A. B. McDonald

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

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)