Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of Glasgow and Belfast.  According to the 1911 census of Ireland, Robert Frater was born in Scotland in 1884 or 1885.   He was articled to the Glasgow architect Robert Alexander Bryden, also studying at the Glasgow School of Architecture and, by correspondence, with Orlando Middleton, ARIBA, and a 'Mr Bond', ARIBA  ARIBA (probably Alexander Godolphin Bond).  He remained in Glasgow until at least 1907, working as an assistant in the ofice of Bryden's son, Alexander Stewart Bryden.   In 1910 he entered the office of WATT, TULLOCH & TULLOCH & amp; FITZSIMONS  FITZSIMONS (later TULLOCH & TULLOCH & amp; FITZSIMONS FITZSIMONS ) in Belfast, and the following year he  passed the preliminary examination of the RIBA.(1)    In 1915 he returned to Scotland, working first in the office of Cullen, Lochhead & Brown, of Hamilton, then for the Lanarkshire Steel Company in Motherwell and, by 1919, for Greenock Corporation.   He must have rejoined Tulloch & Fitzsimons in Belfast not long afterwards, for when Frederick Tulloch retired in 1922, NICHOLAS FITZSIMONS  NICHOLAS FITZSIMONS took Frater into partnership. Frater remained in the firm until circa 1947, when he set up in practice on his own. His work included churches, schools and commercial buildings. He died at Holywood, Co. Down, in 1957.

RIBA: probationer, 1911;(2) student, 1913;(3) associate by 1923.(4)
RSUA: member by 1947.(5)

Addresses: 21 Castle Place, Belfast, 1923;(6) 5 Wellington Place, Belfast, <=1950->=1956.(7)
Home:  c/o Mrs Elizabeth Nelson, 140 University Street, Belfast, 1911;   c/o Mrs Hall, Rosetta Park, 2 Knockbreda Road, Belfast, 1911; (8)  274 Ormeau Road, Belfast, 1913; (9)  The Ingle, Finaghy Rd, North Belfast, 1947;(10)  Demesne Park, Holywood, Co. Down, at time of death.



References

All information in this entry not otherswise accounted for is from the Dictionary of Scottish Architects http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=207416 (last visited Mar 2009) and from the obituary of Frater in IB 99, 1 Jun 1957, 431.

(1) RIBAJ 18 (1910-1911), 652.
(2) See note 1, above.
(3) RIBAJ 20 (1912-13), 651.
(4) Who's Who in Architecture 1923, 96.
(5) Thom's Directory of Dublin 1947, 209a.
(6) See note 4, above.
(7) IB 92, 10 Jun 1950, 608; 98, 11 Feb 1956, 124.
(8) See note 1, above.
(9) See note 2, above.
(10) Thom's Directory of Dublin 1947, 209a.


6 work entries listed in chronological order for FRATER, ROBERT


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Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, GILNAHIRK ROAD, HOUSES (003)
Date: 1934
Nature: -
Refs: IB 76, 16 Jun 1934, 517

Building: CO. ARMAGH, SEAGOE, PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Date: 1950
Nature: New lavatories and repairs.
Refs: IB 92, 10 Jun 1950, 608

Building: CO. ANTRIM, LISBURN, CLAREMONT STREET, HOSPITAL
Date: 1951
Nature: Alts.
Refs: IB 93, 9 Jun 1951, 622

Building: CO. ARMAGH, PORTADOWN, CARRICKBLACKER ROAD, METHODIST CHURCH
Date: 1953-1956
Nature: FS laid 13 Jun 1953. Electrical installation, 1956.
Refs: IB 95, 6 Jun 1953, 589; 98, 11 Feb 1956, 124;   Kevin V. Mulligan, The Buildings of Ireland: South Ulster (2013), 510.


Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, LISBURN ROAD (FINAGHY), LOWE MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Date: 1955
Nature: New church. £30,000. (Not executed?)
Refs: IB 97, 18 Jun 1955, 635

Building: CO. DOWN, HOLYWOOD, SULLIVAN UPPER SCHOOL
Date: 1957?
Nature: Extension designed by RF; erection supervised after his death by A.F. Lucy, 1858-59
Refs: IB 101, 25 Jul 1959, 535