Donald Alexander Stewart FRIBA (6 July 1876 – 16 January 1940) was a Scottish architect, prominent in the first half of the 20th century.Donald Alexander Stewart
- Dictionary of Scottish Architects His design genre varied between commercial buildings, schools and churches, but he worked almost exclusively in

Perthshire Perthshire (locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, ...

Early life

Smart was born on 6 July 1876, son of Alexander Stewart, an innkeeper, and Christina McPherson. He was educated at Sharp's Institution in

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

, and articled to David Smart, of

Alyth Alyth () ( gd, Ailt) is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, northeast of Blairgowrie and about northwest of Dundee. In 2016 the town had an estimated population of 2,400. First mentioned by name in a 12th-century royal charter of Willia ...

, from August 1892.

Career

Stewart worked in partnership with Smart's son, James, as D & J Smart. From 1896, after working in the office of

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

James Graham Fairley James Graham Fairley FRIBA MSGS (1846–1934) was a 19th/20th century Scottish architect working mainly in the West Lothian area, specialising in churches and schools. Life He was born in West Calder in West Lothian the son of William Fai ...

, he was David Smart's senior assistant, a role in which he remained until 1907, when he became partner. The firm name became Smart & Stewart. In 1911, he emigrated to

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

, Alberta, Canada, where he worked for

Roland Walter Lines Roland Walter Lines FRIBA (14 March 1877 – 9 September 1916) was an English architect who became prolific after his emigration to Edmonton, Canada, in 1906. He served as a lieutenant with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in World War I. He d ...

Roland Walter Lines
- Dictionary of Scottish Architects and then as chief

draughtsman A draughtsman (British spelling) or draftsman (American spelling) may refer to: * An architectural drafter, who produced architectural drawings until the late 20th century * An artist who produces drawings that rival or surpass their other types ...

and, later, chief architect to the

Edmonton Public School Board Edmonton Public Schools (legally Edmonton School Division) is the largest public school division in Edmonton, the second largest in Alberta, and the sixth largest in Canada. The division offers a variety of alternative and special needs programs, ...

. He returned to Scotland on war service in 1916 and chose to stay. In 1919, Stewart was an assistant to

Robert Matthew Mitchell Robert Matthew Mitchell (27 May 1847 – 28 September 1949) was a Scottish architect, prominent in the second half of the 19th century and first half of the 20th. He designed several notable buildings in Perthshire, several of which are now of ...

, who made him partner five years later. The firm became Smart, Stewart & Mitchell. Stewart was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in November 1929.

Selected notable works

Old Academy The Academy (Ancient Greek: Ἀκαδημία) was founded by Plato in c. 387 BC in Athens. Aristotle studied there for twenty years (367–347 BC) before founding his own school, the Lyceum. The Academy persisted throughout the Hellenistic p ...

, Perth (1908) – alterations to preparatory department *

J. Pullar and Sons J. Pullar and Sons Ltd. (also known as J. & J. Pullar and Pullars of Perth) was a dyeworks based in Perth, Scotland. It was founded by John Pullar in 1824 in Perth's Little Pomarium district and pioneered the first synthetic dyes. ''Pullars of P ...

Dyeworks, Perth (1919) – reconstruction after it had been taken over by Eastman of London * Royal George Hotel, Perth (1927) – reconstruction

Personal life

Stewart married twice, first to Georgina McDougall, then to May Isobel Elliot.

Death

Stewart died on 16 January 1940, aged 63.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stewart, Donald Alexander 1876 births 1940 deaths Architects from Perth, Scotland 19th-century Scottish architects 20th-century Scottish architects Fellows of the Royal Institute of British Architects