Alexander Beith McDonald (12 August 1847 - 31 October 1915) was a Scottish architect, who served as City Engineer and Surveyor in

Glasgow Corporation Glasgow City Council (Scottish Gaelic: ''Comhairle Baile Ghlaschu'') is the local government authority for Glasgow City council area, Scotland. In its modern form it was created in 1996. Glasgow was formerly governed by a corporation, also kno ...

's Office of Public Works between 1890 and 1914.

Early life

Born in

Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...

in 1847, McDonald was articled at the age of 16 to the land surveyors and civil engineers Smith & Wharrie of Glasgow in 1862, and studied engineering, natural philosophy and mathematics at

Glasgow University The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in post-nominals; ) is a public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ...

Career

At the age of 23, McDonald joined the

's Office of Public Works under City Architect, John Carrick in 1870, and soon became involved in development of a wide variety of municipal projects as part of the City Improvement Trust, such as police stations, fire stations, markets, baths, washhouses and tenements. He married Janet Napier at

St Giles' Cathedral St Giles' Cathedral (), or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended until the early 16th century; ...

in Edinburgh in 1877, and had a son born in 1878. After Carrick's death, he was appointed City Engineer in 1890, then City Surveyor in 1891. McDonald retired from the Office of Works in 1914. He was responsible for the layout of

Bellahouston Park Bellahouston Park (Scottish Gaelic: ''Pàirc Bhaile Ùisdean'') is a public park in the Bellahouston district on the South Side of Glasgow, Scotland, between the areas of Craigton, Dumbreck, Ibrox and Mosspark covering an area of . The mai ...

in 1896. He was the architect for Govanhill Baths, which opened after his death in 1917.

Death

McDonald died on 31 October 1915 at his home in 29 Kersland Street, Glasgow of a cerebral haemorrhage resulting from a head injury sustained in a fall from a

Sauchiehall Street Sauchiehall Street () is one of the main shopping streets in the Glasgow city centre, city centre of Glasgow, Scotland, along with Buchanan Street and Argyle Street, Glasgow, Argyle Street. Although commonly associated with the city centre, Sau ...

tramcar. He was buried in the

Western Necropolis Western Necropolis is a cemetery complex in Glasgow, Scotland located to the north of the city centre. As well as the actual Western Necropolis cemetery established in 1882, it is bordered by Lambhill Cemetery which opened in 1881, St Kentigern's ...

. Nine months later his only son, Alexander McDonald Jr. was killed at the

Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...

on 30 July 1916, aged 38.The University of Glasgow Story
/ref>

Buildings

File:235 - 285 High Street Glasgow by Marcok 2018-08-23.jpg, City Improvement Trust tenements,

High Street High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...

, 1891 File:212 Saltmarket Justiciary Building from City of Glasgow College DSCN1879.jpg,

City of Glasgow Police The City of Glasgow Police or Glasgow City Police was the police organisation covering the city and royal burgh of Glasgow, from 1800 to 1893, and the county of city of Glasgow, from 1893 to 1975. In the 17th century, Scottish cities used to ...

Barracks, Clyde Street, 1891 File:Shops on Saltmarket - geograph.org.uk - 939861.jpg, City Improvement Trust tenement with shops, Saltmarket, 1892 File:Archaeology, Education, Medical and Charitable Institutions of Glasgow (1901) (14778460702).jpg, Belvidere Hospital,

Parkhead Parkhead () is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet (place), hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road (now the Gallowgate and Tollcross Road) and Westmuir Street. Glasgow's Eastern Necro ...

, 1892 File:Abandoned Ruchill Hospital - geograph.org.uk - 49994.jpg,

Ruchill Hospital Ruchill Hospital was a fever hospital in the Ruchill area of Glasgow, Scotland. The hospital was closed in 1998 and was sold to Scottish Enterprise in July 1999. It was managed by Glasgow Corporation from its opening in 1900 until the creation of ...

, 1892 File:Ruchill Park hillock.JPG,

Ruchill Park Ruchill Park is a public park in Ruchill, Glasgow, Scotland, approximately north-west of the city centre. It is adjacent to the former location of Ruchill Hospital on Bilsland Drive. History In 1892, Glasgow Corporation acquired the site of ...

, 1892 File:Old Fire Station Springburn - geograph.org.uk - 1412349.jpg,

Springburn Springburn () is an inner-city district in the north of the Scottish city of Glasgow, made up of generally working-class households. Springburn developed from a rural hamlet at the beginning of the 19th century. Its industrial expansion began ...

Fire Station, 1892 File:Springburn Park (geograph 3259465).jpg, Springburn Park, 1892 File:Former police college - geograph.org.uk - 532626.jpg, Police Office and Barracks, Nicholson Street,

Gorbals The Gorbals is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, and former burgh, on the south bank of the River Clyde. By the late 19th century, it had become densely populated; rural migrants and immigrants were attracted by the new industries and e ...

