Basic Biographical Details

Name: Robert McLachlan I
Designation:  
Born: 1779
Died: 12 January 1858 or 13 January 1858
Bio Notes: Robert McLachlan was the son of Walter McLachlan, farmer, Lochbrae, New Kilpatrick and his wife Agnes Easton or Ayston, and was baptised on 14 August 1779. On 8 September 1804 he married Janet Boyd in Ayr, the proclamation being also recorded in Loudon Parish where he was probably working at the time. When his eldest son Walter was born on 18 July 1805 he was described as a mason working at Loudon Castle, but by the time his second child James was born on 15 October 1806 he was resident in Ayr, where he became a burgess in 1807.

In 1807 McLachlan contracted with the Magistrates and Council of Ayr for the new church there (Cathcart Street Church) designed by David Hamilton, but in the 1821 and 1825 editions of Pigot & Co's National Directory of Scotland he is described as both architect and builder in Alloway Street. By the time of the publication of the Ayr Business Directory of 1832 he was practising solely as an architect. However when he made his Deed of Trust Disposition and Settlement in 1857 he was again described as a builder. He was a member of the Deans Council of Ayr from 1849 to 1858.

He died on 12 or 13 January 1858, his address then being 42 Alloway Street, and was buried at the Auld Port Kirkyard. His wife had predeceased him, dying on 20 November 1846. At the time his death he owned at least two properties in Alloway Street in Ayr.

His son Robert, born 1816, continued the business in partnership with his brother-in-law George Jack as Jack & McLachlan of Troon.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 342, Alloway Street, Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate 1858 
Item 2 of 3Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate1806 *  
Item 3 of 3Alloway Street, Ayr, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivate(?)1821 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.


Buildings and Designs

This 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 31807Culzean Castle, stablecourt  AyrshireScotlandCoach house
Item 2 of 31807Maybole Parish ChurchMaybole AyrshireScotland 
Item 3 of 3c. 1807New ChurchAyr AyrshireScotlandContracted to build church from designs by David Hamilton

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Ayr Advertiser and Galloway Chronicle14 January 1858  Death notice

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3National Archives of Scotland (formerly SRO)Ayr Burgess Records B6/24/8 No 26
Item 2 of 3National Archives of Scotland (formerly SRO)Ayr Burgh Records B6/39 Doc 77.3 (Contracts for New church)
Item 3 of 3Professor David M Walker personal archiveProfessor David M Walker, notes and collection of archive material Information from Gardiner S McLachlan, great-great-great-grandson of Robert McLachlan I, who holds the specification and costing for Cathcart Street Church (emails 31 July 2006 and 23 October 2006)