View source for Robert Rowand Anderson

{{short description|Scottish architect}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}

{{Infobox architect
|name                 = Robert Rowand Anderson
|birth_name           = 
|image                = Robert Rowand Anderson by John M Aiken.jpg
|image_size           = 
|caption              = Anderson by John M. Aiken
|birth_date           = 5 April 1834
|birth_place          = [[Liberton, Scotland|Liberton]], Scotland
|death_date           = {{death date and age|1921|6|1|1834|5|4|df=yes}}
|death_place          = [[Colinton]], Scotland
|alma_matter          = 
|practice             = 
|significant_buildings= [[Grand Central Hotel (Glasgow)|Grand Central Hotel]], Glasgow<br />McEwen Hall, Edinburgh
|significant_projects = 
|significant_design   =
|awards               =
}}

[[File:Robert Rowand Anderson by James Pittendrigh Macgillivray, SNPG.JPG|thumb|260px|Robert Rowand Anderson by [[James Pittendrigh Macgillivray]] 1921]]
[[File:McEwan Hall, Edinburgh.JPG|thumb|260px|McEwan Hall, Edinburgh, by Rowand Anderson]]
[[Image:Rowand Anderson Central Hotel.jpg|thumb|right|260px|The [[Central Hotel (Glasgow)|Central Hotel]] at [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central station]]]]
'''Sir Robert Rowand Anderson''', {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|FRSE|RSA}} (5 April 1834 – 1 June 1921) was a Scottish [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] architect. Anderson trained in the office of [[George Gilbert Scott]] in London before setting up his own practice in [[Edinburgh]] in 1860. During the 1860s his main work was small churches in the 'First Pointed' (or Early English) style that is characteristic of Scott's former assistants. By 1880 his practice was designing some of the most prestigious public and private buildings in Scotland.

His works include the [[Scottish National Portrait Gallery]]; the Dome of Old College, Medical Faculty and McEwan Hall, the [[University of Edinburgh]]; [[Govan Old Parish Church]] and the Pearce Institute; the [[Central Hotel (Glasgow)|Central Hotel]] at [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central Station]], the [[Mansfield Place Church|Catholic Apostolic Church]] in Edinburgh and [[Mount Stuart House]] on the Isle of Bute for the [[John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute|3rd Marquess of Bute]].

==Early life==
Anderson was born at [[Liberton, Scotland|Liberton]], outside Edinburgh, the third child of James Anderson (1797-1869), a solicitor, and Margaret Rowand (1797-1868).<ref name="Waterston">{{cite book
|last1=Waterston
|first1=Charles D
|last2=Macmillan Shearer
|first2=A
|title=Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783-2002: Biographical Index
|url=http://www.rse.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf|volume=I
|date=July 2006
|publisher=[[The Royal Society of Edinburgh]]
|location=Edinburgh
|isbn=978-0-902198-84-5}}</ref> Educated at [[George Watson's College]], he began a legal apprenticeship in 1845, and briefly worked for his father's firm. He began to study architecture in 1849, attending classes at the [[Trustees' Drawing Academy]] (which later became [[Edinburgh College of Art]]), and was [[articled]] to architect John Lessels (1809–1883).

In 1857 he took a two-year post as an assistant to [[George Gilbert Scott]], in his office at [[Trafalgar Square]], London.<ref name=dsa>{{cite web |url=http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=200041 |title=(Sir) Robert Rowand Anderson, DSA Architect Biography Report |work=Dictionary of Scottish Architects |access-date=7 November 2015 |archive-date=8 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908184905/http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=200041 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Here he worked alongside many influential architects. He then spent time travelling and studying in [[France]] and [[Italy]],<ref name=dsa /> also working briefly for [[Pierre Cuypers]] in [[Roermond]], Netherlands.

==Architectural career==
{{Moresources|section|date=January 2023}}
In 1860, Anderson returned to Edinburgh, and began working as an architect with the [[Royal Engineers]], undertaking works on coastal defences, and the 78th Highlanders memorial outside [[Edinburgh Castle]]. For Giles Gilbert Scott, he supervised the construction of St James's Church in [[Leith]], which led to further commissions from the [[Scottish Episcopal Church]], including Christ Church, [[Falkirk]] (1862), All Saints, Brougham Place, Edinburgh (1864), St Andrew's Church in [[St Andrews]] (1866), St John's, [[Alloa]] (1866), and St James, [[Cupar]] (1866). All of these were carried out alongside his work for the Royal Engineers, and show the influence of Scott's church designs.{{cn|date=December 2022}}

Anderson set up his own independent practice in 1868.<ref name=dsa /> In 1869, St Mungo's Church in [[Balerno]] was completed to his design.<ref name="HESStMungoChurch">{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB26991|desc=11 LADYCROFT, ST MUNGO'S EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH WITH COTTAGE AND BOUNDARY WALL AND GATEPIERS|cat=B|access-date=18 June 2022}}</ref> 

His first significant commission came in 1871, for the restoration of [[St Vigeans]] Parish Church, Angus. He went on to win the competition to design the Catholic Apostolic Church in Edinburgh,<ref name=dsa /> now the Mansfield Traquair Centre on Mansfield Place in Broughton. Anderson joined the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, where he met future clients including the [[John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute|Marquis of Bute]]. In 1873 a short-lived partnership with [[David Bryce]] began, but was dissolved only a few months later.