, 1892 File:Glasgow People's Palace facade 01.jpg, People's Palace, 1893 File:Prince Of Wales Bridge and University Tower, Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow.jpg, Prince of Wales Bridge,

Kelvingrove Park Kelvingrove Park is a public park located on the River Kelvin in the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, containing the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. History Kelvingrove Park was originally created as the West End Park in 1852, a ...

, 1894 File:Parnie Street - geograph.org.uk - 1108760.jpg, Tenements on King Street, Parnie Street and Osborne Street, 1894 File:Entrance to the Botanic Gardens - geograph.org.uk - 1031279.jpg, New gates and lodges at

Glasgow Botanic Gardens Glasgow Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden located in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. It features several glasshouses, the most notable of which is the Kibble Palace. The Gardens has a wide variety of temperate and tropical flora, a ...

, 1894 File:Glasgow District Court, St. Andrews Street (geograph 2877866).jpg, Glasgow District Court, 1894 File:Bellahouston Park - geograph.org.uk - 573907.jpg,

, 1896 File:Tidal weir - geograph.org.uk - 763875.jpg, River Clyde Tidal Weir and Pump Bridge, 1896 File:Richmond Park Model Boathouse - geograph.org.uk - 723778.jpg, Richmond Park, Oatlands, 1897 File:29, 31, 33 Ingram Street, Central Fire Engine Station.jpg, Glasgow Fire Service Headquarters, 1898 File:Former Glasgow District Court, Turnbull Street, Glasgow (geograph 6202221).jpg, Central Police Building, Turnbull Street, 1903 File:PartickSewageStation-170914.jpg,

Partick Partick (, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and to the north Broo ...

Sewage Pumping Station, 1904 File:Pollokshields library, Glasgow, Scotland.jpg,

Pollokshields Pollokshields (, Scots language, Scots: ''Powkshiels'') is an area in the Southside of Glasgow, Scotland. Its modern boundaries are largely man-made, being formed by the M77 motorway to the west and northwest with the open land of Pollok Count ...

District Library, 1904 File:Kingston Halls, Glasgow (geograph 1891847).jpg, Kingston Public Halls, Library and Police Station File:Whitevale Baths Glasgow.jpg, Whitevale Baths, 1905 File:Corporation Public Baths and Wash House - geograph.org.uk - 563121.jpg, Parkhead Baths and Wash House, 1905 File:Cumbernauld Road, Dennistoun - geograph.org.uk - 439237.jpg, City Improvement Trust tenements, Cumbernauld Road,

Haghill Haghill is a residential neighbourhood in Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated in the east end of the city, north of the River Clyde. The housing includes tenements (from the 1900s and the 1930s), former council houses and several more recently cons ...

, 1905 File:Clyde boathouse - geograph.org.uk - 943191.jpg,

Glasgow Green Glasgow Green is a park in the east end of Glasgow, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde. Established in the 15th century, it is the oldest park in the city. It connects to the south via the St Andrew's Suspension Bridge. History In ...

West Boathouse, 1905 File:Merchant Square - geograph.org.uk - 938190.jpg, Fruitmarket extension, 1907 File:Bell Street at High Street - geograph.org.uk - 939906.jpg, City Improvement Trust block of offices and warehouses, High Street & Bell Street, 1910 File:145, 147, 149 Renfrew Street, Mclellan Galleries.jpg, Extension to

McLellan Galleries The McLellan Galleries are a major exhibition space in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, situated behind a frontage of shops and offices in Sauchiehall Street. History As part of the city's expansion on Blythswood Hill spearheaded by William H ...

, 1912 File:Sculpture on Kelvin Way bridge - geograph.org.uk - 768904.jpg, Kelvin Way Bridge, 1912 File:Kelvingrove Park - geograph.org.uk - 2112990.jpg, Children's Shelter, Kelvingrove Park, 1913 File:Kelvingrove Art Gallery And Museum (June 10th, 2011).JPG, New southern approach and landscaping to

Kelvingrove Art Gallery Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland, managed by Glasgow Museums. The building is located in Kelvingrove Park in the West End of the city, adjacent to Argyle Street. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Mu ...

, 1914 File:Former Southern District fire station - geograph.org.uk - 1655981.jpg, Southern District Fire Station, 1916 (completed after his death in 1915) File:Govanhill Baths, Glasgow, Scotland.jpg, Calder Street Baths and Wash House,

Govanhill Govanhill () is an area of Glasgow, Scotland, situated south of the River Clyde between Pollokshields, the Gorbals, Strathbungo, Crosshill, Polmadie and Queen's Park. Historically part of Renfrewshire, Govanhill had the status of a police ...

, 1917 (completed after his death in 1915)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McDonald, A B 1847 births 1915 deaths 19th-century Scottish architects People associated with Glasgow Alumni of the University of Glasgow People from Stirling 20th-century Scottish architects Deaths from falls