A. B. McDonald

Alexander Beith McDonald (12 August 1847 - 31 October 1915) was a Scottish architect, who served as City Engineer and Surveyor in Glasgow Corporation's Office of Public Works between 1890 and 1914.

Early life

Born in Stirling 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.

Career

At the age of 23, McDonald joined the Glasgow Corporation'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 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 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 tramcar. He was buried in the Western Necropolis. Nine months later his only son, Alexander McDonald Jr. was killed at the Battle of the Somme on 30 July 1916, aged 38.The University of Glasgow Story
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Buildings

File:235 - 285 High Street Glasgow by Marcok 2018-08-23.jpg, City Improvement Trust tenements, High Street, 1891
File:212 Saltmarket Justiciary Building from City of Glasgow College DSCN1879.jpg, City of Glasgow Police 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, 1892
File:Abandoned Ruchill Hospital - geograph.org.uk - 49994.jpg, Ruchill Hospital, 1892
File:Ruchill Park hillock.JPG, Ruchill Park, 1892
File:Old Fire Station Springburn - geograph.org.uk - 1412349.jpg, Springburn 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, 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, 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, 1894
File:Glasgow District Court, St. Andrews Street (geograph 2877866).jpg, Glasgow District Court, 1894
File:Bellahouston Park - geograph.org.uk - 573907.jpg, Bellahouston Park, 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 Sewage Pumping Station, 1904
File:Pollokshields library, Glasgow, Scotland.jpg, Pollokshields 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, 1905
File:Clyde boathouse - geograph.org.uk - 943191.jpg, Glasgow Green 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, 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, 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, 1917 (completed after his death in 1915)

References

{{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