| Architect Details |
William Adam, architect 1735; David Bryce (junior), architect 1870; Sutherland & George, architects 1909; George Bennett Mitchell, architect 1913; George Angus Mitchell and George Bennett Mitchell, architects c.1920; Meldrum & Mantell, architects 1994.
George Sutherland was born in 1861 and was articled to Pirie & Clyne of Aberdeen in 1878 but transferred to Ellis & Wilson before completing his apprenticeship. He then moved to Glasgow where he served as draughtsman to an unspecified firm before commencing practice on his own account in Banff in 1884. By 1890 he had moved to 51 High Street, Elgin, where he was elected to the School Board and designed the towered H H Richardson-Romanesque Victoria School of Science and Art, evidently only one of several commissions as Honeyman had seen 'some creditable buildings' designed by him prior to 1894. At that date he had also received a commission for a mission hall in Aberdeen. Sutherland sat the qualifying exam in Glasgow in March 1894 and immediately sought admission as ARIBA, his proposers being John Honeyman, Arthur Cates and Lacy William Ridge. In his application he acknowledged his lack of travel abroad but stated that he had spent a good deal of time measuring Elgin Cathedral, Pluscarden Priory, 'some old Scotch castles' and 'old buildings in Aberdeen': He was admitted on 11 June of the same year. He entered into partnership with Louis Harper of Aberdeen at the beginning of 1896, and when in partnership with Harper, his one major commission was a large block in Bridge Street, the remainder being speculative housing, some of it for himself. About 1899 or 1900 Harper withdrew from the partnership and Sutherland continued as sole practitioner through 1900 and 1901 but at the beginning of 1902 he entered into partnership with James M Pirie. Pirie's relationship, if any, with John Bridgeford Pirie and his son Bridgeford MacDougall Pirie is unknown but he had commenced practice c.1899/1900, and had designed a couple of substantial houses by the time of the partnership. The partnership with Pirie ended in 1907 when Sutherland went into partnership with Clement George. George had been born on 21 July 1879, the son of Provost George of Macduff, and had been educated at Macduff Public School. He had arrived in Aberdeen as a young man and served his apprenticeship with Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, attending Robert Gordon's College and Aberdeen Art School. He had remained with the Mackenzies as assistant thereafter (perhaps spending some time in the Mackenzies' London office as he and Mackenzie's son Alexander George Robertson Mackenzie became close friends), until joining Sutherland in partnership. George was a specialist in cinema design. He planned housing schemes at Aberdeen, Buckie, Macduff, Kintore and other towns in the north of Scotland. He was also responsible for work for the Northern Co-operative Society, shops in Aberdeen and planned many auction marts between Aberdeen and Dingwall. Sutherland died in 1927, and George carried on the practice on his own account until May 1931 when he became a partner in the firm of A Marshall Mackenzie Son & George. He was elected FRIBA in 1925, was Fellow of the RIAS, and a President of the Aberdeen Society of Architects from 1927 to 1929. George died suddenly on 23 February 1932, survived by his widow and daughter.
David Bryce Junior was born c.1815, the son of William Bryce, architect, the elder brother of David Bryce. His father died on 5 September 1823 when he was aged about eight. William's much younger brother David then took responsibility for him, his sister Margaret and elder brother William as the second oldest son of the family. They were brought up first in the family development in Hermitage Place, Stockbridge, then in Walker Street and finally at 53 Castle Street which housed the Architectural Academy founded by their father. David Junior was probably trained initially from c.1830 at the Academy rather than in William Burn's office. He presumably worked on his uncle's private practice before finding a place at 131 George Street as his uncle's assistant: he must certainly have been there from 1841 when Bryce merged his practice with his master Burn's as Burn & Bryce. He followed this with 'many years' as assistant to David Cousin until c.1851 when he commenced practice on his own account at 29 Frederick Street, from which he exhibited a design for a church at the RSA in 1852 and from which he practised as a teacher of architectural drawing from 1851 to 1853. In 1854 he became an architect at the same address. In later years from c.1860 he practised at 26 Elder Street. He married twice, first Margaret Miller who died at the age of thirty-two on 3 June 1857 and secondly, Margaret Bell. David Bryce's most important clients were Kennington & Jenner: for the Kenningtons he rebuilt the Star Hotel in Princes Street, a pioneer building of its kind in 1861. His architecture was similar in character to his uncle's, and he was particularly skilful in the design of canted bays as can be seen at his City of Glasgow Bank. David Bryce Junior died on 11 September 1874 at the age of fifty-nine, and was buried in New Calton Cemetery. His second wife, Margaret Robinson Bell, survived him, dying on 23 November 1897 at the age of sixty-two.
