Basic Biographical Details | Name: | McInnes Gardner Architects | | Designation: | | | Born: | After 1970(?) | | Died: | After 2005 | | Bio Notes: | Alexander McInnes Gardner was born at New Kilpatrick on 21 September 1878, the son of Robert Gardner, bleach work warehouseman, and his wife Jane McInnes. He was articled to A Lindsay Miller of Glasgow in 1893, attending classes at Glasgow School of Art and winning a number of prizes and medals. In 1898 he left Lindsay Miller to work with Malcolm Stark in the Glasgow office of Stark & Rowntree as an assistant. The following year Gardner moved to the office of James Miller. After two years there he re-joined Fred Rowntree in London, and after a further two years he returned to work again for James Miller in Glasgow. He commenced practice on his own account in 1905 at 144 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, in partnership with Thomas Andrew Millar, a fellow draughtsman in James Miller's office. Gardner spent two months studying in Italy in autumn 1910 and was admitted LRIBA in the mass intake of 20 July 1911, proposed by John Bennie Wilson and the Glasgow Institute of Architects. In addition to their known works, Millar's nomination papers mention 'a considerabal [sic] amount of remodelling of commercial property in Glasgow'.
The partnership of Gardner & Millar was dissolved in 1912. Gardner then entered into a partnership with Robert Whyte; this appears to have lasted barely more than a year (1913-14). In 1912 Gardner had designed the Clydebank Public Library, won in competition, and about this time became associated in ship work with George A Crawley of London. He had already had considerable experience in ship work in James Miller's office, having designed the interiors of the Lusitania immediately before leaving. In McInnes Gardner's records most of the ships are referred to by their job numbers and not their names. He worked chiefly for Fairfield, Denny, Hawthorn-Leslie and Workman, Clark and Co. His RIASQ obituary mentions, in addition to the ships listed below, the Northern Prince, the Western Prince, the Eastern Prince, and the Queen of Bermuda, and many CPR ships, including, according to the Glasgow Herald obituary, the Empress of Britain. During the war he served in the RFA, attaining the rank of major, and on his return formed a partnership with Crawley, which was terminated by the latter's death, after which he worked alone.
Gardner was a member of council of both the Glasgow Institute of Architects and the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. He also represented the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland on the Board of Governors at Glasgow School of Art and was a member of the Scottish Committee of the Board of Trade Council for Art and Industry.
In 1950 the practice title was A McInnes Gardner & Partners with an address at 223 West George Street.
McInnes Gardner died unmarried at 3 Woodside Terrace, Glasgow on 11 August 1934, leaving moveable estate of £15,864 18s 3d. Electricity House now best preserves his name, a classical-modern design much admired at the time. The practice continued under the title of McInnes Gardner Architects after his death. | Private and Business Addresses| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | Glasgow, Scotland | Business | | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils| The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Jack Baker McIntyre (or MacIntyre) | After 1970 | | Partner | |
Buildings and Designs| This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1936 | Alexandra Hotel | Oban | | Argyll | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1938 | Glenburn Hydropathic | Rothesay | Bute | Bute | Scotland | Modernisation | | 1939 | Alexandra Hotel | Oban | | Argyll | Scotland | Installation of lift |
ReferencesBibliographic References| The following books contain references to this : | | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | www.mcinnesgardner.co.uk | 2005 | www.mcinnesgardner.co.uk | | Website of McInnes Gardner Architects | |
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