In 1874, he was invited to submit designs for a competition for the [[University of Edinburgh]] Medical Faculty and graduation hall. He undertook further study tours to Europe, resulting in the winning Italian Renaissance style design which was finalised in 1877.{{cn|date=December 2022}} The design secured Anderson's election to the [[Royal Scottish Academy]], although the Medical School was not completed until 1886, and the [[McEwan Hall]] not until 1897. His next major commission came soon after, in 1876, when he was appointed as architect for [[Glasgow Central Station]]. In 1878 Anderson designed a new [[Mount Stuart House]] (1878–1896) in an Italian Gothic style for the [[John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute|3rd Marquess of Bute]], following the destruction by fire of the previous house. The [[Scottish National Portrait Gallery]] (1884–1889) was designed in a similar style, and also executed in red sandstone.

In 1881, Anderson made his employee [[George Washington Browne]] a partner, and two years later the firm became Wardrop, Anderson and Browne, following the death of Maitland Wardrop and the merger of his practice with Anderson's. However, Browne left in 1885, and Hew Wardrop died in 1887 at [[Udny Castle]],<ref>{{cite book|author=Sam McKinstry|title=Rowand Anderson: the premier architect of Scotland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MZYjAAAAMAAJ|year=1991|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|isbn=978-0-7486-0252-0}}</ref> leaving Anderson as sole partner again.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/leisure/libraries/your_nearest_library/central%20library/fine_art/cec_george_washington_browne|title=George Washington Browne (1853-1939(|publisher=City of Edinburgh|access-date=6 October 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120728172933/http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/leisure/libraries/your_nearest_library/central%20library/fine_art/cec_george_washington_browne|archive-date=28 July 2012}}</ref> Notable architects employed within the Anderson practice included [[Robert Weir Schultz]], [[Robert Lorimer]], and [[Sydney Mitchell]].

During the 1880s, Anderson's style became increasingly influenced by Scottish historical architecture, possibly as a result of his friendship with architectural historians [[MacGibbon and Ross]]. The Scottish influence is evident in the Normand Memorial Hall, Dysart (1882), Ardgowan Estate Office, Greenock (1886), and the Pearce Institute, [[Govan]] (1892).

From the 1890s, restoration became the focus of Anderson's architecture, as major commissions declined. He had already undertaken work at [[Iona Abbey]] and [[Jedburgh Abbey]] in the 1870s, and now restored [[Dunblane Cathedral]] and [[Paisley Abbey]]. He became more involved in teaching, helping to set up a School of Applied Art in 1892. In 1903 this merged into the new [[Edinburgh College of Art]], with Anderson as a trustee.

In his later years Anderson became difficult to work with, and was perceived as arrogant. Another partnership, formed in 1899, was dissolved following lawsuits in 1902. Rowand Anderson and Paul was formed in 1904, with [[Arthur Forman Balfour Paul]] (who had trained under him from 1892 to 1896), son of [[James Balfour Paul|Sir James Balfour Paul]], the [[Lord Lyon]].

Anderson was [[knight bachelor|knighted]] in the [[1902 Birthday Honours]] for his work at the Scottish royal residence, [[Balmoral Castle]].<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Birthday Honours |date=10 November 1902 |page=10 |issue=36921}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27510 |date=30 December 1902 |page=8967 }}</ref> In 1916 he was awarded the [[Royal Gold Medal]] for architecture.<ref name=dsa /> 

By 1916, he was ill, but was able to found the [[Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland|Incorporation of Architects in Scotland]] (later the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland) in that year, with fellow architect [[Alexander Lorne Campbell]] speaking and acting on his behalf.<ref name=dsa /> Anderson donated his own Rutland Square townhouse to be used as its headquarters.<ref>Peter, Bruce (2025), ''Art Deco Scotland: Design and Architecture in the Jazz Age'', [[Historic Environment Scotland]], Edinburgh, p.20, {{isbn|9781849173445}}</ref>

He retired to Allermuir House on Woodhall Road in [[Colinton]]<ref>Edinburgh and Leith Post Office directory 1911-12.</ref> and died there in 1921. He is buried in [[Warriston Cemetery]]. The grave is in a hard to find location on a lower level to the south-west, backing onto the western path.
[[File:2014-10-25 022 (855x1280).jpg|thumb|Gravestone of Sir Robert Rowand Anderson at Warriston Cemetery, Edinburgh]]

==The Rowand Anderson practice==
Anderson's architectural practice was carried on as Rowand Anderson and Paul (with Paul as sole partner), until [[Basil Spence]] and [[William Kininmonth (architect)|William Kininmonth]] joined in 1934, forming Rowand Anderson and Paul and Partners. Paul died in 1938, and Spence left in 1945, leaving Kininmonth to carry on as Rowand Anderson, Kininmonth and Paul. When Kininmonth retired in 1976, the firm split, with the Rowand Anderson name taken by Richard Ewing, who had been made a partner around 1971.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=203376 |work=Dictionary of Scottish Architects 1840–1980 |title=Richard Gale Ewing |access-date=4 January 2010}}</ref> The Rowand Anderson Partnership is still based in Rutland Square.

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070323195004/http://www.mansfieldtraquair.org.uk/building/rra.shtml Mansfield Traquair Centre], the former Catholic Apostolic Church in Edinburgh

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Robert Rowand}}
[[Category:1834 births]]
[[Category:1921 deaths]]
[[Category:People educated at George Watson's College]]
[[Category:Royal Scottish Academicians]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Royal Gold Medal]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:19th-century Scottish architects]]
[[Category:Scottish knights]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:Architects from Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Trustees' Academy]]