George Bennett Mitchell was born on 27 November 1865 and educated in Aberdeen and Newburgh. He was articled to Pirie & Clyne in 1881 (though he perhaps joined the practice somewhat sooner as an office boy, since John Bridgeford Pirie records that on 9 October 1878 'Mitchell began duty') and joined the practice of Jenkins & Marr as assistant on completing his apprenticeship. He remained with them until 1887 when he was appointed architect in the surveyors' department of Davidson & Garden, advocates (i.e. solicitors), Aberdeen. While there he carried out a great deal of work on the Dunecht estate for A C Pirie, both at the house and in the village, and was allowed to undertake a few small private commissions in his own name. During these early years he made several visits to France and Italy. On leaving Davidson & Garden, Mitchell opened his own practice at 148 Union Street; the exact date for this is uncertain as Mitchell himself gives dates varying from 1898 to 1 January 1903 and 1 January 1904 in different documents. His business mainly consisted of country house work and villas and cottages for the estates with which he had become acquainted through his work with Davidson & Garden. In 1913 Mitchell's son George Angus Mitchell (born on his father's thirty-first birthday and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School) entered the practice as an apprentice, and was one of the first two students to enrol at Aberdeen School of Architecture when it opened in 1913. His training was interrupted by war service in 1915, but he returned to his father's office on his demobilisation in 1919, completing his diploma course the following year. He practised in association with his father from 1921. The practice moved from 148 Union Street to 1 West Craibstone Street in 1922 and George Angus became a partner in 1929, the firm name becoming George Bennett Mitchell & Son. George Angus Mitchell was elected FRIBA in late 1930, his proposers being Clement George, James Brown Nicol and George Watt. This may have prompted his father to seek RIBA membership, as he applied for Licentiateship immediately and was admitted at the beginning of 1931, his proposers being George, Nicol and William Liddle Duncan; and in May of the same year he too became a Fellow, with the support of the RIBA Council as a whole. By this time George Bennett had been awarded an MBE; he was also a Justice of the Peace, and had acted as District Civil Commissioner at the time of the General Strike in 1926. George Bennett Mitchell's main interest outside the office was the Boy's Brigade, of which he became Commander and President of the Aberdeen Battalion in 1906. His concerns for social welfare were further manifested in his work as Red Cross Transport Officer in Aberdeen during the First World War. He was also a devoted churchman, being a lifelong member of the West Church of St Andrew, of which he was an elder for over forty years. From at least 1914 Mitchell had a country residence at Cean-na-coil, Aboyne, one of the several houses he designed there, as well as his Aberdeen house at 4 Deemount Terrace and later at 18 Rubislaw Terrace. Mitchell was taken ill in October 1940 whilst working as Divisional Food Officer for the North-East of Scotland, a position he had taken on in 1938 when hostilities were imminent. He underwent an operation involving the amputation of a leg, and resigned from the Food Office shortly afterwards. He died at his home on 22 March 1941. He was survived by his son, who continued the practice, and his daughter Meta, who like him took a leading part in youth welfare work in the area. His wife had predeceased him some years earlier.
George Angus Mitchell was born on 27 November 1896, the son of George Bennett Mitchell, architect in Aberdeen, and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School. He entered his father's practice as an apprentice, and was one of the first two students to enrol at Aberdeen School of Architecture when it opened in 1913. His training was interrupted in December 1915 when he commenced war service as a subaltern in the Highland Divisional Engineers; he served in Palestine and France with the 52nd Lowland Divisional Engineers, reaching the rank of Honorary Colonel, and returned to his father's office on his demobilisation in 1919, completing his diploma course the following year. He gained his diploma in June 1920 and assisted in his father's office from that month. He received an endorsement of his diploma in July 1921 and was admitted ARIBA late the same year, his proposers being John Alexander Ogg Allan, George Watt and William Edgar Gauld; the latter's signature is scored out on his nomination paper, presumably due to his temporary lapse in membership of the RIBA at that time. The practice moved from 148 Union Street to 1 West Craibstone Street in 1922 and George Angus became a partner in 1929, the firm name becoming George Bennett Mitchell & Son. George Angus Mitchell was elected FRIBA in late 1930, his proposers being Clement George, James Brown Nicol and George Watt. This may have prompted his father to seek RIBA membership, as he applied for Licentiateship immediately and was admitted at the beginning of 1931, his proposers being George, Nicol and William Liddle Duncan; and in May of the same year he too was elected a Fellow. By this time George Bennett had been awarded an MBE; he was also a Justice of the Peace. George Angus Mitchell continued to be active in military circles after the First World War, taking command of the 139th Field Park Company (TA) with the rank of Captain in 1924 and taking over 236 Field Company as a Major in 1928. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on the outbreak of the Second World War and became CRE 9th Divisional Engineers, CRE North Highland Area and CRE Lothian and Border Area. He was released from service in June 1945, and continued his father's practice thereafter under the existing name of George Bennett Mitchell & Son, his father having died on 22 March 1941. He was President of the Aberdeen branch of the RE Old Comrades Association for some years before 1958; President of the Aberdeen Rotary Club from 1947 to 1948; and President of the Aberdeen Chapter of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland in 1939, 1947 and 1949. Like his father, he was a lifelong member of the West Church of St Andrew, becoming a deacon in 1921 and an elder in 1939. George Angus Mitchell retired to Newburgh in 1962 and died there at his home, Thornhill, on 6 December 1964. He was survived by his wife Alice Jones and two married daughters.
