Stewart McGlashan or McGlashen(1807–1873) was a Scottish sculptor and mason, responsible for creating the company Stewart McGlashen (sic) which flourished from 1842 to 1974. He was responsible for devising a series of machines capable of creating highly polished granite (sometimes with a mirror finish) for the first time, and capable of carving intricate designs accurately and fast. At his time he was not held in high esteem by sculptors who saw him as undermining their artistry. Despite not being "hand-carved" the artistry value of his work is exceptionally high.
He was very fond of the use of pink and red granites rather than the typical grey granites. His work is usually done as a single piece of granite, except in unusual pieces such as the Dean Cemetery pyramid.
His work was in high demand and changed the face of cemetery design, also adding immeasurably the durability of monuments.
Life
He was born in
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 ...
in western Scotland on 2 November 1807, the son of James McGlashen or McGlashan, a builder. He was christened on 17 November.
In 1842 he set up a monumental mason business at the entrance to the newly opened Southern Necropolis in
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 ...
, living at that time at 81 Lawmoor Place, nearby to the south (now demolished).
In 1846 he moved to
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 ...
and set up a yard immediately north of the entrance to
Dean Cemetery
The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on ...
(later absorbed into the first cemetery extension in 1871). He was living at
Canonmills
Canonmills is a district of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It lies to the south east of the Royal Botanic Garden at Inverleith, east of Stockbridge and west of Bellevue, in a low hollow north of Edinburgh's New Town. The area was forme ...
Bridge where he had a second yard and an office.
This was more publicly visible, and in theory served
Warriston Cemetery
Warriston Cemetery is a cemetery in Edinburgh. It lies in Warriston, one of the northern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built by the then newly-formed Edinburgh Cemetery Company, and occupies around of land on a slightly sloping si ...
in the north of the city.
By 1865 he was living in a house at 6 Huntly Street, close to the Canonmills yard. He brought his son, Stewart McGlashan (1844–1904) into the firm around this time, creating McGlashan & Son. From 1881 (without explanation) the spelling of the company changed to McGlashen. From around 1875 they had a sister company (involved in quarrying) the Edinburgh Granite and Stone Company.
He died of heart disease at home 1 Eyre Place in Canonmills, Edinburgh on 9 September 1873. He is buried in
Warriston Cemetery
Warriston Cemetery is a cemetery in Edinburgh. It lies in Warriston, one of the northern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built by the then newly-formed Edinburgh Cemetery Company, and occupies around of land on a slightly sloping si ...
. The modest granite stone lies in the overgrown area to the south-west and is hard to access.
In 1898 the company opened a third yard at 8 Grange Road serving
Grange Cemetery
The Grange (originally St Giles' Grange) is an affluent suburb of Edinburgh, just south of the city centre, with Morningside and Greenhill to the west, Newington to the east, The Meadows park and Marchmont to the north, and Blackford Hil ...
.
Stewart McGlashan Jr was also buried in
Warriston Cemetery
Warriston Cemetery is a cemetery in Edinburgh. It lies in Warriston, one of the northern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built by the then newly-formed Edinburgh Cemetery Company, and occupies around of land on a slightly sloping si ...
. His grave is marked by a "typical" McGlashan Celtic cross.
The company became a subsidiary of
Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty plc () is an international infrastructure group based in the United Kingdom with capabilities in construction services, support services and infrastructure investments. A constituent of the FTSE 250 Index, Balfour Beatty works ac ...
in 1974.
[The Herald 27 December 2002]
The Canonmills office and yard on Canonmills Bridge survived until 2019 when they were demolished for a housing development.
Family
In 1833 he married Mary Buchanan (1810-1907) at the
Barony Church
Barony Hall, also known as Barony Church, is a red sandstone Victorian neo-Gothic-style building on Castle Street in the Townhead area of Glasgow, Scotland, near Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the city's oldest surviving ho ...
in
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 ...
. They had at least nine children, two of whom died in infancy.
Notable works
*Dramatic pyramid to
Andrew Rutherfurd, Lord Rutherfurd
The Right Hon. Andrew Rutherfurd, Lord Rutherfurd, (born Andrew Greenfield; 21 June 1791 – 13 December 1854) was a Scottish advocate, judge and politician.
Early life
Rutherfurd was born at Bristo Port (near Greyfriars Kirkyard) in Edinburg ...
(1853) to a design by
William Henry Playfair
William Henry Playfair FRSE (15 July 1790 – 19 March 1857) was a prominent Scottish architect in the 19th century, who designed the Eastern, or Third, New Town and many of Edinburgh's neoclassical landmarks.
Life
Playfair was born on 15 ...
*Monument to Major General William Gairdner,
Dean Cemetery
The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on ...
(1861)
*Monument to Rev Francis Gillies,
Dean Cemetery
The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on ...
(1862)
*Monument to John Cunningham,
Warriston Cemetery
Warriston Cemetery is a cemetery in Edinburgh. It lies in Warriston, one of the northern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built by the then newly-formed Edinburgh Cemetery Company, and occupies around of land on a slightly sloping si ...
(1873)
*Drinking fountain in
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...
(1874)
*Monument to Lt John Irving of the
Franklin Expedition
Franklin's lost expedition was a failed British voyage of Arctic exploration led by Captain (Royal Navy), Captain Sir John Franklin that departed England in 1845 aboard two ships, and , and was assigned to traverse the last unnavigated sect ...
in
Dean Cemetery
The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on ...
(1881) including low relief by
William Brodie
William Brodie (28 September 1741 – 1 October 1788), often known by his title of Deacon Brodie, was a Scottish cabinet-maker, deacon of a trades guild, and Edinburgh city councillor, who maintained a secret life as a housebreaker, partly for ...
*Monument to Dr Daniel Richmond,
Woodside Cemetery in
Paisley (1885)
*Monument to Thomas Glen,
Woodside Cemetery in
Paisley (1886)
*Monument slab to
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...
inside
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Refor ...
(1889)
*Memorial to Catherine Watson,
North Berwick
North Berwick (; gd, Bearaig a Tuath) is a seaside town
A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on th ...
(1890)
*Memorial to Scottish-American soldiers in the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
,
Old Calton Burial Ground
The Old Calton Burial Ground is a cemetery in Edinburgh, Scotland. It located at Calton Hill to the north-east of the city centre. The burial ground was opened in 1718, and is the resting place of several notable Scots, including philosopher ...
(1891) including statue of
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
by
George Edwin Bissell
George Edwin Bissell (February 16, 1839 – August 30, 1920) was an American sculptor.
Biography
Bissell was born New Preston, Connecticut, the son of a quarryman and marble-cutter. During the American Civil War he served as a private in the 2 ...
*Monument to James Brown Howard,
Dean Cemetery
The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on ...
(1895)
*Monument to James Wilson of the Scottish Fisheries,
Warriston Cemetery
Warriston Cemetery is a cemetery in Edinburgh. It lies in Warriston, one of the northern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built by the then newly-formed Edinburgh Cemetery Company, and occupies around of land on a slightly sloping si ...
(1898)
*Monument to
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence.
Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army a ...
in
Robroyston
Robroyston ( gd, Baile Raibeart Ruadh) is a suburb of Glasgow, Scotland, located around 3 miles (5 km) north-east of the city centre.
To the north, it directly adjoins Auchinairn (part of Bishopbriggs) in the neighbouring East Dunbartons ...
(1900)
*Monument to the Scottish Horse Regiment, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade (1905)
*Boer War Memorial in
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Refor ...
(1905)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGlashan, Stewart
1807 births
1874 deaths
People from Campbeltown
Scottish sculptors
19th-century Scottish businesspeople