PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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HECTOR JOHN WATT STIRLING
Mr Hector John Watt Stirling came to Plymouth from Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1950 to fill the post of City Architect. The reconstruction of the City after the Blitz had already started but the City Centre was still largely flat. It needed buildings and it needed them quickly. Although he continued to carry out the principals of the "Plan for Plymouth", he stamped his own mark on the design of the buildings. He was personally responsible for the layout of the area that included the Guildhall, the Civic Centre (it used to be called Stirling Castle!) and the proposed concert hall, restaurant and law courts that were to be on its western side. The law courts were eventually switched to a place nearer to the Guildhall and the concert hall took another thirty years to become the Theatre Royal. The Pembroke Street housing scheme in Devonport won him the Grand Prix D'Honeur of the National Festival of Architecture and Monumental Art in Paris in 1956. In addition he was responsible for the restoration of the Central Library, the post-war housing estates and the "star" blocks of flats in Devonport. Mr Stirling had one curious distinction: he was a Freeman of the City of London. This came about because he was short-listed for the appointment as Architect to the City of London in 1955 but in order for him to be able to address the Common Council of the City he had to be a Freeman. Fortunately for Plymouth, he was not appointed but all the short-listed candidates were allowed to retain their unusual honour. Hector Stirling retired in April 1970 and died in the June of that year, at the age of 62. Sources:
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