Description

William M Wilson, Dundee, 1937-38; further range at rear early 1950s. Rare survival of little-altered Art Deco style 2-storey, 7-bay, rectangular-plan office block fronting more utilitarian 1950s block, built for McGregor and Balfour Limited, timber merchant. Horizontal design emphasised with base, cill, lintel and blocking courses punctuating contrasting green tile, harl and concrete banding; cantilevered canopy over entrance; metal/Crittal windows; good interior scheme retained. 2-storey, rectangular-plan, linking store and office at rear with full-height bowed SW angle, glass brick openings at ground floor and ribbon window-effect at 1st floor. Rear block of harl with banded 1st floor cill course and blocking course.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION:

OFFICE BLOCK: symmetrical principal SE elevation incorporating terrazzo steps up to canopied centre doorway with flanking bowed windows, tile-banded doorpiece and deep-set, horizontally-panelled 2-leaf timber door. Large tripartite stair window to NE.

REAR BLOCK: 4 glass brick openings to ground at NW and bowed angle at right.

Multi-pane tripartite glazing patterns, with wide centre tripartites to SE; 4 bowed horizontal panes to windows flanking entrance; decorative 12-pane glazing pattern to fixed timber stair window. Modern windows to 1st floor rear block. Cast iron downpipes with decorative rainwater hoppers.

INTERIOR: good decorative scheme in place. Much high quality timberwork and panelling (see Notes) to 2 ground floor front rooms and 1st floor (right). Dark wood panelling to entrance foyer and ground floor passages retained beneath modern wall covering. Plain moulded plasterwork cornices. Each principal ground floor office with squared panelling incorporating desk and shelving, rustic brick fireplace. Dog-leg staircase with brass handrails. Large 1st floor board room with smart period detail incorporating vertical panelling of ripple plane tree crowned by dogtooth cornice at picture rail height, timber fire surround and overmantel, light fittings (see Notes), clock and radiator housing. Strong rooms at each floor with makers plate 'RELIANCE/ DOOR' 'John Tann's Newgate St London'. Rear block incorporates large, plainer spaces.

Statement of Interest

The former North Tay Centre is a rare example of a well-detailed 1930s office block which is exceptional not only for the survival of its little-altered high quality interior reflecting the period style, but also for the retention of the original glazing. The offices were built alongside The North Tay Works (of which a single long range appears to survive immediately to the southwest) which had been an important supplier of shuttles, bobbins and spools to Dundee's jute and mill industries since the mid to later years of the 19th century. Dundee, or 'Juteopolis', 'was the world's major producer first of coarse flax and then of jute' (Watson, p9). Dundee's production of jute was declining by the 1920s but finally ceased in the 1980s. McGregor and Balfour's continued success relied heavily on the export market. Dundee architect William Wilson is known for his ice rink and industrial designs, although few examples of his work now survive. His Dundee Ice Rink of 1937 which McKean describes as 'carefully Art Deco and, thereby, old-fashioned' was demolished circa 2000.

The North Tay Works, sited to the rear of contemporary council housing, was built for McGregor and Balfour Ltd, timber merchants and mill furnishers. Using home grown timber the company manufactured bobbins, shuttles and spools for the jute and textile industries. The former factory is a long rectangular building located immediately to the SW of the office block and store. A further building (no longer extant) sited to the N, an ex-RAF Blister hangar, was used for packing. During construction work was halted as the discovery of bones led to the understanding that this was consecrated ground. However, subsequent research found that on the contrary, the site was used for interring victims of hangings. McGregor and Balfour had an office in Calcutta and after partition the closure of local jute mills resulted in 90% of their output being exported to India.

The recently refurbished interior retains much of the fine detailing, including the board room lights and dark wood panelling at the entrance now concealed by lighter coloured wall coverings. The building was purchased during the 1980s and rented out to a local building contractor who moved out in 2008. It is owned by DIA (Dundee Industrial Association), a not-for-profit venture which rents out small office units in a number of buildings in Dundee.

Mr James Crichton, who provided much of the above information, began work at McGregor and Balfour's as an office boy at the age of 14, and retired as Works Director with just a brief period in the RAF during WWII.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17814089

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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