Basic Biographical Details

Name: McCulloch & Jamieson
Designation:  
Born: 1894
Died:  
Bio Notes: Alexander McCulloch was born in West Fife and commenced his career with practical training in the building trade with a 'leading establishment' in Edinburgh. He studied at Heriot-Watt and in 1864 became assistant to Charles Macpherson, Edinburgh's burgh engineer. In 1868 he commenced the University of Edinburgh's engineering course, winning its first prize and medal in 1870, and was employed by Professor Fleming Jenkin to make illustrations and lecture diagrams. In 1872 he was appointed first assistant to William Mackison, Dundee's Burgh Engineer, in succession to Watson who became water engineer. In 1875 he resigned to set up practice in Dundee as a civil engineer and in mid-1876 he formed the Dundee and Edinburgh civil engineering and architectural partnership of McCulloch & Fairley with James Graham Fairley whom he had known in Macpherson's office.

The partnership of McCulloch & Fairley had a formal existence of only about three years, but remained effective for at least another eight years, McCulloch continuing to obtain Fairley's assistance for any major architectural commission that came his way, most notably at the French Renaissance Girls' High School (1886) in Dundee, one of the finest Scottish buildings of the 1880s.

McCulloch was admitted AMICE in 1885. He took an active part in Dundee public life, becoming a volunteer officer in 1878, a councillor in 1883, and Convener of the Works Committee of the Water Commission in 1884, having a major hand in the design and construction of the aqueduct from Lintrathen to Clatto. He subsequently had a similar advisory role in the design of the Esplanade, succeeding in changing its design from serpentine to straight. He became a Baillie in 1886, but subsequently resigned to apply for the post of City Water Engineer and was surprised to find himself an unsuccessful candidate.

In 1885 McCulloch engaged as assistant George Jamieson, probably because the time Fairley could give to McCulloch's practice was becoming limited. Jamieson had been born in 1862 and had been articled to Alexander Hutcheson of Dundee from 1875 to 1879, remaining as improver until 1881. He had then spent four years in the office of James Maclaren before becoming McCulloch's chief assistant.

McCulloch took Jamieson into partnership in 1894. Around the same time McCulloch moved to Edinburgh where he appears to have been briefly in partnership with his son Robert McCulloch at 3 Bernard Street, Leith, whilst Jamieson carried out all of the firm's Dundee business himself.

Jamieson was a member of the Dundee Institute of Architecture, Science and Art (later the Dundee Institute of Architects) from its inception in 1884, acting as its joint secretary from 1892 to 1894 and serving on its Council from 1895 to 1897. He was admitted LRIBA on 27 February 1911, his proposers being Leslie Ower, John Donald Mills and Godfrey Daniel Bower Shepherd. At that date the address of the practice was 20 Whitehall Street. His works in independent practice were few, mainly alterations for Dundee Eastern Co-operative Society in Peter Street and elsewhere. He died in January 1939.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 120, Whitehall Street, Dundee, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1910After 1930 

Employment and Training

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 4George Jamieson1894 Partner 
Item 2 of 4George Brown Deas18941895Apprentice 
Item 3 of 4Alexander McCulloch1894c. 1900Partner 
Item 4 of 4David Smith18951899Apprentice 

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 5After 1894Fenchurch Buildings  DundeeScotland 
Item 2 of 5After 1894SouthfieldWormit FifeScotland 
Item 3 of 51896Errol Terrace, Victoria Road  DundeeScotland 
Item 4 of 51911Post OfficeNewport-on-Tay FifeScotland 
Item 5 of 51913Masonic Hall  DundeeScotlandReconstruction

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Builder27 January 1939  Obituary of Jamieson
Item 2 of 2The Piper of Dundee*  Biography of McCulloch - CHECK date

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 Personal information on McCulloch from Harry Band