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Basic Biographical Details

Name: Donald Alexander Stewart
Designation: Architect
Born: 6 July 1876
Died: 16 January 1940
Bio Notes: Donald Alexander Stewart was born on 6 July 1876, the son of Alexander Stewart, hotel keeper, and his wife Christina McPherson. He educated at Sharp's Institution, Perth, and articled to David Smart in Perth from 1 August 1892, Smart then working in partnership with his son James as D & J Smart. Stewart completed his apprenticeship with David Smart after the dissolution of the partnership with his son in 1895, which was probably due to a family agreement regarding the readmission of James's own son John to the practice. Stewart became David's senior assistant the following year, and on 1 January 1907 was taken into partnership, the firm name becoming Smart & Stewart. Prior to this Stewart had travelled abroad three times, each time spending a week in France and Belgium, and he had served as secretary of the Perth Architectural Association in the late 1890s. Later he was President of the RIAS.

Smart retired in or about 1911 at the age of 86 and died in 13 October 1914 at the age of ninety. He was then living at Rockbank, Kinnoull, and left a widow, Margaret Morrison. He left a moveable estate of £8589 13s 4d, comparable with the most successful Glasgow practitioners, suggesting a large domestic practice or perhaps inheritance.

Stewart continued the practice alone under the same name. In early 1911 he was admitted LRIBA, his proposers being George Penrose Kennedy Young and William Fleming Wilkie. In 1919 he employed Robert Matthew Mitchell as an assistant, taking him into partnership five years later, the firm name becoming Smart Stewart & Mitchell. Mitchell was slightly older, born in 1874 and had been apprenticed in a 'workshop' (presumably a joiner's). He was essentially self-taught, having gained a place in the office of James Graham Fairley in Edinburgh in 1896 without any formal apprenticeship. In 1898 he had moved to the Stirling firm of McLuckie and Walker and in 1901 had commenced practice at 27 King Street, Crieff. Owing to lack of business he had emigrated to Edmonton, Alberta, in 1911, securing admission as LRIBA on 20 July just prior to his departure. Whilst in Edmonton he had been employed first by Roland Walter Lines and then as chief draughtsman and subsequently chief architect to the Edmonton Public School Board. He had returned to Scotland on war service in 1916 and had chosen to remain.

Stewart was elected FRIBA in November 1929, proposed by the RIBA Council, of which he was a member; he had also served as President of the Dundee Institute of Architects. He died on 16 January 1940. He had been married twice, first to Georgina McDougall, and second to May Isobel Elliot.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 442, Tay Street, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1895After 1911 
Item 2 of 46, Rosemount Place, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivate1911 *  
Item 3 of 4Murrayfield, St Magdalene's Road, Craigie, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandPrivate1929 *1940 
Item 4 of 440, Tay Street, Perth, Perthshire, ScotlandBusinessBefore 19291940 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 5D & J Smart1 August 18921895Apprentice 
Item 2 of 5David Smart18951896Apprentice 
Item 3 of 5David Smart18961 January 1907Assistant 
Item 4 of 5Smart & Stewart1 January 19071924Partner 
Item 5 of 5Smart, Stewart & Mitchell1924Before 1940Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this architect for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3RIBA CouncilNovember 1929for Fellowship
Item 2 of 3William Fleming WilkieEarly 1911for Licentiateship - as President of the Dundee Institute of Architects
Item 3 of 3George Penrose Kennedy YoungEarly 1911for Licentiateship

RIBA Proposals

This architect proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 6Duncan Chisholm Cameron8 January 1934for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 6George Charles Campbell1931for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 6Arthur Shields Fitzgerald1931for Licentiateship
Item 4 of 6Robert Matthew MitchellMid 1931for Fellowship
Item 5 of 6William Erskine ThomsonEarly 1932for Fellowship
Item 6 of 6Graham Conacher Young20 July 1939for Fellowship

