Raymond Gordon Brown (1912-1962)
Raymond Gordon Brown was the first to hold the Forbes Chair of Architecture taking up the post on 1 Feb 1949. This was a joint post which also saw him as Head of the School of Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art. Selection was made by a Joint Committee which included both the Principals of the two institutions. There were 17 applicants from which 4 were short-listed. The decision to appoint Brown was unanimous. The Chair itself was instituted following an Ordinance of 15 Dec 1947.
During the Second World War, Brown served as a Major in the Parachute Regiment. He was President of the Architectural Association, 1945-1948.
The degree of MA was conferred on him by Senatus Academicus on 11 May 1949, suggesting he had no University qualification prior to that. Brown resigned from the chair effective from 31 Aug 1950 following his appointment as first Professor of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong.