Alexander Nisbet Paterson ARIBA PRIAS (1862–1947) was a Scottish architect, mainly working in the Arts and Crafts style. He was president of the Royal Institute of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

Life

He was born on 3 May 1862 at 7 Berkley Terrace in Glasgow, the youngest son of Margaret Hunter and her husband, Andrew Paterson (1819-1907) of James Paterson & Co, muslin manufacturers in the Bridgeton district o the city. His older brothers included James Paterson who later became an artist in the group known as the Glasgow Boys. Alexander was educated at the

Western Academy Hyndland Secondary School is a non-denominational state comprehensive school in the Hyndland area of Glasgow, Scotland. The school provides secondary education for children from the local area, although there are many children from other areas ...

and Glasgow Academy. He studied for the church at Glasgow University graduating MA in 1882, but he wanted to be an artist, like his brother James. His parents could not support two sons in such a risky profession so a compromise was made and he agreed to study architecture at the Ecole des Beaux Artes under Jean Louis Pascal in Paris from 1883 to 1886, staying at least some of this time with James. He returned to Scotland in 1886 and went to work for John Burnet & Son at 167 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, alongside John James Burnet (who had also studied in Paris) the Burnets being family friends. He gained a reputation as an architectural illustrator. In 1890 he was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA). In 1891 he moved to work in the more modern practice of Aston Webb and Ingress Bell, working at

Portland Place Portland Place is a street in the Marylebone district of central London. Named after the Third Duke of Portland, the unusually wide street is home to BBC Broadcasting House, the Chinese and Polish embassies, the Royal Institute of British A ...

, London on the

South Kensington Museum South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...

. Late in 1891 he set up his own practice in Glasgow at 136 Wellington Street. In 1896 he was unsuccessful in the competition for the Glasgow School of Art (won by Charles Rennie Mackintosh) and perhaps due to this he took a break for a study tour in the USA, also visiting his university friend

Stewart Henbest Capper Stewart Henbest Capper (15 December 1859 – 8 January 1925) was a prominent architect in the Arts and Crafts style closely associated with Sir Patrick Geddes with much of his work sadly mislabelled as Geddes’. Due to ill-health he did n ...

, who was then the head of the School of Architecture at McGill University in Montreal in Canada. In 1900, largely financed by his father, he began building his own house in Helensburgh: "The Long Croft" on Rossdhu Drive which included studios for both his wife and himself and ample room for entertaining. The property is now a category A listed building. Over the entrance lintel the doorway bears a central crest and the words “A house that God doth oversee is grounded and watched as well as can be — Salve Bene Dicite”. In 1903 he merged with Campbell Douglas to form "Campbell Douglas & Paterson", the far older Campbell Douglas giving kudos to the name. Douglas was already semi-retired at the creation of the firm and did no work after 1906 but continued in name in Paterson's practice. The practice moved to Douglas's larger premises at 266 St Vincent Street. From at least 1911 he was a close friend of Robert Lorimer. In 1906 Paterson was elected President of the Royal Institute of Architects in Scotland. As with most British architects, works totally dried up during the First World War. By the end of the war Paterson's style was seen as outdated and he received very few commissions. He gained a reputation for designing war memorials, but this work was largely for love rather than money. Meaningful architectural commissions did not recommence until 1928. Of note, he designed memorials to two of his close friends who died: that to

in Cairo, and that to Robert Lorimer in St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. From 1930 he sat on the board of the Ancient Monuments Committee. In 1936 his larynx was removed due to cancer of the throat. He survived but had to relearn how to speak. He then retired completely (he was semi-retired from 1928) and spent his leisure time doing watercolours. He died at home in Helensburgh on 10 July 1947. He is buried in Helensburgh Cemetery with a Celtic cross designed by William Leiper as his monument.

Artistic Recognition

Paterson was portrayed several times: by his wife,

Maggie Hamilton Margaret Hamilton (1 September 1867 – 31 January 1952) was a Scottish artist known for her paintings and embroidery work. Biography Hamilton was born in Glasgow and grew up in Helensburgh after her family moved there. Although she had no for ...

, by his brother James Paterson and by several of his artist and architect friends. Historic Environment Scotland (Canmore) hold the A N Paterson Collection which includes a wide range of his architectural drawings, artworks and photographs both at home and on holiday.

Main Works

*Grave of

Sir James Guthrie Sir James Guthrie (10 June 1859 – 6 September 1930) was a Scotland, Scottish Painting, painter, associated with the Glasgow School#The Glasgow Boys, Glasgow Boys. He is best known in his own lifetime for his portraiture, although today mor ...

and his wife Lady Guthrie in Rhu churchyard. (dnk) *Plaque to William Wordsworth at Yarrow (dnk) *

Reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...

Caddonfoot Caddonfoot ( gd, Bun Chadain) is a village on the River Tweed, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, on the A707, near Galashiels. The village is at the mouth of the Caddon Water Other places nearby include Boleside, Broadmeadows, Scot ...

Parish Church (dnk) *Library for the Solicitors of the Supreme Court in Edinburgh on the Cowgate (1888) *Work on

for Aston & Webb (1891) * Arngask Library and Institute (1892) *Dispensary, Glasgow Eye Infirmary (1893) *Interior remodelling of

Lesmahagow Lesmahagow ( ; sco, Lismahagie or ''Lesmahagae'', gd, Lios MoChuda) is a small town in the historic county of Lanarkshire on the edge of moorland, near Lanark in the central belt of Scotland. Lesmahagow was also a civil parish. It lies west o ...

