Lecture: Lorimer & Dods — A 30 year enduring friendship
Lecture: Lorimer & Dods — A 30 year enduring friendship
Robert Riddel will discuss the architecture of Robin Dods and its Arts and Crafts
origins, as built in Australia between 1896 and 1920.
Venue: Sinclair House Conference Room, Historic Environment Scotland, 16 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh, EH8 9NX
Time: 12.45 – 14.30
It was academic Peter Savage in Edinburgh, who first discovered the wealth of information
contained in Robert Lorimer’s letters to Robin Dods, his friend in Brisbane, Australia. The
discovery of the letters, held by Dods’ daughter, was made about 1974, when Robert Riddel
began researching the work of Dods. Lorimer and Dods had met when students of architecture,
probably in Edinburgh, but certainly in London by 1890 and cemented a friendship and empathy
which lasted until Dods’ death in 1920. Lorimer confided much to Dods about his work, his
clients, his family and his aspirations. But who was Dods? Robert Riddel has revealed the
architecture of Robin Dods in a PHD thesis in architectural history, completed in 2008 at The
University of Queensland where he is currently an Adjunct Professor. Robert will discuss this
work and its Arts and Crafts origins, as built in Australia between 1896 and 1920.
A cooperation between The Lorimer Society and Historic Environment Scotland
Contact for further information: simon.green@hes.scot or a.w.a.dunlop@strath.ac.uk