| Architect Details |
James Duncan & Son, architects 1901. James Duncan was born in 1828, the son of George Duncan, a Turriff mason. Nothing is known of his professional training, but he commenced practice in Turriff by at least 1862 when he designed Cuminestown School. He quickly acquired a well-deserved reputation for the planning and construction of farm steadings and had more than forty estates, great and small, as clients. In 1887 his son William Liddle Duncan, born 1870, became an apprentice; he was taken into partnership in 1897. He was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, his proposers including Arthur Clyne and Arthur Hay Livingstone Mackinnon. James Duncan died on 6 March 1907 and was buried in St Congan's Churchyard. His wife, Ellen Liddle, died on 24 November 1917 aged 79. Following his father's death William Liddle Duncan continued the practice under his own name.
William Liddle Duncan was born in 1870, son of James Duncan, architect of Turriff. He took classes at Edinburgh School of Art in 1885-87 before being apprenticed to his father and completing his studies at Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen. On completing his apprenticeship he moved briefly to Edinburgh 'to complete his architectural training' and then returned to his father's office as assistant. He was finally taken into partnership in 1897, later continuing the practice on his own account after his father's death in 1907. He was awarded the bronze medal by the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland for designs for farm buildings in their competition of 1908. Duncan was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, his proposers being Arthur Clyne, John Wilson Walker and Arthur Hay Livingstone Mackinnon, and was admitted FRIBA in May 1930. For a number of years he held the appointment of architect to Aberdeen Education Authority for the Turriff and Huntly districts and his housing at Rhynie, Gartly and Insch was 'of such outstanding merit that he was specialliy invited to exhibit at the Royal Scottish Academy of 1943'. In the realm of public life he was active, being Preident of the Aberdeen Society of Architects and a member of the Council of the RIBA and RIAS. In his private life he was an enthusiastic volunteer and an expert marksman, winning the St George's Medal at Bisley as well as being a devotee of the game of bridge. William Liddle Duncan died in 1951, remaining in practice until the week of his death. The practice was continued by James Munro, whom he had taken into partnership in 1947 and who had worked in his office since 1930. The practice title changed to W L Duncan & Munro. Munro retired in 1975.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)