John Jeffrey Meldrum was born on 11 August 1913, the son of John Meldrum, forester and his wife, Agnes Sinclair. He originally trained as a chartered surveyor and was AICA in 1936. During the Second World War he served as a major with the Royal Engineers in Burma. After the war he retrained as an architect and was a member of the RIAS by 1945, setting up practice in 1948. He opened an office at 40 High Street, Banff. In the later 1950s a branch office was opened in Turriff. Meldrum was a founder member of the Banff Preservation Society in 1965. He was influential in restoration work his achievement being recognised by awards from the Saltire Society, the Civic Trust and the European Architecture Heritage Year. In 1975 Meldrum took Henry Mantell into partnership, the name becoming Meldrum & Mantell. In 1987 Meldrum retired from practice. Meldrum was very active in local community affairs. He was known for good humour and common sense which he preserved through his later years of illness. He died from heart failure on 31 October 1987, survived by his wife, Anne Davidson, and their two daughters.
Henry James Lyall Mantell was born on 11 December 1939 in Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia, the son of Henry Percy Mantell, superintendent of the African Lakes Corporation Stores, Northern Rhodesia and his wife, Barbara Anne Mantell, a teacher. His early education was through the Salisbury Correspondence School and was supervised by his mother. He later attended a school for European children founded by his mother in Abercorn, Northern Rhodesia but spent one year, 1946-47, in Macduff Infant School. From 1951-57 he attended Banff Academy where he was Dux in Art in 1956. From 1957-63 he studied at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture, Aberdeen spending two years part-time and four years full-time. He won the Governor’s Prize for Building Construction in 1961. From 1957-58 he worked along with his studies as a trainee with Aberdeen City Architect’s Department. He was awarded the diploma in architecture in 1963. In 1963 he moved to Edinburgh as an assistant with Stanley Ross-Smith & Jamieson. He was elected ARIBA in 1965. On 3 March 1966 Mantell married Margaret Ollason Stewart. The couple have one son. Mantell then went to Australia and spent a three-year spell as assistant architect with the New South Wales Public Works Department in Sydney. In Australia he was involved with various siting and design projects associated with New South Wales Country Primary Schools section and with the research and report on the New South Wales country school central lending library project. In 1969 they returned to the United Kingdom and Mantell took a post as senior architect with Bedfordshire County Architect’s Department where he remained until 1973. He worked on various projects in the Lower School section of the County Architect's Department. During his stay in Bedford he served as Secretary of the Bedfordshire Association of Architects. He returned to Banff in 1973 as chief assistant to J J Meldrum, architect and surveyor. He became a partner in 1975 and remained as such until Meldrum’s retirement in 1987 when he became sole principal. The practice specialised in conservation work and were involved in restoration schemes of many buildings in the north of Scotland. Mantell has prepared quinquennial inspections for the National Trust for Scotland on many of thier northern properties and carries out similar inspections for private clients of Gordon Castle Tower, Fochabers and Dunecht. From 1987-2007 quinquennial inspections were also carried out for the Church of Scotland and the Episcopal Church. In 2004 Michael Ritchie joined as partner, the practice title becoming Mantell Ritchie. Mantell retired in 2005 though he remains a consultant. Outwith his professional life Mantell was chariman of the Banff Round Table from 1977-78. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Banff and was president from 1989-90. He enjoys watercolour and pen and ink sketching, plays golf and enjoys travel. He continues to present talks on architectural topics to local organisations and prepares articles for publication. He is closely involved with the activities of the Banff Preservation Society, serving as a committee member and treasurer. He is also a member of the Banff Renassance THI Project Board and is a Management Committee member of the North East Scotland Preservation Trust.
The following are a list of the awards received by Meldrun and Mantell and Mantell Ritchie
1975 Architectural Heritage Year Award.
1975 Saltire Society Award.
1978 Civic Trust Award.
!992 Civic Trust Special Mention (12 North High Street, Portsoy).
2004 Aberdeenshire Design Awards - Highly Commended for Conservation (Banff Castle Ancillary Buildings).
2004 Aberdeenshire Design awards – Commended for Conservation (The Banff Aisle).
The follwing additional qualifications were gained by Mantell:
1998 – RIAS Conservation Accreditation (level 3)
2003 – RIAS Conservation Accreditation (level 4)
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Historic Environment Records (HER)