Alexander McDonald, M'Donald or MacDonald (1794 – 23 March 1860) was a Scottish sculptor specialising in granite. He was also an expert on Egyptian granite sculpture. The Last Duke of Gordon - geograph

As a company, they were responsible for a huge number of major public monuments, graves and drinking fountains, all executed in polished granite, a technique perfected by the company. The firm of Alexander McDonald & Co lasted from 1820 until 1941. Their most noteworthy works include the fountains in

Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster in Central London. It was established in the early-19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy, ...

and the tomb of Albert and Queen Victoria.

Alexander McDonald Sr.

He was born in the parish of

Rannoch Rannoch ( or , meaning 'bracken') is an area of the Scottish Highlands between the A9 road, to the east, and the A82, to the west. The area is crossed from south to north by the West Highland railway line. Features of the area include Loch R ...

Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross, Strathmore ...

in 1794, the son of a

crofter A croft is a traditional Scottish term for a fenced or enclosed area of land, usually small and arable, and usually, but not always, with a crofter's dwelling thereon. A crofter is one who has tenure and use of the land, typically as a ten ...

. He adapted the machines and equipment developed by Stewart McGlashan to enable the sculpting of granite. This had not been done since the time of the ancient Egyptians due to the extreme difficulty of working granite with any degree of accuracy. He travelled to the British Museum in London to make careful studies of the granite sculptures from ancient Egypt, removed from

Luxor Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt. Luxor had a population of 263,109 in 2020, with an area of approximately and is the capital of the Luxor Governorate. It is among the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest continuously inhabited c ...

and Carnac. These inspired him to reinvent the lost skill of sculpting in granite. Taking machinery to

Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...

(the main area of granite quarrying in Scotland) from 1829 onwards he developed a major (and highly profitable) business in creation of granite sculptures and headstones, of growing complexity with the passage of time. He also appears to have invested in nearby granite quarries, including Dancing Cairns Quarry in the Bucksburn district of north-west Aberdeen. In 1838 he went into business with William Leslie of Nethermuir, a building contractor and architect (and later Lord Provost of Aberdeen) but the business was dissolved in 1853 due to Leslie's growing interest in Aberdeen politics. In the

Great Exhibition of 1851 Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" * Artel Great (bo ...

the Crystal Palace The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than 14,000 exhibitors from around ...

in London they earned several medals for the quality of their work. In the final years before his death he brought William Leslie of Nethermuir into the company to create McDonald & Leslie. He died of

bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...

on 23 March 1860 at his townhouse, 7 Bon Accord Square in Aberdeen.

Alexander McDonald jr.

His son (1837-1884) continued the firm after his father's death. William Leslie appears to have got on better with father than son, and resigned in 1863 to go into local politics. McDonald jr. had brought Sydney Field into the firm in 1860 to increase artistry, and made him a full partner in 1863 when Leslie left, creating McDonald & Field. In 1864 Alexander had a stroke, and was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He continued to run the company and continued to enter international competitions winning further medals at the Paris Exhibition of 1867, the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876 and Melbourne International Exhibition (1880). In 1867 they received a hugely important commission from

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

to create a Cairngall granite sarcophagus for

Prince Albert Prince Albert most commonly refers to: *Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria *Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco Prince Albert may also refer to: Royalty * Alb ...

to be placed in

Frogmore Frogmore is an estate within the Home Park, Windsor, Home Park, adjoining Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, England. It comprises , of primarily private gardens managed by the Crown Estate. It is the location of Frogmore House, a royal retreat, and ...

, with the effigies on the upper slab being designed by Carlo Marochetti. Following this the firm declared themselves as "granite sculptors to the Queen". He made a trip to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

in 1869 to make studies of sculpture. Around 1870 he commissioned Kepplestone House in Aberdeen and was thereafter referred to as Alexander McDonald of Kepplestone. He died on 27 December 1884 and is buried in a huge pink granite sarcophagus of his own design in the churchyard of

St Machar's Cathedral St Machar's Cathedral is a Church of Scotland church (building), church in Aberdeen, Scotland, located to the north of the city centre, in the former burgh of Old Aberdeen. Technically, St Machar's is no longer a cathedral but rather a Kirk ...

. On his death he bequeathed 150 paintings to Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum, including works by Joseph Edgar Boehm, George Anderson Lawson, G F Watts, Sir Joseph Noel Paton, G D Leslie, Sir Frederick Leighton, William MacTaggart and

Edward Poynter Sir Edward John Poynter, 1st Baronet (20 March 183626 July 1919) was an English painter, designer, and Drawing, draughtsman, who served as President of the Royal Academy. Life Poynter was the son of architect Ambrose Poynter. He was born in P ...

Tomb of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Continuing work

On McDonald jr's death, Sydney Field also decided to quit, and sold his share in the company to Robert Ferguson late in 1884. Ferguson kept his name out of the firm's name and renamed it simply MacDonald & Co also creating a sister company the Aberdeen Granite Works. By the end of the 19th century the company had also opened two premises in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

(Byers Road and Robertson Street) plus a premises in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

(369-375 Euston Road). The company received a group of commissions for South Africa, linked to the Boer War. McDonald & Co and the Aberdeen Granite Works were wound up in 1941.