Buildings and Designs

This architect was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 681894 or 1895Perth District Asylum, Pinel House and Tuke HouseMurthly PerthshireScotlandAs apprentice to David Smart
Item 2 of 681899Royal Bank of Scotland BuildingsPerth PerthshireScotlandAs assistant to David Smart
Item 3 of 681900Police BuildingsCrieff PerthshireScotlandAs assistant to David Smart
Item 4 of 681901House of Falkland, Stable BlockFalkland FifeScotlandAlterations - octagonal wooden clock turret
Item 5 of 681901Kinnoull Church HallKinnoull PerthshireScotlandAs apprentice/assistant to David Smart
Item 6 of 68After 1907Perth County and City Savings Bank, West End BranchPerth PerthshireScotlandAlterations
Item 7 of 68After 1907Police BuildingsBridge of Earn PerthshireScotland 
Item 8 of 68After 1907Villa for Miss Pennycuick, Upper CraigiePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 9 of 68Before 1907Ledlanet House and StablesMilnathort Kinross-shireScotland 
Item 10 of 681907 or 1908Premises for John Dewar & SonPerth PerthshireScotlandDuty Free warehouse and extension of offices
Item 11 of 681908Masonic Lodge St Andrew No 74Perth PerthshireScotlandD A Stewart responsible
Item 12 of 681908Old AcademyPerth PerthshireScotlandAlterations to Preparatory Department
Item 13 of 681908Police BuildingsBlairgowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 14 of 681909St Andrew's Parish ChurchPerth PerthshireScotlandAdditions
Item 15 of 681910Kinross Parish Church ManseKinross Kinross-shireScotlandAdditions and alterations including enlargement of windows
Item 16 of 681910Villa for James Gardiner MPPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 17 of 681911Fechney Industrial School for BoysPerth PerthshireScotlandAlterations and additions, including laundry
Item 18 of 681911Villa for G N Gray EsqPerth? Perthshire?Scotland 
Item 19 of 68Before 1911J & D GowansPerth PerthshireScotlandAdditions
Item 20 of 681913Freeland House  PerthshireScotlandRedecoration
Item 21 of 681914North British Glass WorksPerth PerthshireScotlandThree additional buildings
Item 22 of 68Before 1914Auchterarder Glass WorksAuchterarder PerthshireScotland 
Item 23 of 68Before 1914Auchterarder Golf ClubhouseAuchterarder PerthshireScotland 
Item 24 of 68Before 1914Buildings for John Moncrieff Ltd at Perth harbourPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 25 of 68Before 1914Kinnoull Parish ChurchKinnoull PerthshireScotlandStone restoration
Item 26 of 68Before 1914Police BuildingDunning PerthshireScotland 
Item 27 of 68Before 1914Scones of Lethendy HousePerth PerthshireScotlandStone restoration
Item 28 of 681919Burscough, Ormskirk War MemorialBurscough, Ormskirk LancashireEngland 
Item 29 of 681919Dunning War MemorialDunning PerthshireScotland 
Item 30 of 681919Feddal HouseBraco PerthshireScotlandAdditions and alterations
Item 31 of 681919J Pullar & Sons DyeworksPerth PerthshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 32 of 68After 1919Campbell's DyeworksPerth PerthshireScotlandExtension?
Item 33 of 681920Darnhall Drive Housing EstatePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 34 of 681920MeikleourBlairgowrie PerthshireScotlandAdditions - new hall and institute
Item 35 of 681920Perth Fire StationPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 36 of 681920Speycourt Housing SchemePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 37 of 681920 or 1930Meikleour Hall and InstituteMeikleour Village PerthshireScotlandMainly responsible according to 'Buildings of Scotland'
Item 38 of 681921Auchterarder UF Church HallAuchterarder PerthshireScotland 
Item 39 of 681921James McEwan & Co's ShopPerth PerthshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 40 of 681921Printing works and offices for J Young & SonPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 41 of 681921Shop for W Brydson & CoPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 42 of 681923Auchterarder InstituteAuchterarder PerthshireScotlandReconstruction and additions
Item 43 of 681923Gannochy Housing EstatePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 44 of 681923Strowan HouseCrieff (near) PerthshireScotlandAlterations
Item 45 of 68After 1923Perth Masonic TemplePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 46 of 681924Kincarrathie House, cricket pavilionPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 47 of 681925The Filling StationPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 48 of 68192612-16 St John's PlacePerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 49 of 6819268 South St John PlacePerth PerthshireScotlandExtension
Item 50 of 681927Finlayson Memorial HallAuchterarder PerthshireScotland 
Item 51 of 681927Hillside HousePerth PerthshireScotlandAdditions
Item 52 of 681927Perth Savings BankPerth PerthshireScotlandExtensions
Item 53 of 681927Royal George HotelPerth PerthshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 54 of 681929James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum, Gilgal housePerth PerthshireScotlandWon competition to secure job
Item 55 of 681929Kinnoull Parish ChurchKinnoull PerthshireScotlandInterior recast
Item 56 of 681929The MonumentPerth PerthshireScotlandArt Gallery and Museum addition to south
Item 57 of 68193110-16 King Edward StreetPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 58 of 681931Comrie Free ChurchComrie PerthshireScotlandFurnishings
Item 59 of 681931Shop, St John StreetPerth PerthshireScotlandRemodelling of shop front
Item 60 of 681932Hillside HousePerth PerthshireScotlandAdditions to the north
Item 61 of 681933Premises of Garvie & SymePerth PerthshireScotlandNew shopfront
Item 62 of 681934152-156 South StreetPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 63 of 681934Perth UF ChurchPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 64 of 681937James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum, staff residencesPerth PerthshireScotland 
Item 65 of 681937St Finnian's Episcopal ChurchLochgelly FifeScotland 
Item 66 of 681938Kilspindie Parish ChurchKilspindie PerthshireScotlandInterior recast
Item 67 of 681939Blairgowrie Golf Club, RosemountBlairgowrie PerthshireScotland 
Item 68 of 681939James Murray Royal Lunatic Asylum, nurses' homePerth PerthshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this architect:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 2 of 2Who's Who in Architecture1914    

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this architect:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3Builder26 January 1940  Obituary
Item 2 of 3Municipal Engineering25 January 1940  Obituary
Item 3 of 3RIAS Quarterly1940no 63Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)Obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this architect:
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Personal information from J Morrison and H C Miller in 1962
Item 2 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L v11 no657 (microfilm reel 33); F no2731 (box 11)
Item 3 of 3Smart, Stewart & Mitchell, Perth - in 1960s)Smart, Stewart & Mitchell Practice Drawings  

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© All rights reserved. İand courtesy of RIAS 

© All rights reserved. İand courtesy of RIAS