Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect and engineer, of Belfast. Redmond Taggart was a son of WILLIAM DAVID REDMOND TAGGART WILLIAM DAVID REDMOND TAGGART . He studied engineering at Oxford,(1) and was working in his father's office by 1930.(2) In 1931 he became his father's partner, the practice being known as W.D.R. & R.T. Taggart. It was Redmond Taggart who was principally responsible for the design of the Public Elementary School in Comber, Co. Down (1937-38), described as one of the finest elementary schools in Northern Ireland.(3) During the 1930s he is also named as architect to the Tourist Trophy Race Committee.(4)

As a lieutenant commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Taggart was called up soon after the outbreak of World War II. In 1940, while he was on active service, his father died. He was immediately appointed successor to his father as engineer to the Belfast and Antrim Rural District Councils; during his absence his duties were undertaken by JAMES STILWELL MUNCE. JAMES STILWELL MUNCE. (5) He resumed architectural practice after the war, still under the name of W.D.R. & R.T. Taggart, and remained active until the 1980s.(6)

RIBA: elected licentiate, 16 January 1945, having been proposed by JAMES REID YOUNG JAMES REID YOUNG , FRANK MCARDLE  FRANK MCARDLE and THOMAS ROBERT EAGAR. THOMAS ROBERT EAGAR. (7)
RSUA: associate by 1937; fellow by 1967.

Addresses: 10 Malone Park, 1944;(8) Castle Arcade Buildings, 1947(9)-1954;(10m) 13 College Gardens, Belfast, 1955(11)-1967; 32 Wellington Park, 1968-1982.

For works (until 1940 only), see under WILLIAM DAVID REDMOND TAGGART. WILLIAM DAVID REDMOND TAGGART.



References

All information not otherwise accounted for is from RSUA lists of members in RSUA year books and Thom's directories.

(1) RIBA Kalendar 1957-1958, 520. The fact that he was joint hon. secretary of the newly formed Queen's University Guild in 1930 (IB 72, 20 Dec 1930, 1122) suggests that he may also have attended Queen's.
(2) IB 72, 20 Dec 1930, 1122.
(3) Obituary of W.D.R. Taggart in IB 82, 12 Oct 1940, 621.
(4) IB 77, 21 Sep 1935, 871.
(5) IB 82, 26 Oct 1940, 645.
(6) His name appears on the list of RSUA members for 1882 but has disappeared by 1991; the practice known as W.D.R. & R.R. Taggart was still active in 2000.
(7) IB 87, 24 Feb 1945, 82; RIBAJ 52 (1944-45), 59.
(8) See note 7, above.
(9) IB 89, 14 Jun 1947, 448.
(10) IB 96, 3 Jul 1954, 656.
(11) IB 97, 3 Dec 1955, 1272