Pre-WW2 architects and their travels.

[Thomas Dai]

Back in the decades before WW2 many architects made significant trips away from their homelands, and this during a time when overseas travel was by ship and took a long time.
I understand that Royal Melbourne initially paid for Mackenzies famous Aussie trip and I think I’ve read that somehow the travel etc costs were then split up between RMGC and the other clubs he visited on his Aussie/NZ trip. I’m sure someone will tell me I’m wrong if this isn’t correct!
But what about Mackenzies other visits? His various/numerous US trips, his venture to Argentina/Uruguay?
And what about Colt, Morrison’s and Alison’s US and European trips? And then Alison’s Japanese visit?
Others too such as Park in Europe, the US and Canada plus Col Hotchkin in South Africa?
Long trips and journeys took a lot of time back before WW2 and expenses would have presumably been considerable. But who picked up the tab? And what about payment (and tax!) on their overseas work?
Thoughts and insights?
Atb

[Tom_Doak]

I can't remember where I read it - probably in something by Neil Crafter - but apparently MacKenzie had a visit from the Australian version of the IRS just before he set sail for Auckland, and had to pay taxes on his Australian income before he could depart! 


[I wish it were that easy today . . . today he would have to pay accountants on three continents to sort out how much he owed to where.]


As far as I know, Dr. MacKenzie traveled to America the first time on Robert Hunter's promise that they could find some work together, but I don't believe he had any club paying his way over.


The Jockey Club paid for him to come to Argentina and stay for a while.

[Thomas Dai]

Thanks for this Tom, especially the Dr MacK Aussie tax story. I have visions of men in smart suits with a police escort standing at the bottom of a gangway stopping him from boarding a ship! Nice point about the need for numerous accountants these days too. The world has changed.
It can be easy to forget that folks, even those working in a profession they adore, have to make a living so how this is arranged, or in this context how it was arranged during the Golden Age and the decades generally before WW2, seems to me an area of merit for historical investigation.
I wonder how others than Dr MacK handled matters?

Perhaps there are some olden day architects who operated differently though? I believe I’ve seen it written that Tom Simpson for example was someone of private/independent financial means so maybe things were different for him.
Atb