Robert Matthew Mitchell (27 May 1847 – 28 September 1949) was a Scottish architect, prominent in the second half of the 19th century and first half of the 20th. He designed several notable buildings in Perthshire, several of which are now of listed status.

Life and career

Mitchell was born on 27 May 1847. He began an apprenticeship in what was presumed to be a joiner's workshop. Basically self-taught, he found work as a junior draughtsman in the

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

office of James Graham Fairley in 1896. Two years later, he joined the firm of McLuckie and Walker, of Stirling. He took a leave of absence to tour the United States and Canada prior to establishing his own practice at 27 King Street in

Crieff Crieff (; , meaning "tree") is a Scottish market town in Perth and Kinross on the A85 road between Perth, Scotland, Perth and Crianlarich, and the A822 road, A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy, Scotland, Aberfeldy. The A822 road, A822 joins ...

, Perthshire, and living at Fairmount in

Auchterarder Auchterarder (; , meaning Upper Highland) is a town north of the Ochil Hills in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and home to the Gleneagles Hotel. The High Street of Auchterarder gave the town its popular name of "The Lang Toun" or Long Town. The ...

. After business slowed to a crawl, he emigrated to

Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...

, Alberta, Canada, in 1911. On 20 July of that year, prior to his departure, he was admitted as a Licentiate of the

Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

. After arriving in Edmonton, he was appointed to the office of English architect Roland Walter Lines. He remained there for a "considerable time" before becoming chief draughtsman to the Edmonton Public School Board. He later became its chief architect, as well as becoming a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. In 1916, Mitchell closed his practice as he went to serve in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He returned to Scotland to serve with the Scottish Horse. He asked to be

demobilised Demobilization or demobilisation (see American and British English spelling differences, spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or becaus ...

in 1919, and joined the architectural practice of Donald Alexander Stewart, of Smart & Stewart, in

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

. He became a partner in 1924, the company name being appended by his own. He was still with the firm when he was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Stewart died in January 1940. Six years later, three years before his own death, Mitchell formed a partnership with J. Morrison and H. C. Miller but continued under the Smart, Stewart & Mitchell name. Mitchell served on Auchterarder Town Council and was a

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judi ...

, serving several terms.

Selected notable works

* Auchterarder Free Church (alterations; after 1901) * Auchterarder United Free Church (alterations; after 1901) * Monzievaird Parish Church (alterations; after 1901) * Ormskirk War Memorial (1919) * Dunning War Memorial (1919) * J. Pullar and Sons dyeworks (reconstruction; 1919) * Auchterarder Parish Church (new aisle windows; after 1919) * Sports pavilion, Perth (1919) * Gannochy Housing Estate, Kinnoull (1923) * Perth Savings Bank (extensions; 1927) * Royal George Hotel, Perth (reconstruction; 1927) * Kinnoull Parish Church (recasting of interior; 1929) * Thomas Hay Marshall monument, Perth Museum and Art Gallery (1929) * Auchterarder World War II Memorial (1948)

Death

Stewart died on 28 September 1949, aged 75.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Robert Matthews 1847 births 1949 deaths 19th-century Scottish architects 20th-century Scottish architects Architects from Perth, Scotland Fellows of the Royal Institute of British Architects Members of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada