Walter Wood Robertson (1845–1907) was a 19th-century Scottish architect. From 1877 he was Principal Architect and Surveyor for Scotland for public buildings, specialising in large urban post offices.

Life

Dundee Post Office
Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill
1890 extension (extreme right) of the then General Post Office, Edinburgh
Dunfermline Post Office

He was born Walter Wybrown Robertson in Elie in Fife in 1845, the son of James Robertson, a weaver, and his wife Ann Nelson. In 1858 he was articled as an architect to John Chesser in Edinburgh. He also undertook studies in architecture at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1863 he moved briefly to the offices of Peddie & Kinnear before returning to John Chesser for two further years. From 1866 to 1868 he worked under Brown & Wardrop then after two years in Manchester with J. Holden & Son then Speakman & Charlesworth, also undertaking further studies in Manchester at Owens College.

In 1871 he moved to HM Office of Works in London under Sir Douglas Galton. He was President of the London Architectural Association 1876/77. In 1877 Sir John Taylor appointed him Principal Architect and Surveyor for Scotland, following the death of Robert Matheson.

He retired in 1904 and was replaced by William Thomas Oldrieve.

He had a stroke on 1 April 1907 and died at Wardie Bank in Trinity, Edinburgh on 23 April 1907.

Family

He was married to Alice Nesbit Alcorne. They had four sons and two daughters including Alan Keith Robertson (born 1881) also an architect.

Artistic Recognition

His portrait by Sir George Reid RSA is held by the Merchant Company of Edinburgh of which he was Master 1895 to 1897.

Principal works

References

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