HADDON, David Strachan

Architect

Haddon was outstandingly devoted to the affairs of the Institute of South African Architects and the relationship of the Institute to the building industry; he frequently acted as an arbitrator in disputes.

Born in Johannesburg and educated at Langlaagte School and at the Commercial High School, Johannesburg, Haddon spent a short time in medical school before he entered the office of SV MANN as an assistant from October 1922 to April 1930. In March 1923 he enrolled as a part-time student at the School of Architecture, University of the Witwatersrand. In January 1928 he took part in the architectural students' tour of the Cape under the guidance of Professor PEARSE and in the company of R MARTIENSSEN, N HANSON, and WG McINTOSH, a photograph of the group was published in the South African Architectural Record (Mar 1959:34). As a student he was also a member of the Alpha Club.

Haddon graduated with a Diploma in Architecture in April 1930 and entered Gordon LEITH's office in Johannesburg as an assistant. He was elected an Associate member of the RIBA in 1931 and married in 1935, becoming a partner in GORDON LEITH & PARTNERS the same year. In 1937 he was elected to the Provincial Committee of the Transvaal Provincial Institute of Architects, was President of the TPIA in 1938 and President-in-Chief in 1940, 1943 and 1944. He was in sole charge of the LEITH's office from 1944 to 1945 owing to LEITH's illness. In 1950 he opened his own practice in partnership with quantity surveyor EF ALLEN and later MD LENNARD. The firm was known as HADDON & ALLEN. In 1956 he was appointed Honorary Advisor to the Institute of South African Architects, a member of the Board of the Faculty of Architecture at the University of the Witwatersrand and was elected Vice-President of the Associated Scientific and Technical Societies of South Africa in 1956. At some point he was made Chairman of the Board of Education of the ISAA and architect for the Hospital Board (n.d.).

HADDON practised in Johannesburg for thirty years before his comparatively early death. Notable among the buildings he designed were the South Rand Hospital building, the United Building Society Head Office, the Rand Daily Mail building and a hostel building at Cottesloe for the University, all in Johannesburg. In 1958 he was awarded the Gold Medal of Honour of the ISAA.

In 1959 he is listed as working for HADDON & ALLEN at 503 Trust Building, corner Fox & Loveday Streets, Johannesburg.

ARIBA 1931; ISAA 1935. (ARIBA nom papers (1931) 4689; ISAA mem list; RIBA Jnl Jul 1959:332 obit; SAAR Feb 1959:40 death notice; SAAR Mar 1959:31-4 obit and tributes; SAAR Jul 1959:18; SAAR Feb 1965:16). Publ: The Year in review, SAAR Jan 1939:3-5

Recipient of the Gold Medal Award from the South African Institute of Architects.

All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon.

List of projects

With photographs
With notes

Rand Daily Mail Building: n.d.. Johannesburg, Gauteng - Architect

South Rand Hospital: n.d.. The Hill, Johannesburg, Gauteng - Architect

United Building Society Head Office: n.d.. Johannesburg, Gauteng - Architect

University of the Witwatersrand, Hostels: n.d.. Johannesburg, Gauteng - Architect

Books citing HADDON

ISAA. 1959. The Yearbook of the Institute of South African Architects and Chapter of SA Quantity Surveyors 1958-1959 : Die Jaarboek van die Instituut van Suid-Afrikaanse Argitekte en Tak van Suid-Afrikaanse Bourekenaars 1958-1959. Johannesburg: ISAA. pp 91, 185