Basic Biographical Details

Name: Alexander Smart Todd
Designation:  
Born: 22 October 1913
Died: 25 July 1999
Bio Notes: Alexander Smart Todd was born on 22 October 1913, the son of David Todd, iron turner, and his wife, Agnes Deas. He was apprenticed to Thomas Martin of Main Street, Coatbridge from 1928, remaining in that office for seven years, and meanwhile attended the certificate course at the Glasgow School of Architecture from 1933. In 1935, presumably on Martin's retirement or death, he transferred to the office of James Davidson & Son (James Davidson being a former partner of Martin's). Whilst in that office he took the post-certificate course at the GSA from 1937 to 1938. He won the A Leslie Hamilton Memorial Studentship in 1939, but his resulting travel plans were curtailed by the onslaught of war. He took the final exam in November/December 1940 and was admitted ARIBA on 16 September 1941, his proposers being T Harold Hughes, J Maurice Arthur and William Cowie. By that time he was also an Associate of the Glasgow Institute of Architects. His nomination papers give only a private address; he may have been on war service at the time.

He must have returned to the Davidson firm after the war, and in 1949 he was taken into partnership. He was admitted FRIAS in 1954 and was a representative of the RIAS's Glasgow chapter by 1964. He remained in the Davidson firm but seems to have been a partner with Alex Cullen & Co in Hamilton in 1975 (RIBA Directory fo Practices 1975). He returned to Davidson and was certainly there until his retirement in 1980.

Todd died on 25 July 1999 at Craigmount Nursing Home, 32 The Scores, St Andrews. His wife Margaret Kerr Wark survived him.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 434, Argyle Court/25 Argyle Street, St Andrews, Fife, ScotlandPrivate 1999 
Item 2 of 431, Burnbank Street, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPrivateBefore 1939After 1941 
Item 3 of 437, Laird Street, Coatbridge, LanarkshirePrivate/business(?)1950 *  
Item 4 of 49, Dunbeath Avenue (or Dunbeth Road?), Coatbridge, Lanrkshire, ScotlandBusinessBefore 1964After 1970 

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 3Thomas Martin19281935Apprentice(?) 
Item 2 of 3James Davidson & Son19351940Assistant(?) 
Item 3 of 3James Davidson & Son1949After 1980Partner 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3John Maurice Arthur16 September 1941for Associateship
Item 2 of 3William Cowie16 September 1941for Associateship
Item 3 of 3Thomas Harold Hughes16 September 1941for Associateship

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 331950Old Monkland Hall-ChurchCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 2 of 331956Cleghorn Building  EdinburghScotlandAlterations to ground floor with addition of black and red granite.
Item 3 of 331957Burnhead Parish Church and Halls (Church of Scotland)Uddingston LanarkshireScotland 
Item 4 of 331960Housing, HolehillsAirdrie LanarskshireScotland 
Item 5 of 33Before 1960St Mark's ChurchWishaw LanarkshireScotland 
Item 6 of 331963Church, BurnheadUddingston LanarkshireScotland 
Item 7 of 331964GP Maternity UnitEast Kilbride LanarkshireScotland 
Item 8 of 331964GP Maternity UnitCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 9 of 331964GP Maternity UnitDuntocher DunbartonshireScotland 
Item 10 of 331964GP Maternity UnitGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 11 of 331965Broomknoll Free Church (and hall)Airdrie LanarkshireScotlandHall added
Item 12 of 331965Factory for J Dick (Engineering) LtdCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 13 of 331965Royal Bank of ScotlandAirdrie LanarkshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 14 of 33After 1965Shop development for Granada Group LtdAirdrie LanarkshireScotland 
Item 15 of 33After 1965Works Department for the Burgh of AirdrieAirdrie LanarkshireScotland 
Item 16 of 331966Office for Pearl AssuranceKilmarnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 17 of 331966Office for Pearl AssuranceSaltcoats AyrshireScotland 
Item 18 of 331966Office for Pearl AssurancePrestwick AyrshreScotland 
Item 19 of 331966Swimming BathsGreenock RenfrewshireScotland 
Item 20 of 331968Clydesdale BankCoatbridge LanarkshireScotlandReconstruction
Item 21 of 331968Multi-storey redevelopment with 600 housesCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 22 of 331969Housing redevelopment, Rosehill Brickworks siteCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 23 of 331969Housing, East Raw siteCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 24 of 331969Shops and office precinctCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 25 of 331970Airdrie Savings BankShotts LanarkshireScotland 
Item 26 of 331970Commercial Pearl Assurance officeAlloa ClackmannanshireScotland 
Item 27 of 331970Commercial Pearl Assurance Office  GlasgowScotland 
Item 28 of 331970St Columba's ChurchAirdrie LanarkshireScotland 
Item 29 of 331970St Columba's ChurchAirdrie LanarkshireScotland 
Item 30 of 331970The Glen HotelNewtonmore Inverness-shireScotland 
Item 31 of 331972Environmental improvementsCoaatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 32 of 331972Public house for A Carson & SonsCoatbridge LanarkshireScotland 
Item 33 of 331975Jackson Parish Church, PetersburnAirdrie LanarkshireScotland 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Bailey, Rebecca M1996Scottish architects' papers: a source book Edinburgh: The Rutland Pressp121
Item 2 of 5Municipal Annual1964Scottish Municipal Annual1964-1965  
Item 3 of 5RIBA1939The RIBA Kalendar 1939-1940 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 4 of 5RIBA1950The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 London: Royal Institute of British Architects 
Item 5 of 5RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIAS NewsletterOctober 1999v10, no8 Death note

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 3H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 3RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership  
Item 3 of 3RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers A no7896 (combined box 200)