Allan Dreghorn (1706–1764) was an 18th century Scottish architect largely associated with

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

Life

He was born in Glasgow the son of Robert Dreghorn of

Ruchill Ruchill () is a district in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It lies within the Canal Ward of north Glasgow in the Ruchill Community Council area between the Maryhill and Possilpark areas of the city. It has traditionally been characterised by a ...

and his wife Margaret Dickie. He was involved in several fields: including the family coach-building business and a partner in the Smithfield Ironworks and he owned a timber yard on Clyde Street. From 1742 to 1756 he ran the company Allan Dreghorn & Co. In later years he moved to building projects, proving himself a very capable architect. He was city Treasurer from 1739 and was elected a Bailie in 1741. He was said to be the first non-aristocratic person to have their own four-wheeled carriage in Glasgow (presumably self-built). His architectural work embraced sculpture by Mungo Naismith and

David Cation David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

and the plasterer Thomas Clayton. In 1745 Dreghorn was one of the negotiators alongside Provost

Andrew Cochrane Andrew Cochrane of Brighouse (1693–1777) was an 18th-century tobacco lord and a slave trade owner who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow three times, more than any other person: 1744/5, 1748/9, and 1760/1. Cochrane Street in central Glasgow w ...

who agreed the sum to be paid to the Jacobite army to save the city from plunder. In 1750 he was joint founder of the

Old Ship Bank The Ship Bank or more usually Old Ship Bank was an independent bank formed in Glasgow in 1750: Glasgow's first bank. History The bank was created in 1750 by Andrew Buchanan of Drumpellier and other "Virginia Dons": Glasgow tobacco lords of the ...

. In the same year he was involved in the public roup for the Glasgow ship "Bess". In 1752 using the profits from his success he built his own house on Great Clyde Street. He died at his country estate of Ruchill House in October 1768.

Family

He married Isobella Bryson (1716-1786) daughter of John Bryson of Craigallan.They had three daughters and one son. Their son (or perhaps nephew), Robert Dreghorn (nicknamed "Bob Dragon" 1748-1806), was a well-known Glasgow character whose looks led him to be used as a threat to children: "Bob Dragon will get you". Bob was disfigured by

smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...

at a young age and was heavily pock-marked with one eye missing and a crooked nose. He hanged himself in 1806 at the Dreghorn mansion.Preface notes on the reprinted Jones Directory of Glasgow 1797

Works attributed to Dreghorn

*Glasgow University Library (1732) *Old Glasgow Town Hall at Trongate (1736) demolished 1911 *

Pollok House Pollok House, formerly the family seat of the Stirling-Maxwell family, is located at Pollok Country Park in Glasgow, Scotland (which also houses the Burrell Collection). Overview The house, built in 1752 and originally thought to be designed b ...

(1747) *St Andrews-in-the-Fields, central Glasgow

Artistic recognition

In 1994 a medallion head of Dreghorn by sculptor

Alexander Stoddart Alexander "Sandy" Stoddart (born 1959) is a Scottish sculptor, who, since 2008, has been the Queen's Sculptor in Ordinary in Scotland. He works primarily on figurative sculpture in clay within the neoclassical tradition. Stoddart is best k ...

was added on the building at 178-182 Ingram Street.

Trivia

The grounds of Ruchill House now form

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 R ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dreghorn, Allan 1706 births 1764 deaths Architects from Glasgow Scottish architects