Basic Biographical Details

Name: Duncan Carmichael
Designation:  
Born: 18 February 1861
Died: 16 November 1923
Bio Notes: Duncan Carmichael was born on 18 February 1861, the only son of the three children of Peter Carmichael and his wife Janet Donaldson. The Carmichaels owned and ran the Salutation Hotel in Perth; they must have invested in the construction of the Tay Bridge because they reputedly lost their money in the Tay Bridge disaster in 1879.

Duncan was educated at the Royal High School in Edinburgh and was said to have won the Dux Prize. Nothing is known of his professional training but by 1891 he was in practice in London when he exhibited a sketch of 'Three Houses in Haus Place' at the Royal Academy which was later reproduced in the Builder. In 1891 he was living in Cromwell Grove, West Kensington.

Duncan returned to Dundee in the mid 1890s to execute the designs by Charles Carmichael of 1889 for St Margaret's Barnhill. He was not related to Charles Carmichael (in the Transactions of the Scottish Eccesiological Society he is simply described as sharing a surname and no indication of a family connection is made). The family had a connection with Barnhill, Dundee as Duncan's elder married sister, Helen F Millar, lived there. Duncan appears to have worked for McAlpines in London in the 1890s and perhaps later.

He does not appear in the British Architectural Library/RIBA 'Directory of British Architects 1834-1914'. He travelled extensively and spent some time in Australia but did not marry until 1897. His wife who was 21 at the time of her marriage was Sarah Ann Spackman (known as Florence), daughter of a well-known builder in Newmarket. They had five children, four daughters and a son. They appear to have returned to live in Scotland in some point, their youngest daughter Joan being born in Carnoustie in 1910. Duncan left the family there in straightened circumstances and returned to London to work, returning to Scotland in 1923 probably through ill-health. At this time they were living in Ramsay House, 3 Castle Street, Montrose which was run as a hotel by Duncan's wife.

Duncan died on 16 November 1923 and was buried in Sleepy Hillock Cemetery on the Brechin Road in Montrose. He was survived by his wife who died in Southsea on 24 January 1953.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 5Perth, ScotlandPrivate  Place of birth
Item 2 of 5ScotlandBusiness   
Item 3 of 5Ramsay House/3, Castle Street, Montrose, Angus, ScotlandBusiness 1921 
Item 4 of 5London, EnglandBusinessc. 1890  
Item 5 of 51, Cromwell Grove, West Kensington, London, EnglandPrivate1891  

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 41891Three houses in Hans PlaceChelsea LondonEngland 
Item 2 of 4c. 1894St Margaret's Church, BarnhillBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandExecuted amended design (only nave and not transepts built)
Item 3 of 4c. 1896St Margaret's Church, BarnhillBroughty Ferry DundeeScotlandFont cover
Item 4 of 41906St Roques Mill Old Engine House  DundeeScotland 

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Trans… of the Aberdeen Ecclesiological Society*   
Item 2 of 2Trans… of the Aberdeen Ecclesiological Societybetween 1914 and 1915  pp260-261

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Information via the website from Carmichael's daughters Joan (who was 97 in 2007) and Elspeth and grandson Dr Ian Holme.