Sir Frank C. Mears RSA 1880-1953

Sir Frank Charles Mears was the son of medical missionaries. At a young age his family moved to Edinburgh and he attended George Watson's College.

He was apprenticed to the architect Hippolyte Blanc in 1896 and studied part time at the School of Applied Art in Edinburgh.  After qualifying he travelled in England and France. from 1903 to 1906 he worked in London and in 1908 he moved back to Edinburgh and worked for Ramsay Traquair and also became secretary at the Outlook Tower becoming involved with Patrick Geddes in town planning schemes and marrying his daughter Norah in 1915. Mears and Geddes collaborated on a scheme for the Hebrew University and National Library in Jerusalem amongst other projects.

In 1918 Mears entered into practice with C.C. Carolus Wilson  and was involved in bridge design. From 1925 he lectured in architecture at Edinburgh College of Art. He entered into partnership with Rendel Govan and RJ Naismith in 1952.

He exhibited at the RSA from 1909 until 1951, he became an Associate Member of the RSA in 1936 and an Academician in 1943 and held the office of twelfth President of the RSA from 1944 to 1950.