Burns Dick was born in Stirling but moved to Newcastle as a child where his father worked in the brewing trade.

Generally, Cackett worked on the business side, and Burns Dick provided the artistic input.

He designed other important buildings before World War I including the Spanish City in Whitley Bay, Cross House and Laing Art Gallery.

He designed the granite towers on the Tyne Bridge, originally planning for a grand arched entrance to the city which was never built.

[3] At the time the Evening Chronicle said: "Could Mr Burns Dick have the opportunity of replanning Newcastle as he planned this building, the city might become a modern Athens or Rome.