A. B. McDonald

Govanhill Baths, completed in 1917, was McDonald's last major project before his death in 1915

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.^[1]

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.^[1]

He was responsible for the layout of Bellahouston Park in 1896.^[2]

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.^[1] He was buried in the Western Necropolis.^[1] Nine months later his only son, Alexander McDonald Jr. was killed at the Battle of the Somme on 30 July 1916, aged 38.^[3]

Buildings

• 
  City Improvement Trust tenements, High Street, 1891
• 
  City of Glasgow Police Barracks, Clyde Street, 1891
• 
  City Improvement Trust tenement with shops, Saltmarket, 1892
• 
  Belvidere Hospital, Parkhead, 1892
• 
  Ruchill Hospital, 1892
• 
  Ruchill Park, 1892
• 
  Springburn Fire Station, 1892
• 
  Springburn Park, 1892
• 
  Police Office and Barracks, Nicholson Street, Gorbals, 1892
• 
  People's Palace, 1893
• 
  Prince of Wales Bridge, Kelvingrove Park, 1894
• 
  Tenements on King Street, Parnie Street and Osborne Street, 1894
• 
  New gates and lodges at Glasgow Botanic Gardens, 1894
• 
  Glasgow District Court, 1894
• 
  Bellahouston Park, 1896
• 
  River Clyde Tidal Weir and Pump Bridge, 1896
• 
  Richmond Park, Oatlands, 1897
• 
  Glasgow Fire Service Headquarters, 1898
• 
  Central Police Building, Turnbull Street, 1903
• 
  Partick Sewage Pumping Station, 1904
• 
  Pollokshields District Library, 1904
• 
  Kingston Public Halls, Library and Police Station
• 
  Whitevale Baths, 1905
• 
  Parkhead Baths and Wash House, 1905
• 
  City Improvement Trust tenements, Cumbernauld Road, Haghill, 1905
• 
  Glasgow Green West Boathouse, 1905
• 
  Fruitmarket extension, 1907
• 
  City Improvement Trust block of offices and warehouses, High Street & Bell Street, 1910
• 
  Extension to McLellan Galleries, 1912
• 
  Kelvin Way Bridge, 1912
• 
  Children's Shelter, Kelvingrove Park, 1913
• 
  New southern approach and landscaping to Kelvingrove Art Gallery, 1914
• 
  Southern District Fire Station, 1916 (completed after his death in 1915)
• 
  Calder Street Baths and Wash House, Govanhill, 1917 (completed after his death in 1915)

References

1. "Alexander Beith McDonald". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
2. "Bellahouston Park". DSA. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
3. The University of Glasgow Story

External links

• Media related to A. B. McDonald at Wikimedia Commons