Basic Biographical Details Name: | Alexander Hunter Crawford | Designation: | | Born: | 10 August 1865 | Died: | 11 October 1945 | Bio Notes: | Alexander Hunter Crawford was born in Edinburgh on 10 August 1865, the son of William Crawford, biscuit-maker. He attended the Edinburgh Institution under Dr Henderson. He was articled in 1881 to John Russell Walker and remained there until 1886 when he moved to London. After a couple of short-term appointments he secured a place in the office of Ralph Selden Wornum in 1887, from whom he moved to the LCC Architects Department for six months early in 1891. In August of that year he commenced practice on his own account at 39 York Place, Edinburgh, designing a large warehouse at Maritime Street in Leith. By the mid 1890s he also had a significant Liverpool practice which was at least partly based on premises for the family biscuit-making firm. It may have been for that reason that in 1898 he entered into partnership with Frank Lewis Worthington Simon, the new practice of Simon & Crawford being based in Simon's office at 36 Hanover Street. At Whitsunday the following year there was a further merger with Rowand Anderson's practice as Anderson, Simon & Crawford. This partnership proved brief, being dissolved in July 1902 as a result of a lawsuit. Simon and Crawford then reverted to their previous partnership name, with an office at 10 Randolph Place.
This partnership proved even briefer. When Simon was admitted FRIBA on 9 June 1902, his proposers were Burnet, Cotton and Huon Arthur Matear of Liverpool, a pupil of James Francis Doyle, with whom he had just formed another partnership. No previous connection between Matear and Simon is known and it may be that Matear was simply seeking a partner to help with the major commission for Holy Trinity Church, Southport, begun in 1903. Crawford retained the Randolph Place office after Simon's departure. He was elected FRIBA in 1903 but the proposers' sheet is missing from his nomination papers. His work was of considerable refinement reflecting his London experience. He was a prominent mason, a member of the Grand Committee and Grand Architect, positions which led to his appointment as architect for the new Freemasons' Hall in 1909.
In November 1912 he formed a partnership with Henry Rochead Williamson, but left the practice in the care of Williamson and appears to have been in Liverpool rebuilding Fairfield Biscuit Works. When Williamson was serving in the First World War the practice was in the care of Henry Francis Kerr at his house at 12 East Claremont Street in 1915: Kerr had previously shared Crawford & Williamson's office at 10 Randolph Place, perhaps with the intention of merging the practices. The partnership with Williamson was resumed in the mid-1920s when the practice reappears at 65 Frederick Street and then at 2 Hill Street 1927-33, and at 21 Hill Street in 1937, but Crawford gradually withdrew from practice to concentrate on both the buildings and the management of the family biscuit firm, and from 1931 until 1945 he lived mainly in London at 21 Avenue Road. He was a friend of the painter Robert Burns whose illustrated books 'Sir Patrick Spens' (1931) and 'Scots Ballads' (1939) were dedicated to him. Robert Scott Morton recalled that he wore specially made suits with specific pockets for his drawing instruments, most memorably a long pocket for a folding twelve-inch rule in his trouser leg. He married twice, his first wife having died; his second wife, Gabrielle Landrin whom he married in 1896, was French. They had two survivng daughters.
He was President of the Edinburgh Architectural Association from 1902-03. Outwith his career and apart from Freemasonry, he was interested in motoring and photography. He served as an officer in the Army Motor Reserve from 1906-10.
