Basic Biographical Details Name: | Archibald Macpherson | Designation: | | Born: | 1851 | Died: | 24 December 1927 | Bio Notes: | Archibald Macpherson was born a Roman Catholic in 1851, the son of Gavine MacPherson (sic) and Agnes Macfarlane. He was educated at 'Dr Robertson's Academy' and Edinburgh Royal High School and articled to John Paterson in 1866, remaining as assistant until 1873 and studying at the School of Design and Royal Institution. Whilst there he won a prize for a geometrical drawing of Grecian architecture in 1868-69, and made further measured drawings of abbeys in the Scottish Borders. In 1873 he moved to Robert Rowand Anderson's office as assistant, later becoming chief assistant and prospective partner, but incompatibility resulted in Macpherson returning to Paterson's practice, also as prospective partner in 1876. At that date he was living at 2 Sciennes Hill Place and the practice was based at 21 St Andrew Square. He took over the practice when Paterson died in July 1877, completing Paterson's jobs until 1879 or 1880 when he moved to 37 George Street to commence practice on his own account. At about that time he made study tours to Ireland, Normandy and northern Italy, later extending his travels to Spain and Germany.
Of Macpherson, 'EJMR' (Ebeneezer Macrae) observed that although he was a fine draughtsman,
'finished drawings were rare, details being redrawn and altered many times over, and often a set of working drawings being ruthlessly scrapped and begun again. He never grudged time spent thus, though assistants might find the practice a trying experience… He 'thought in perspective' and had a never failing sense of construction and scale. In his student days wild theories of proportion were propounded, and the subject fascinated him. He often wrote upon it, and while sanely discounting the absurdities of unbalanced theorists he studied many ancient buildings from this point of view and was satisfied that their harmonious proportions were not accidental. Ever afterwards in designing any plan elevation or section, his angle of sixty set square was freely used giving intersections of thirty and sixty degrees. This, however, was only used as a test, for few men had such a finely tuned sense of proportion as he. Probably fewer possessed his encyclopaedic knowledge of the ecclesiology of the middle ages.
'To Macpherson architecture was only a part of a general culture, for he 'saw life steadily and saw it whole'. Music was a part of his nature, and he was for many years the enthusiastic conductor of a large church choir, and he sang, and played the violin. Equally at home in Italian, Spanish and French, his range of reading was wide. In his last years Dante and Cervantes were the favourites to whom he turned for comfort. His own personal courtesy and charm of manner were in keeping with his artistic ideals.'
Macpherson's practice was never large and after his initial success at St Aloysius College, Glasgow, largely confined to the archdiocese of Edinburgh and the dioceses of St Andrews and Dunkeld and of Aberdeen. Even within these dioceses most urban priests preferred Pugin & Pugin and the showier marble work of Charles Jean Menart. His scholarly understated style appealed more to converts and to the old Catholic gentry. It was only after the First World War that he evolved an individualistic brick style for industrial congregations.
In his earlier years Macpherson lived at Braehead Cottage, Braid Road. Around 1891 the practice moved to 7 Young Street, which by 1914 had become both house and office.
Macpherson was admitted FRIBA on 3 December 1906, his proposers being Hippolyte Jean Blanc, Alexander Hunter Crawford and Robert Rowand Anderson. His nomination papers list several essays read to the Edinburgh Architectural Association, as well as illustrated papers on 'The Scottish Mansion House', 'Medieval Proportion' and 'The Scottish Sacrament Houses' which appeared in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries in 1891.
