28 November 2013

Professor Charles McKean memorial service

A memorial service to celebrate the life and work of Professor Charles McKean FRSE, Emeritus Professor of Scottish Architectural History at the University of Dundee, will be held on Saturday.

Church bells will ring out across the city centre as friends, family and colleagues gather in St Mary's Church to pay tribute to Professor McKean, who died in September at the age of 67.

The service will take place at 12noon and all are invited to attend.

Described as 'inspirational' by Professor Christopher Whatley, Vice Principal of the University, Professor McKean was the foremost authority on Scottish architectural history, and his distinguished career also saw him appointed architecture correspondent for The Times newspaper and Chair of UNESCO Edinburgh World Heritage Trust.

He was appointed Head of the School of Architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in 1995, before taking up his position as Professor of Scottish Architectural History in the University's History department in 1997.

'Recruiting Charles McKean to History at Dundee was of critical importance in turning around what in the early 1990s was an under-performing department,' said Professor Whatley.

'Charles's energy, commitment and enthusiasm were part of the transformation process, but above all was the brilliance of much of his academic work. Charles brought us 4-star quality research and unprecedented volumes of 'impact', locally, nationally and internationally. He was a unique individual and genuinely inspirational.'

Professor McKean was a passionate advocate of preserving Dundee's architectural history and led hundreds of walking tours of the city over the past two decades. He was awarded an Honorary Stephen Fry Award by the University in 2012 for his life time achievements in engaging the public with his research in Scottish architectural history.

Professor McKean held fellowships of the Royal Society of Arts, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Historical Society, and was an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland and the Royal Scottish Geographical Society.

From 2003-09 he was a member of the Scottish committee of the Heritage Lottery Fund, one of many prominent committee positions he occupied. In 2005 he was appointed Honorary President of the St Andrews Preservation Trust. He was also a prolific author of architecture and history books.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902