Geoffrey Jarvis, Architect, conservationist and campaigner

Published on Monday 16 March 2009 19:56

Born: 9 January, 1928, in London. Died: 10 February, 2009, at Baldernock, Stirlingshire, aged 81.

GEOFFREY Jarvis was a distinguished architect with a passion for the Scottish built environment. His fascination with building, whether it was Scottish vernacular or burgh architecture, Edinburgh's New Town or the robust strength of Glasgow's 19th-century buildings, led him into a parallel career as a campaigner.

He aimed to increase public appreciation of Glasgow's architecture, which, in the 1950s and 1960s, was unloved by politicians, with buildings constantly under the threat of demolition. Later, this interest widened to include Clydeside's maritime heritage, the generated wealth from which had created much of the city he was so proud of.

Geoffrey was brought up in Glasgow, where his father was minister of Wellington Church in the city's West End. His schooling at Kelvinside and Glasgow academies culminated in his being appointed school captain of "the Academy". National Service saw him commissioned in the Royal Artillery, with service in the Middle East during the troubled times of the British mandate in Palestine. On his return to Glasgow, he studied architecture at "the Tech" (now Strathclyde University), where he was later a visiting professor.

During a varied career with Glasgow-based firm the Boys Jarvis Partnership, he gained a reputation as a conservation architect, with a profound and imaginative approach to reusing historic buildings. He was responsible for the spectacular restoration of the Duke of Hamilton's huge but stunning "dog kennel" or "hunting lodge" of four linked pavilions, designed by William Adam, at Chatelherault, Lanarkshire.

Among several projects for the National Trust of Scotland, he converted Robert Adam's Home Farm complex at Culzean Castle into a stylish visitor centre. He was also the architect for the Clan Donald Centre, created out of an early 19th-century stable block, at Armadale in Skye. For these and other projects, he won several awards from Europa Nostra, the Scottish Civic Trust and RIBA. Towards the end of his professional career, he submitted an exciting scheme to the Scottish Development Department for new visitor-reception facilities at Edinburgh Castle.

His mother had founded The Glasgow Tree Lovers' Society, and he used this as an early base to develop proposals for tidying up the south bank of the Clyde and to improve the north bank, with a concert hall overlooking the river.

The ad hoc committee that worked on the north bank scheme evolved into a larger amenity society, with Geoffrey as its instigator and natural leader. The movement became the New Glasgow Society, which drew a crowd of more than 1,700 to its inaugural meeting, following an organised walk from George Square up to Greek Thomson's church at the top of St Vincent Street.

In its heyday, the society had considerable influence on the re-evaluation of Glasgow's architecture, which eventually encouraged a political acceptance of a policy of restoration and conservation of Glasgow's buildings. It was also instrumental in the establishment of the Glasgow Urban Design Panel, which advises the council on controversial planning applications and to which Geoffrey was an outspoken contributor.

At the start of the 1990s he was involved in the preparations culminating in the 1896 Clyde-built sailing vessel Glenlee returning from Spain and he founded Clydebuilt, a support group, with the aim of celebrating the extraordinary history of shipbuilding on the River Clyde. He campaigned for the former Glasgow Garden Festival site at Princes Dock to be converted into a public attraction like the Tivoli Gardens and, as chairman of the Clyde Heritage Trust, he led the campaign to bring the Royal Yacht Britannia back to the Clyde as the centrepiece of a maritime heritage park based at the A-listed dry docks at Govan.

Despite the disappointment of seeing the Britannia finally berthed in Edinburgh, he continued to attempt to influence decisions relating to the River Clyde. In addition, he gathered volunteers to produce a history of the development of Glasgow, which was eventually issued as a sophisticated CD.

Strikingly handsome, he managed to avoid matrimony until he met Rosalind Bailey, a daughter of the manse, and they married in 1971, embarking on an exceptionally happy and creative union. Coming late to fatherhood, Geoffrey was inordinately proud of his children: Michael, Lolo, Grahame and Jeeka – and he was concerned for their future.

When he realised the perils of climate change in recent years, he was once again stung into action. Despite advancing prostate cancer he campaigned until the end on the need to reduce our carbon emissions and adopt more sustainable lifestyles.

Geoffrey was a man of enthusiasm and integrity who always strove to do his best and encouraged others to do likewise. He died at home, surrounded by his wife and children. He is also survived by his two brothers and two grandchildren.