Alexander Crawford Lamb
Alexander Crawford Lamb | |
---|---|
Art collector, Antiquarian, Hotelier | |
Nationality | Scottish |
Genre | Non-fiction, collections |
Spouse | Mary Ann Worrall |
Children | two sons and four daughters |
Alexander Crawford Lamb (21 February 1843 – 29 April 1897) was a Scottish hotelier, art collector,
Life
A. C. Lamb was born in Dundee on 21 February 1843. He was the son of Thomas Lamb, who founded Lamb's Temperance Hotel in Murraygate, Dundee in 1828, and of Jessie Crawford. Lamb was educated at the High School of Dundee before being apprenticed to the baking and confectionery trade. After completing his apprenticeship he went to Liverpool, Manchester, and to Edinburgh to gain experience in hotel management. In 1867, Lamb was given charge of a temperance hotel established at 64 Reform Street,[1] (the building was recently headquarters of the Alliance Trust). Soon after, the Murraygate hotel was sold off, and he took over the family business when his father died in 1869. On 3 July 1872, he married Mary Ann Worrall (1851–1937) in Dundee and they had two sons and four daughters. They were Mary (b. 1873), Jessie (b. 1879), Helen Kidd (b. 1881), Thomas Crawford (b. 1883), Maggie Robertson (b. 1885) and George Buxton (b. 1887).[2] In 1878, Lamb was made a member of the Society of Antiquaries. He was also a member of the Fine Art Committee in Dundee, of the Graphic Arts Association (now the Dundee Art Society) of the Edinburgh Bibliographical Society, and other societies.[3] He died in London on 29 April 1897.
The Lamb Collection
Lamb's hotel business was very successful and presumably provided the financial means whereby he amassed the immense Lamb Collection which "now forms one of the largest and most varied collections of local history material in Scotland".
Dundee: Its Quaint and Historic Buildings (1895)
This book contains large and impressive
Publications
- The Dundee Register of Merchants and Trades, with all the public offices, &c. for M,DCC,LXXXIII. A reprint in facsimile, edited by A. C. Lamb, of the first number of the "Dundee Register." Dundee [printed], 1782, [reprinted], 1879.
- "Bibliography of Dundee Periodical Literature, 1775–1891". Scottish Notes and Queries. Aberdeen: D. Wyllie & Son, 1890. Vol. III, Dec 1889 – May 1890 and Vol. IV, June 1890– May 1891. In a series of sixteen articles in this monthly journal, Lamb details exhaustively the periodical publications in Dundee from The Dundee Magazine of 1775 onwards.
- Guide to remarkable monuments in the Howff, Dundee, 1892.
- Dundee: Its Quaint and Historic Buildings. (The illustrations are from drawings made by William Gibb, David Small [1846–1927] and Charles S. Lawson [d. 1884].) Dundee: G. Petrie, 1895. In 2005, a facsimile copy of this book was published by the Tay Valley Family History Centre in Dundee.
Catalogues of the Lamb Collection
- Catalogue of "Old Dundee" – A Pictorial and Historical Exhibition, Illustrative of the Past Life, Social, Political, Municipal, and Industrial, of the Ancient Burgh of Dundee, 1892–93. Dundee: published by the Dundee Art Exhibition Committee, 1892.
- Catalogue of the Burns, Scott, and Shakespeare exhibition comprising books, manuscripts, engravings, medals, &c. from the collection of A.C. Lamb ... by Alexander Crawford Lamb; James Duncan, of Dundee.; Alexander Balharrie; Dundee (Scotland). Free Libraries. Victoria galleries. Dundee: J. Leng, 1896.
- Dowell, Alexander. Catalogue of the select and charming cabinet of modern paintings: valuable collection of medals, choice old cabinet china, camei, antiquities, etc., the property of the late A. C. Lamb, Esq., Dundee. [Edinburgh] [1898].
- John Maclachlan, A Brief Guide of the "Old Dundee" Historical Collection: Formed by the late Alex. C. Lamb, F.S.A. Scot., and presented by Edward Cox, Esq., M.A., of Cardean. [Dundee] Christmas, 1901.
Paintings catalogued in the Dundee Art Collection
- William Barclay (fl. 19th century) – Broughty Castle from the Stannergate – Cat. No. 1971/6.
- James Michael Brown (1854–1947)[6] – The Poet William McGonagall – (charcoal) – Cat. No. 4/41.
- William B. Lamont (1857–1924) – The Poet William McGonagall (1830–1902) – (oil on canvas) – Cat. No. 16/12.
- Unknown Artist – Portrait of a Lady – (oil – bust; full face) – Cat. No. 1971/131.[7]
References
- ^ The Dundee Directory, 1884–85. Dundee: James P. Matthew & Co., 17–18 Cowgate, 1884, p. 460.
- ^ Births, marriages and deaths information available at the General Register Office for Scotland, Scotland's People Centre in Edinburgh, and also at http://scotlandspeople.gov.uk.
- ^ His biography at http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/lamb/biography.htm Archived 10 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Iain E.F. Flett, Dundee City Archivist, in a Foreword to the 2005 facsimile of Lamb's Dundee: Its Quaint and Historic Buildings.
- ^ His biography at http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/lamb/biography.htm Archived 10 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cf. http://www.arcadja.com/auctions/en/brown_james_michael/artist/59748/ (date of death 1947 not 1957 as in this site!)
- ^ W. R. Hardie, Dundee City Art Gallery Catalogue of the Permanent Collection of Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture. Dundee: 1973.
Sources
Dundee Libraries, Local History Centre (Accessed 2012-10-03):