Parish Church (1894) *Four villas on Millig Street in Helensburgh (1895) *1 Rowallan Street, Helensburgh (1895) *West and East Gables, Helensburgh (1895) *Session house at

(1897) *Uplands in West Kilbride (1897) *Boarding houses (Jeffrey House and Scott House) for Edinburgh Academy, Kinnear Road, Edinburgh (1898) *Bank Street UF Church and Hall,

Clydebank Clydebank ( gd, Bruach Chluaidh) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, it borders the village of Old Kilpatrick (with Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, Bowling and Milton, West Dunbartonshire, Mil ...

(1899) *Art gallery at 5 Old Bond Street in London (probably through Alexander Reid) (1900) * West Kilbride Public Hall (1900) *Golfhill Public School,

Dennistoun Dennistoun is a mostly residential district in Glasgow, Scotland, located north of the River Clyde and in the city's east end, about east of the city centre. Since 2017 it has formed the core of a Dennistoun ward under Glasgow City Council, h ...

(1900) - now abandoned *Lagarie (villa) in Rhu (1901) *Long Croft, Helensburgh (1901 for himself) *Clyde Street School, Helensburgh (1902) * Barr & Stroud Optical Instrument Works, Anniesland (1903) *Moor Gate (villa), Helensburgh (1903) * Lochboisdale Parish Church (pre 1904) *Fire Station, Helensburgh (1905) *Rhu Hall and Reading Room (1905) *Hapland (villa) in Mauchline (1905) *Colquhoun Arms Hotel, Arrochar, Argyll (1906) *National Bank of Scotland, St Enoch Square, Glasgow (1906) *Liberal Club, Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow (1907) *Drinking fountain at Logie Kirk (1907) * Yarrow Village Institute (1908) *Drum Millig (villa), Helensburgh (c.1908) *Renfrew County Police Chambers (1910) *Courtallam (villa) Helensburgh (1910) *Tenement 271-285 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow (1910) *Arrochar Hotel, Arrochar, Argyll (1911) * Albion Car Works Offices,

Scotstoun Scotstoun ( gd, Baile an Sgotaich) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland, west of Glasgow City Centre. It is bounded by Garscadden and Yoker to the west, Victoria Park, Jordanhill and Whiteinch to the east, Jordanhill to the north and the River Clyde ...

, Glasgow (1912) *Scalesheugh (villa)

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

(c.1912) *Whincroft (villa) Helensburgh (c.1913) *Elmbank and Strone (villas) Dunoon (1914) * National Bank of Scotland, Gourock (1914) *Memorial to William Millie Dow (1843-1918) in Dysart churchyard *Scalesheugh Mausoleum (c.1922) *Gateway and Lodge of Edinburgh Zoo (1923) * Yarrow Kirk (1923) rebuilding after a fire *Memorial to

Bonar Law Andrew Bonar Law ( ; 16 September 1858 – 30 October 1923) was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1922 to May 1923. Law was born in the British colony of New Brunswick (now a ...

, Helensburgh Cemetery (1923) *Duncan Macpherson Hospital, Gourock (1925) *Glasgow Savings Bank, Cathcart (1925) *Tomb of

in Cairo (1926) *Gleddoch House, near Langbank (1926) now a hotel * National Bank of Scotland, Helensburgh (1928) *Memorial to Robert Lorimer in

St Giles Cathedral St Giles' Cathedral ( gd, Cathair-eaglais Naomh Giles), 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 ...

, Edinburgh (1932)

War Memorials

Mainly created 1919 to 1922 * Ancrum War Memorial * Barr & Stroud War Memorial *War Memorial, Belmont church, Hillhead * Bolton Parish Church War Memorial *Bon Accord Works War Memorial, Yoker, Glasgow * Cathcart Parish Church (1920) *Glasgow Dairy Company Ltd * Killean and Kilkenzie * Lennoxtown *

* Luss * National Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh *St Andrews UF Church, Edinburgh *St Georges Church, Edinburgh *West Coates Church, Edinburgh * Yarrow *Shandon War Memorial in Gullybridge * Kippen * Langside Old Parish Church *

Rhu Rhu (; gd, An Rubha ) is a village and historic parish on the east shore of the Gare Loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The traditional spelling of its name was ''Row'', but it was changed in the 1920s so that outsiders would pronounce it cor ...

* Helensburgh *

Campbeltown Campbeltown (; gd, Ceann Loch Chille Chiarain or ) is a town and former royal burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies by Campbeltown Loch on the Kintyre peninsula. Campbeltown became an important centre for Scotch whisky, and a busy fishing ...

* Glasgow Academy

Family

He was married to the artist Margaret (Maggie) Hamilton (1867-1952), sister of artist James Whitelaw Hamilton, in 1897. They initially lived at "The Turret" on Millig Street in Helensburgh, a house of his own design, moving to Long Croft in 1901. They had a daughter, the artist Mary Viola Paterson, and son Alistair Hamilton Paterson who rose to the rank of Major General in the British Army.

Gallery

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paterson, Alexander Nisbet 1862 births 1947 deaths People from Glasgow Scottish architects