Works

*Corinthian columns on front of

St George's Hall, Liverpool St George's Hall is a building on St George's Place, opposite Liverpool Lime Street railway station, Lime Street railway station in Liverpool city centre, the centre of Liverpool, England. Opened in 1854, it is a Neoclassical architecture, Neocla ...

(1841-1850) for C R Cockerell *Fountains in

(1845) *Monument to James Jeffrey (1848)

Glasgow Necropolis The Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian era, Victorian cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland. It is on a low but very prominent hill to the east of St. Mungo's Cathedral, Glasgow, Glasgow Cathedral (St. Mungo's Cathedral). Fifty thousand individuals have ...

*Statue of the 5th Duke of Gordon (1848) originally in Castlegate, Aberdeen, relocated to

Golden Square Golden Square, in Soho, the City of Westminster, London, is a mainly hardscaped garden square planted with a few mature trees and raised borders in Central London flanked by classical office buildings. Its four approach ways are north and so ...

in 1952 *Huge obelisk to James McGrigor (1851) originally at

Marischal College Marischal College ( ) is a large granite building on Broad Street in the centre of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland, and since 2011 has been the headquarters of Aberdeen City Council. The building was constructed for and is on long-term lease fr ...

relocated to Duthie Park in 1890 *Monument to Robert Baird of Auchmedden (1856)

*Monument to Robert Barclay, shipbuilder (1864)

*Monument to Elizabeth Burges (1867)

working with Galbraith & Winton *Tomb of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at

(1867) *Grave of William Darling (1868)

*pedestal for statue of John Elder (1869) in Elder Park (for Joseph Edgar Boehm) *Monument to Lt Col Charles Seton Guthrie (1875) in

Kensal Green Cemetery Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of North Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in P ...

*Memorial to 74th Highlanders (1883) in

Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow Cathedral () is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the cathedral church of the Archbishop of Glasgow, and the mother church of the Archdiocese of Glasgow and the province of Glasgow, from the 12th ...

*Mausoleum to 2nd Earl of Kilmorey (1881) in

Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery (originally the West of London and Westminster Cemetery) is since 1852 the first (and only) London cemetery to be Crown Estate, Crown property, managed by The Royal Parks, in West Brompton in the Royal Borough of Kensington a ...

*Mausoleum to Lt General Duncan Sim (1888) in

*Huge Allan monument in

(1894-1899) working with James Pittendrigh Macgillivray who did the bronze figures *Monument to Robert Cochran, Provost of Paisley (1898) in Hawkhead Cemetery in Paisley (portrait panel stolen) *Monument to Charles Garnier in Paris (1899) *Grave of Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein in

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

, South Africa (1901) *Monument to General Edward Woodgate at Spion Kop in South Africa (1901) *Monument to William Dick-Cunyngham VC at Ladysmith, South Africa (1901) *Memorial to

Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Alfred (Alfred Ernest Albert; 6 August 184430 July 1900) was sovereign Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from 22 August 1893 until his death in 1900. He was the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He was known as the Du ...

, second son of

(1901) at

Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle () is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and a residence of the British royal family. It is near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and west of Aberdeen. The estate and its original castle were bought ...

*Monument to James Wilson (1907) in Hampstead Cemetery *Granite work on Ashburnham Library in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

Drinking fountains

From around 1880 they began to specialise in drinking fountains. Notable examples include: * James Crum Memorial Fountain (1861) George Square, Glasgow *Martyrs Memorial Fountain (1864) relocated from Castle Street to St Mungo Avenue in 1984 * Richard Vaughn Yates Memorial Fountain (1858) in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

(vandalised)

Artistic recognition

A bust of McDonald jr by William Brodie is held by the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum.

Gallery

File:St George's Hall, Liverpool - geograph.org.uk - 3248259.jpg, Columns on St George's Hall, Liverpool File:Tomb of James Wilson Pasha and Wife in Hampstead Cemetery.jpg, Tomb of James Wilson in Hampstead Cemetery File:Lt. general Duncan Sim mausoleum Kensal Green Cemetery.jpg, Lt. general Duncan Sim mausoleum in

File:Entrance to The Kilmorey Mausoleum.jpg, Mausoleum to 2nd Earl of Kilmorey in

File:Statue of John Elder, Elder Park, Glasgow (geograph 3583027).jpg, Statue of John Elder, Elder Park, Glasgow File:London, Trafalgar Square -- 2016 -- 4856.jpg, Fountain in

File:Egyptian style mausoleum at Kensal Green Cemetery.JPG, General Sim's mausoleum in

File:Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig Holstein Church Street Cemetery in Pretoria 056.jpg, Grave of Prince Christian Victor in Pretoria File:Charles Garnier monument at the Palais Garnier - detail from Opéra rampe nord.jpg, Monument to Charles Garnier at the Palais Garnier

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McDonald, Alexander 1794 births 1860 deaths People from Perthshire Scottish sculptors Date of birth unknown