Crawford died on 11 October 1945. He left moveable estate of £417,393 16s 4d. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | The Nook, Primrose Bank Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | | 1945 | | | 39, York Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | August 1891 | c. 1898 | | | 16, Rutland Square, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1899 | 1902 | | | 10, Randolph Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1902 | c. 1911 | With Anderson and Simon until July1902 and then with Simon until 1903 | | Frederick Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1925 * | | | | 21, Avenue Road, London, England | Private | 1931 | 1945 | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersEmployees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis 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 | | | Newton House | Elgin | | Morayshire | Scotland | Instructed Scott Morton & Co for interior work - date unknown | | 1890 | Hailes Estate, feuing | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Feuing | | 1891 | Warehouse, Maritime Street | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1894 | Houses | Morningside | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1895 | Revoe Council School | Blackpool | | Lancashire | England | | | 1895 | Terrace of four houses, Primrose Bank Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1895 | Villas, 16-18 Primrose Bank Road | Trinity | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | After 1895 | Business premises (Crawford's?) | | | Liverpool | England | | | After 1895 | Business premises (Crawford's?) | Omoa | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | After 1895 | Public Commercial Office | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | After 1895 | Public Commercial Office | | | Liverpool | England | | | After 1895 | Tranent UP Church | Tranent | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | After 1895 | William Crawford & Sons Biscuit Factory | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1896 | Design for Free Church | | | | | Competition design exhibited | | 1897 | Denton Holme School | Carlisle | | Cumberland | England | Competition design, in collaboration with J A Carfrae - placed fifth | | 1897 | District Asylum for Midlothian and Peebles | Roslin/Rosslyn | | Midlothian | Scotland | Two new wings added - Crawford claimed specific responsibility | | 1897 | School | Pitlochry (near) | | Perthshire | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | | 1898 | Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901 | Kelvingrove | | Glasgow | Scotland | Competition design exhibited - unplaced | | 1899 | Colinton Bank House | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions and alterations | | 1899 | Feuing, Braid Estate | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Feuing, Fettes Estate | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1899 | Freeland House | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions - partial remodelling of entrance front | | 1899 | Inchinnan Parish Church | Inchinnan | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1899 | Keir House | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | New dining room and smoking room and gates of old Lecropt churchyard | | 1899 | Perth Evangelical Union Church | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Begun by Simon alone; completed in partnership | | 1899 | Pollok House, including lodges | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions and alterations - porch, kitchen wing and terrace. Glasgow Storey gives details of alterations: The changes included installing electric lighting, a modern kitchen and additional bathrooms with hot and cold running water. Also two new wings constructed. This billiard room is on the principal floor in one of the new wings. | | 1899 | University of St Andrews, St Mary's College | St Andrews | | Fife | Scotland | Remodelling of senate room in library | | 1900 | Dalmeny Street Drill Hall | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1900 | Ecton Lodge | Inverleith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Mainly responsible | | 1901 | Pearce Memorial Hall and Institute | Govan | | Glasgow | Scotland | Executed scheme | | 1901 | Villas, 16-18 Primrose Bank Road | Trinity | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | | 1902 | Balmoral Castle | Balmoral | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Alterations and additions including infill of arches on south front (or possibly by Mackenzie). Raising service court on south side. Also other work on estate. | | 1902 | Bonnycraig | Peebles (near) | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | | 1902 | Dunalistair | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | Inchinnan Parish Church Hall | Inchinnan | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1903 | House | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1903 | Houses | Morningside | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1903 | North British Rubber Factory, Castle Mills | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions | | 1904 | Murrayfield Parish Church | Murrayfield | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1905 | Craigallan | Trinity | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1905 | Large house, Marine Road | Dunbar | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1907 | House at Craiglockhart | Craiglockhart | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1908 | 41 Fernielaw Avenue | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1908 | Tidings Hill | Bo'ness / Borrowstouness | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1909 | Freemasons' Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New building | | 1912 | Factory | Canonmills | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1925 | House for Mrs James Wright | Greenbank | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1935 | William Crawford & Sons Biscuit Factory | Leith | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions? |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Post Office Directories | | | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 19 October 1945 | | | | | Scotsman | 12 October 1945 | | | p4 - short obituary |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | NMRS Manuscripts | | Acc No 1997/8 Autobiographical notes compiled sometime after 1910. | | Professor David M Walker personal archive | Professor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material | | Personal information from Robert Scott Morton and Alastair Service | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F v14 p68 no890 (microfilm reel 11) |
|