Basic Biographical Details

Name: Alexander Cumming Dewar
Designation:  
Born: 1 October 1859
Died: 10 March 1932
Bio Notes: Alexander Cumming Dewar was born in Edinburgh on 1 October 1859, the son of Stewart Dewar and Jane Blair. He was educated at Heriot's School in Edinburgh where he was Gold Medallist and Bursar, after which he attended the Royal Academy Schools. He was articled to Shiells & Thomson of Edinburgh from 1875 to 1880. Thereafter he assisted in various offices in Glasgow and London, returning to Scotland to join his brother Andrew Dewar (born 1846) in partnership in Leven in 1888 (Bailey gives 1886, but A & A C Dewar drawings begin 1889 but one obituary notes that he arrived in Leven in 1887). On 25 June 1890 he married May Warburton of Douglas, Isle of Man. The couple had three daughters, MAy born 1891, Doris born 1894 and Winifred born 1900. Alexander was appointed Town Clerk c.1892, retaining the position for the rest of his life and serving under six Provosts.

Andrew emigrated to work abroad c.1903, Alexander continuing the practice alone thereafter. He was admitted LRIBA on 10 July 1911, proposed by William Fleming Wilkie and the Dundee Institute of Architects; his office address at that time was Mitchell Street, Leven and his home address Arend, Leven. His LRIBA papers describe his firm as a 'usual country practice, all kinds of work, Domestic, Schools, Churches, Town Halls, Shops &c.'. In 1931, and very probably before this, Dewar held the post of Burgh of Leven Housing Architect.

Alexander was a keen golfer, and served as Captain of the Innerleven Golf Club. He died at his home, Redcotes, Links Road, on 10 March 1932. He was survived by three daughters. He left estate to the value of £3328 3s 10d. His practice was taken over by Lawrence Rolland.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 5Mitchell Street, Leven, Fife, ScotlandBusiness After 1926address given in Who's Who in Architecture 1926
Item 2 of 547, High Street, Leven, Fife, ScotlandBusiness Before 1932 
Item 3 of 5Arend, Leven, Fife, ScotlandPrivate1888After 1911 
Item 4 of 5Bridge Street, Leven, Fife, ScotlandBusiness1889 *  
Item 5 of 5Redcote, Links Road, Leven, Fife, ScotlandPrivateAfter 19111932 

* earliest date known from documented sources.


Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 2Shiells & Thomson18751880Apprentice 
Item 2 of 2A & A C Dewar1888c. 1907Partner 

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 3Thomas McGarrigleSeptember 1912August 1914Assistant 
Item 2 of 3Lawrence Anderson Rolland19221933Senior Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 3David M Macdonald19231931Apprentice 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1William Fleming Wilkie20 July 1911for Licentiateship - as President of the Dundee Institute of Architects

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 391888Durie Estate, feuing plans  FifeScotland 
Item 2 of 391889Market Cross, Carberry HouseLeven FifeScotland 
Item 3 of 391889Simpson Memorial InstituteUpper Largo FifeScotlandUnsuccessful competition design
Item 4 of 391890s(?)Buildings with shopsMethil FifeScotland 
Item 5 of 391890sMoodies BuildingsMethil FifeScotland 
Item 6 of 391891Leven Town HallLeven FifeScotlandReconstruction
Item 7 of 391894Colinsburgh Town HallColinsburgh FifeScotland 
Item 8 of 391896Cellardyke School and Schoolteacher's houseCellardyke FifeScotlandSecond storey and west wing added and old part reclad in matching stone.
Item 9 of 391896Methil Co-operative Society Premises, Harbour WyndMethil FifeScotlandOne phase of alterations within this period or earlier?
Item 10 of 391897New Parish ChurchLeven FifeScotland 
Item 11 of 391898Masonic and Volunteer HallsLeven FifeScotland 
Item 12 of 391898Street plan South Street and High StreetLeven FifeScotlandWidening of street by removal of old buildings
Item 13 of 391898Tenement of four housesDysart FifeScotland 
Item 14 of 391898Thistle Golf ClubLeven FifeScotland 
Item 15 of 391902St Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church and church hallLeven FifeScotlandChurch hall
Item 16 of 391903Three cottages for James GemmellCardenden FifeScotland 
Item 17 of 391904Block of miners' cottages for Dundonald CollieryCardenden FifeScotland 
Item 18 of 391904Seamen's InstituteMethil FifeScotland 
Item 19 of 391906Cairngreig MansionMethil FifeScotland 
Item 20 of 391906Corner block, Station RoadBuckhaven and Methil FifeScotland 
Item 21 of 391906Leven Ladies' Golf Club pavilionLeven FifeScotland 
Item 22 of 391907HospitalLeven FifeScotland 
Item 23 of 391907Temperance HallKennoway FifeScotland 
Item 24 of 39c. 1910St David's UF ChurchWindygates FifeScotland 
Item 25 of 391911Millfield RopeworksLeven FifeScotland 
Item 26 of 391911Readies BakeryLeven FifeScotlandExtension
Item 27 of 391912Northfield HouseLeven FifeScotlandAdditions
Item 28 of 391912PromenadeLeven FifeScotlandPlan for pavements and tarmac of Promenade
Item 29 of 391914Glenlomond SanatoriumKinross Kinross-shireScotland 
Item 30 of 391914White Memorial Baptist ChurchLeven FifeScotland 
Item 31 of 391919Social housing for the Burgh of Leven, Scoonie siteLeven FifeScotlandBegun with Andrew HAxton
Item 32 of 391920Housing scheme for Local Government BoardLeven FifeScotlandWorking with A D Haxton
Item 33 of 391923Bonded stores of James Haig & CoLeven FifeScotlandAdditions
Item 34 of 391927Houses, Sweerie GreenNewburgh FifeScotland 
Item 35 of 391928Largo CemeteryLargo FifeScotlandPlans for extension agreed
Item 36 of 391930Housing Estate for the Burgh of LevenLeven FifeScotland 
Item 37 of 391930Leven Swimming PoolLeven FifeScotland 
Item 38 of 391931Scoonie Parish Church HallsLeven FifeScotland 
Item 39 of 391932Social housing for the Burgh of Leven, Damhead ParkLeven FifeScotlandWith Charles Welch and A D Haxton

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp112
Item 2 of 3Who's Who in Architecture1914    
Item 3 of 3www.familysearch.org www.familysearch.org Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints: Website 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Dundee Courier1 July 1932   
Item 2 of 4Isle of Man Times28 July 1900   
Item 3 of 4RIBA Journal9 July 1932 London: Royal Institute of British Architectsp722 - obituary
Item 4 of 4Scotsman11 March 1932  p7 - obituary; p16 - death notice

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2Hurd Rolland, Rossend CastleA & A C Dewar drawings  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v17 no1224