Basic Biographical Details

Name: Alexander Anderson Watson
Designation:  
Born: 7 April 1888
Died: 4 June 1962
Bio Notes: Alexander Anderson Watson was born on 7 April 1888, the son of Robert Watson, dairyman, and his wife Catherine Anderson. He was articled to James Graham Fairley of Edinburgh for five years from June 1904, studying at Heriot-Watt College. He remained as draughtsman in the same office for a further year before joining the firm of Muirhead & Rutherford of Dunfermline as draughtsman. Whilst there, in 1911 and 1912, he studied architectural design at Lauder Technical School. He was promoted to Principal Assistant after three years in the Muirhead & Rutherford office, and his work there included assistance on the plans for the New General Hospital, Maternity Hospital and Fever Hospital in Dunfermline as well as four Miners' Welfare Institutes and six housing schemes. He remained in that post until September 1935 when he commenced practice on his own account in the same town.

He was admitted LRIBA on 19 January 1943, his proposers being Thomas Rutherford, John Ross McKay and George Donaldson Macniven. At that time his office address was 24 Queen Anne Street, Dunfermline and he was living at 4 Mary Place.

Watson died aged 74 on 4 June 1962 at the Northern Hospital in Dunfermline. His wife Agnes Sturrock had predeceased him but he was survived by a son.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 3Elgin Hotel, Charlestown, Fife, ScotlandPrivate 1962 
Item 2 of 34, Mary Place, Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandPrivate1943 *  
Item 3 of 324, Queen Anne Street, Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandBusiness1943 *After 1950still at this address in 1957, per Builder 15 March 1957, p523

* 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 4James Graham FairleyJune 1904Mid 1909Apprentice 
Item 2 of 4James Graham FairleyMid 1909May 1910Draughtsman 
Item 3 of 4Muirhead & RutherfordMay 1910Mid 1913Draughtsman 
Item 4 of 4Muirhead & RutherfordMid 1913September 1935Principal Assistant 

RIBA

RIBA Proposers

The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 3George Donaldson Macniven19 January 1943for Licentiateship
Item 2 of 3John Ross McKay19 January 1943for Licentiateship
Item 3 of 3Thomas Rutherford19 January 1943for Licentiateship

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 23After 1910(?)Four housing schemes for Dunfermline District Committee  FifeScotlandMay have worked on this, as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 6 housing schemes)
Item 2 of 23After 1910(?)Housing scheme for Cowdenbeath Burgh CouncilCowdenbeath FifeScotlandMay have worked on this, as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 6 housing schemes)
Item 3 of 23After 1910(?)Housing scheme for Dunfermline Burgh CouncilDunfermline FifeScotlandMay have worked on this, as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 6 housing schemes)
Item 4 of 23After 1910(?)Housing scheme for Kinross County Council  Kinross-shireScotlandMay have worked on this, as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 6 housing schemes)
Item 5 of 23After 1910(?)Housing scheme for Kinross Town CouncilKinross Kinross-shireScotlandMay have worked on this, as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 6 housing schemes)
Item 6 of 23After 1910Six Miners' Welfare Institutes  Fife?ScotlandWorked on at least two of these, as draughtsman/principal assistant
Item 7 of 231922(?)Local Authority Housing Scheme, Stenhouse StreetCowdenbeath FifeScotlandMay have worked on 16 houses with Muirhead & Rutherford as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 6 housing schemes)
Item 8 of 231925(?)Miners' Welfare InstituteLumphinnans FifeScotlandMay have worked on this, as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 4 miners' welfare institutes)
Item 9 of 231928Dunfermline Cottage HospitalDunfermline FifeScotlandLarge new wing at rear of Priory House (built 1835) fronting New Row - as principal assistant, working on plans
Item 10 of 231931(?)Forty houses for Fife County CouncilKelty FifeScotlandMay have worked on this, as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 6 housing schemes)
Item 11 of 231932Dunfermline Cottage HospitalDunfermline FifeScotlandInfectious diseases wing (fever hospital) - as principal assistant, working on plans
Item 12 of 231932(?)Housing scheme for Fife County CouncilCrossgates FifeScotlandMay have worked on this, as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 6 housing schemes)
Item 13 of 231932(?)Miners' Welfare InstituteAuchterderran FifeScotlandMay have worked on this, as principal assistant (nomination paper mentions 4 miners' welfare institutes)
Item 14 of 231934Dunfermline Maternity Hospital, St Leonards HillDunfermline FifeScotlandAs principal assistant, working on plans
Item 15 of 23After 1935Bellyeoman Estate developmentDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 16 of 23After 1935BungalowsDunfermline? FifeScotland 
Item 17 of 23After 1935Housing scheme for Kinross Town CouncilKinross Kinross-shireScotland 
Item 18 of 23After 1935New Sanitary Offices and F_____ RoomsDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 19 of 23After 1935Transy Estate developmentDunfermline FifeScotland 
Item 20 of 231936Houses for Lochgelly Town Council, Launcherhead and StationheadLochgelly FifeScotland 
Item 21 of 231938One hundred and twelve houses for Lochgelly Town CouncilLochgelly FifeScotland 
Item 22 of 231939Police Station, Admiralty Road and Queensferry RoadRosyth FifeScotland 
Item 23 of 2315 March 195712 Houses at Sluiceburn (north side)  KinrossScotlandper Builder p523

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 1Builder15 March 1957  p523

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 2H M Register HouseDeath Register  
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers L no5330 (combined box 71)