Basic Biographical Details Name: | David Mackenzie I | Designation: | | Born: | 24 May 1805 | Died: | 28 November 1842 | Bio Notes: | David Mackenzie was born on 24 May 1805, the fifth son of Alexander Mackenzie, architect-builder of Scone, and his wife Janet Davidson, and brother of William Mackenzie of Perth. He settled in Dundee in or just before 1830. In 1831 he took part in the Dundee Seminaries competition, and in 1833 in the Courthouse Prison and Bridewell competitions in Dundee but was unsuccessful in both. In June of the latter year, however, his scheme for the layout of the grounds of Chapelshade was preferred to that of Angus: a serpentine arrangement for villas, with the design of the houses not stipulated. The Parish Church at Inchture shows him to have been a very competent Gothic designer; he probably designed most of the cottages there as well.
Like his elder brother William, David Mackenzie was a competent Neo-Greek designer as can be seen in the pilastraded ground-floor shops of his large house-blocks in Castle Street, Dundee and East High Street, Forfar, both of 1832. The Parish Church at Inchture shows him to have been a more accomplished Gothic designer than his brother: he probably designed some of the picturesque gothic cottages there, the earliest ones being more probably the work of Andrew Heiton I who had been based at Inchture from the earlier 1820s prior to setting up practice in Perth.
Mackenzie's office was in his own building at the foot of Castle Street in 1834, and in High Street in 1840. He disappeared from the Dundee directories in 1842.
The Mackenzie family had no knowledge of him practising anywhere else, but he was engaged on the reconstruction of Middleton for the Gardynes after that date and feu dispositions in Chapelshade indicate that he was still alive in the early 1850s, possibly as an estate architect or clerk of works fairly near Dundee as he appears to have had a considerable rural practice. In the surviving Davidson family papers the year of his death has been noted as 1860, but no source is given. In the absence of a location, confirmation has been hard to find.
Death notices have been found for David Mackenzie: Perthshire Courier - Thursday 01 December 1842: “Died, suddenly, at Arbroath, on the 28th ultimo, David Mackenzie, Esq., architect, Dundee.” Perthshire Advertiser - Thursday 08 December 1842: “Died—Suddenly, at Arbroath, on 28th November, David Mackenzie, Esq. architect, Dundee,—a gentleman well known in Dundee and the county of Forfar, and highly esteemed for his abilities and kindness of disposition.”
Mackenzie should not be confused with his nephew, David Mackenzie II, born in 1832 who was the son of the William Macdonald Mackenzie referred to above. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | Perth, Perthshire, Scotland | Private | c. 1799 | | Place of birth | | Dundee, Scotland | Business | c. 1830 | | | | Castle Street | Business | 1834 | | At the foot of Castle Street | | Dock Street, Dundee, Scotland | Business | 1837 | | | | High Street, Dundee, Scotland | Business | 1840 | | | | New Inn Entry, Dundee, Scotland | Business | 1842 | 1843 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Thomas Mackenzie | | 1835 | Assistant | |
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 | | 1829 | Manse | Monifieth | | Angus | Scotland | | | c. 1829 | Dundee High School | | | Dundee | Scotland | Competition design - not successful | | 1830 | Monifieth Manse | | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1832 | 20-26 High Street | Forfar | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1832 | 42-48 Castle Street | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1832 | Baldovan House | Baldovan | | Angus | Scotland | Stable court to east | | 1832 | Dundee Royal Lunatic Asylum and feuing of grounds | Stobswell | | Dundee | Scotland | Additions | | 1832 | Reform Street competition | | | Dundee | Scotland | Invited to compete in providing elevations for house in new street - unsuccessful | | 1833 | Dundee Court House and Bridewell | | | Dundee | Scotland | Unsuccessful competition design (George Angus selected) | | 1833 | Fleuchar Craig, feuing for villas | Logie | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1833 | Grounds at Milnbank, part of Logie Estate | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1833 | Plan for the layout and feuing of Upper Chapelshade Gardens | | | Dundee | Scotland | Competition design - won competition to secure job | | 1833 | Tay Square UP Church | | | Dundee | Scotland | Walked out after quarrel with joiner who was a member of the congregation: joiner work had failed. Church completed with advice from James Black and railed off by James Paterson | | 1834 | Church halls and Schoolhouse for Tay Street Secession Church | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1834 | Inchture Parish Church | Inchture | | Perthshire | Scotland | Original building and gatepiers | | 1834 | West Toll House | Invergowrie | | Perthshire/Angus | Scotland | | | 1835 | Steading, Dryburgh | Camperdown | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1836 | Monifieth Schoolhouse | Monifieth | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1838 | Building ground at The Binns and villa | | | Dundee | Scotland | Drew up, feuing plan and very probably designed villa now called 'The Binns' | | 1840 | Kingoldrum Church | Kingoldrum | | Angus | Scotland | | | 1840 | West Seaton farmhouse | St Vigeans | | Angus | Scotland | | | c. 1840 | Semi-detached villas, Laurel Bank and Prospect Place | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | c. 1840 | Villa, 1 Laurel Bank and 2 Dudhope Place | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | c. 1840 | Villa, 2, 4 Laurel Bank | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | c. 1840 | Villa, 4 Dudhope Sreet | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1841 | Middleton | Friockheim | | Angus | Scotland | Reconstructed in neo-Tudor form, remodelling the west wing and remodelling and extending the south wing for Major William Bruce-Gardyne, 9th of Middleton. | | 1841 | Villa on Forthill feus | Broughty Ferry | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1842 | Feuplan of Forthill and cottage at Forthill | Forthill | | Dundee | Scotland | Feu plan and speculatively built cottage advertised for sale | | 1850 | Two semi-detached villas, Prospect Place | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | c. 1850 | Villa, 6 Dudhope Street | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | c. 1850 | Villa, 8 Dudhope Street | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1851 | Villa, 4 Union Terrace and return in Constitution Terrace | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | 1851 | Villa, 6 Union Terrace and 7 Constitution Terrace | | | Dundee | Scotland | | | c. 1860 | Craigbank, 10 Dudhope Street | | | Dundee | Scotland | Uncertain whether by David Mackenzie I or II | | c. 1860 | Villa, 12 Dudhope Street | | | Dundee | Scotland | Uncertain whether by David Mackenzie I or II |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Colvin, H M | 1995 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | 3rd edition | New Haven and London: Yale University Press | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | Courtesy of Viscount Davidson, great great nephew of William Macdonald Mackenzie's wife. | Information sent via 'Contact Us' on website | | Sent April 2015 |
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