Basic Biographical Details

Name: Alexander McQueen (or MacQueen or Macqueen)
Designation:  
Born: c. 1848
Died: 1933
Bio Notes: Alexander McQueen (or MacQueen or Macqueen) was born about 1848 on the Isle of Skye, the eighth child and third son of Rev James McQueen, Baptist minister in Broadford, Skye and his wife Flora. He was educated at the Normal Seminary in Glasgow. He was articled to Clark & Bell in Glasgow from 1862 and although an obituary states his apprenticeship lasted until 1869 it is likely that it was completed in 1867 and he remained as assistant for two further years. He indexed a collection of their designs bound up in two albums, now held in NMRS and the other in the State Library of New South Wales. He was practising from 176 Hope Street, Glasgow in the 1870s (in 1871 he was staying with his brother, a commercial traveller, in Govan) but seems to have moved to Oban to practice there for a few years in the later 1870s. However in 1875 an advertisement appeared in the Glasgow Herald for contracts for building a school in Oban and tenders were to be submitted to Macqueen at 139 St Vincent Street, Glasgow.

He was was a Fellow of the Glasgow Institute of Architects.

In 1878 he emigrated to Melbourne, Australia. He moved to Sydney to a post in the Public Works Department in New South Wales for a few years before being appointed as architect and valuer for the Australian Mutual Provident Society. His obituary states that he was often consulted by the State Government 'about disputed resumptions and similar matters... he was regarded as one of the most expert property valuers in Sydney'.

He retained his membership of the Glasgow Institute of Architects and was a member for 64 years. He was also an associate of the Institute of Architects, New South Wales since its inception. He was also a member of the Highland Society and served on the committee.

In March, 1880, he was married to the eldest daughter of the late Captain Lachlan Macalister, a Gippsland pioneer. The couple had a son and a daughter.

In 1916 Macqueen (as he was known in Australia) was granted leave of absence after serving as valuer to the AMP Society for thirty years. He travelled to the UK in April 1916, presumably visitng Scotland, with his wife and daughter and returned to Australia in September of that year. He retired in 1918 and died in January 1933. His wife had predeceased him.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 6Neutral Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaPrivate   
Item 2 of 6Broadford, Inverness-shire, ScotlandPrivate18511861 
Item 3 of 6176, Hope Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusinessBetween 1870 and 1875 * Unclear where this information came from. perhasp RIBA Kalendars? Check
Item 4 of 68, Eglinton Terrace, Govan, Glasgow, ScotlandPrivate1871 *  
Item 5 of 6139, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, ScotlandBusiness1875  
Item 6 of 6Oban, Argyll, ScotlandBusiness1876 *  

* 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 1Clarke & Bell18621869ApprenticePerhaps latterly an assistant??

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 21876Rockfield Road Public Board SchoolOban ArgyllScotland 
Item 2 of 21877Oban Parish ChurchOban ArgyllScotlandNot executed

References

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Glasgow Herald24 August 1875   
Item 2 of 6Sydney Morning Herald14 August 1880   
Item 3 of 6Sydney Morning Herald10 October 1901   
Item 4 of 6Sydney Morning Herald11 April 1916   
Item 5 of 6Sydney Morning Herald1 January 1925   
Item 6 of 6Sydney Morning Herald26 January 1933  

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3Courtesy of Mark Turnbull, Clive Lucas Stapleton & Partners, SydneyInformation sent to Dictionary Sent December 2014
Item 2 of 3National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSClarke & Bell Album (drawings trimmed to fit, address, dates & titles cut away) Drawings indexed by McQueen.
Item 3 of 3State Library, New South WalesSketchbook and scrapbook of architectural plans and tracings