Basic Biographical Details Name: | Samuel Grant Alexander | Designation: | | Born: | 1875 | Died: | 20 January 1953 | Bio Notes: | Samuel Grant Alexander was born in Inverness in 1875 but his roots were in Morayshire where he spent much time as a young man sketching the churches and abbeys and where his grandfather had owned Coxton Tower. He was articled to Duncan Cameron of Inverness in 1892. While with Cameron he was resident Clerk of Works at Glenfinnan House, Inverness-shire, overseeing the additions being made there. He was assistant to William Laidlaw Carruthers 1896-1900, and commenced independent practice in 1901 in partnership with Carruthers. He continued in partnership with William Laidlaw's son Robert Ballantyne Carruthers (later Carruthers Ballantyne) when William Laidlaw died in 1914. However Robert Carruthers Ballantyne joined up in 1914 and Alexander was left on his own to run the practice.
He was admitted LRIBA on 20 March 1911, his proposers being Carruthers, Alexander Ross and Herbert Read. Ross and Read were again his proposers, along with Wilfred Ainslie, when he became FRIBA in early 1921. Soon thereafter Alexander left for the United States and settled in North Carolina where he built up an extensive practice and was later joined by his son, Ludovic John Grant Alexander.
Alexander was particularly interested in heraldry. He taught for a spell at the Inverness Art School. Before he left for the United States he served as Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the British Red Cross and a JP for Inverness-shire. He was later awarded the MBE.
He died in Asheville, North Carolina on 20 January 1953 two days short of his seventy-fifth birthday. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Raybank/Maybank/Raybank (?), Inverness, Inverness-shire, Scotland | Private | 1911 * | Before 1920 | | | 17, Queen's Gate, Inverness, Inverness-shire, Scotland | Business | Before 1911 | After 1926 | | | Willow Bank, Inverness, Inverness-shire, Scotland | Private | 1920 * | | | | Asheville, North Carolina, United States of America | Private | 1953 * | | Place of death |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA ProposalsThis proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | Charles Robertson Gallie | Late 1921 | for Associateship |
Buildings and Designs
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1914 | | | | | | Who's Who in Architecture | 1926 | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA Journal | August 1953 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | Obituary p425 p426 Obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | RIBA Biographical Files | | | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | L v12 no719 (microfilm reel 33); F no1749 (microfilm reel 14) |
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