edinburgh Centre for Rural Economy, Bush Estate | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1970s | Harry Younger Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1970s | Western General Hospital, Sisters' Quarters | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | c. 1970 | Burrell Collection | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | pXI A 1958 sketch perspective of Hutchesontown / Gorbals Area 'C' proposed blocks pXII Demolition of Hutchesontown 'C' September 1993 p92-94, 98-102 p96 Duncanrig Secondary School p97 Thurso High School; Glasgow University, Institute of Virology Department building p98 Abbotsinch Airport p141-2, p165-7 Edinburgh University Library p20, p39, p92-4, p98-102, p144-7, p175 Hutchesontown Gorbals Area 'C' | | Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan | 1994 | Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland | | Yale University Press: New Haven and London | Hutchesontown Area C: p170, p224, p327, p368 | | http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/122525/details/edinburgh+george+square+univ | | http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/122525/details/edinburgh+george+square+university+of+edinburgh+library/ | | | Edinburgh University Library Accessed 21.04.12 | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | Willis, Peter | 1977 | New architecture in Scotland | | | p8, p10 Fishermen's Houses p14, p38-41 Mortonhall Crematorium p46-7 Edinburgh University Library
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Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 1 May 1959 | | | 'Edinburgh Architectural Association' p832 | | Builder | 18 August 1961 | | | 'Civic Trust Design Awards, 1960 - Results of Competitions in the County Boroughs, The Awards, Scotland' pp304-305 - served as assessor for Paisley projects | | Scotsman | 13 February 1969 | | | Tribute by Tom Ridley. |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | H M Register House | Death Register | | | | RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F no5472 (combined box 80) | | Sent to DSA by email | Information from AHRC/RCAHMS Spence project per David W Walker and Clive Fenton | | Clive Fenton's research notes (sent July 2010) |
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