Macpherson died in his sleep on Christmas Eve 1927, leaving moveable estate of £1,968 14s 9d. He had been married and was survived by his daughter Margaret Mary Macpherson. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 2, Sciennes Hill Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1876 * | | | | 21, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1878 | c. 1880 | | | 37, George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | c. 1880 | c. 1891 | | | 14, Viewforth Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1889 | | | | 7, Young Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business | c. 1891 | 1928 | Business address from 1891, home address also from 1914. | | Springvalley, Morningside, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1903 | | | | Braehead Cottage, Braid Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | Before 1906 | c. 1913 | | | 20, Thirlestane Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1913 | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | John Paterson | 1866 | 1870 | Apprentice | | | John Paterson | 1870 | 1873 | Assistant | | | (Sir) Robert Rowand Anderson | 1873 | 1876 | Chief Assistant | Initially simply assistant |
Employees or Pupils
RIBARIBA ProposersRIBA ProposalsThis proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | Ebenezer James MacRae | Late 1914 | for Associateship | | Thomas Tolmie Paterson | 2 December 1907 | for Fellowship |
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 | | 1878 | Mission Hall, Broughton Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Appointed after the death of Paterson in 1877. Drew up new plans | | 1880 | Our Lady Star of the Sea RC Church | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | Gate | | 1881 | Church of the Sacred Heart | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New high altar in marble; side chapels and altars | | 1881 | Duns RC Church and Presbytery House | Duns | | Berwickshire | Scotland | | | 1881 | Terraced houses, Morningside Park | Morningside | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Nos 24, 26 | | 1882 | St Aloysius College | Garnethill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Original college (residence, class rooms and halls) | | 1884 | Belmont | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1885 | Mount Erin | Petersburg | | Virginia | United States of America | Gate lodge and stable offices | | 1887 | Convent of the Sisters of Mercy | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Chapel, refectory and community room wing, guest wing, and additions | | 1888 | Library for Solicitors to the Supreme Courts of Scotland | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Competition design - unplaced | | 1889 | Convent of the Sisters of Mercy | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Inlaid Italian walnut stalls for chapel | | 1889 | St Margaret's Convent of the Ursulines of Jesus | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | First designs for new chancel and other additions | | 1890 | 8 Mortonhall Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1890 | Church of the Sacred Heart | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Work in marble | | c. 1890 | Montrose UP Church | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Pulpit | | 1892 | Lawside Convent and school | | | Dundee | Scotland | Convent | | 1893 | St Margaret's Convent of the Ursulines of Jesus | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | New chancel and other additions; Lady Chapel; principal altar in alabaster | | 1894 | St David's RC Church | Dalkeith | | Midlothian | Scotland | Coloured decoration, additions and school | | 1896 | St Luke's RC Church | Montrose | | Angus | Scotland | Pulpit and other fittings in oak | | 1900 | St Aloysius College | Garnethill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions | | 1901 | 50 Blackfriars Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1902 | St Aloysius College | Garnethill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Additions for day school | | 1903 | Our Lady of Loretto and St Michael RC Church, presbytery and hall | Musselburgh | | Midlothian | Scotland | Rebuilding of church; alabaster altar; oak pulpit, font and stalls; proposed oak baldaquin. With Edward Purdie of Canterbury? Named as sole architect December1903 | | 1904 | Stalls in Convent Chapel | | | | Scotland | 'Recently executed' | | 1905 | St Nathalan's RC Church and Presbytery | Ballater | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Granite church; oak furniture | | 1905 | St Ninian's RC Church | Restalrig | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1906 | 6 Wester Coates Gardens | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1907 | Glencruitten Golf Clubhouse | Oban | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1907(?) | Queen Victoria Memorial School, Drums of the Kippendavie | Dunblane | | Perthshire | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design | | 1908 | Sacred Heart RC Church | Aberlour | | Banffshire | Scotland | | | 1909 | Sacred Heart RC Church Hall and Priest's House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1909 | St Peter's RC School | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | c. 1910 | 41 Polwarth Terrace | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1912 | RC Church | Aberdour | | Fife | Scotland | Interior decoration | | 1914 | RC Church of the Immaculate Conception | Kelso | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Chancel rebuilt in permanent form | | 1916 | RC Church of the Immaculate Conception | Kelso | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Reredos (altar retable) | | 1925 | Church of the Sacred Heart | Grangemouth | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | c. 1925 | RC Church of St Matthew, presbytery | Rosewell | | Midlothian | Scotland | Original church | | 1927 | Our Lady and St Ninian RC Church and presbytery | Bannockburn | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Johnston, W T | 2003 | Artists of Scotland | | Officina Publications CDROM | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 6 January 1928 | | | | | RIAS Quarterly | 1928 | no25 | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | Obituary | | Scotsman | 7 December 1906 | | | | | Scotsman | 29 December 1927 | | | Obituary p6 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F v17 p144 no1168 (microfilm reel 12) |
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