Papers and items from Kathleen Veitch, architect, Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland
551 421
Description Papers and items from Kathleen Veitch, architect, Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland
Date 1880 to 1968
Collection Papers and items from Kathleen Veitch, architect, Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland
Catalogue Number 551 421
Category All Other
Scope and Content The surviving office papers and personal collection of Kathleen Veitch, architect from the Scottish Borders. There is a large section of material relating to her 1931 RIBA Owen Jones Scholarship winning submission and subsequent trip to southern Spain, including a sketchbook, reports, postcards, Spanish memorabilia and photographs. Collection also includes student drawings; architectural drawings relating to houses designed by Miss Veitch for her sister and herself (East Kittyfield House, Melrose) and her mother (Greenwells, Melrose); family photograph albums and photographs of Veitch, including one as an apprentice in a London architects' office in 1935; clippings and magazines with articles written by Veitch as well as draft copies; sketchbooks; drawing instruments; and watercolour paintings by Veitch. Also a collection of architectural books and pamphlets.
Archive History The main body of material was donated to RCAHMS in 1996 (Acc No 1996/53). A second body of material, books, pamphlets and a sketchbook was purchased in 1997 (Acc No 1997/17). Both accessions acquired from Miss Carrick who was the sole beneficiary of Maud Veitch, Kathleen Veitch's sister.
Related Material Material held by RIBA Library, London, relating to Veitch includes; X(079)J 72.018(46) Report by Kathleen Anne Veitch, as holder of the Owen Jones Studentship for 1931, of a tour of Southern Spain in March-May 1931.
Access Conditions Open, but note that access may be subject to conservation requirements. Please contact the archive to confirm access in advance of a visit.
Administrative History Kathleen Anne Veitch (1907-68) was the daughter of James Veitch, tweed manufacturer, and his wife, Margaret Reeve Currie, and grew up in Summerfield villa, Hawick. After studying with the Architectural Association in London between 1924-1929, she was admitted an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1930. Winning the Owen Jones Scholarship in 1931, she subsequently travelled around Spain from March - May 1931 before working in London for a time with architects' offices including Romaine-Walker & Jenkins and Welch, Cachemaille-Day & Lander. She left London during WWII to return to and practice in the Scottish Borders. Few of the architectural projects on which she worked have been identified and largely seem to have been undertaken for herself and family members. These include designs for a property at Greenwells, Melrose, for her mother; East Kittyfield Farm, Melrose, which she designed for herself and her sister, Maud; and Little Salt Hall which she designed for herself after being gifted part of the original grounds of Summerfield in the late 1930s. Converting to Catholicism in later life, from 1958 she also worked on the restoration of the Church of Our Lady and St Joseph, Selkirk. She was still working on this when she died in 1968, reputedly murdered in Berwick whilst attending a Catholic retreat.
Finding Aids Finding aids exist for the personalia items in Accn no 1996/53 and the architectural books and pamphlets included with the archival collection.
Accruals Possible further accruals of Veitch's architectural drawings.
Accession Number 1996/53; 1997/17
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