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Papers of Ebenezer J MacRae, architect, Edinburgh, Scotland
551 54
Description Papers of Ebenezer J MacRae, architect, Edinburgh, Scotland
Date 1900 to 1964
Collection Papers of Ebenezer J MacRae, architect, Edinburgh, Scotland
Catalogue Number 551 54
Category All Other
Scope and Content Collection of material compiled by Ebenezer McRae (1881-1951), architect as part of his reports when Edinburgh City Architect, 'The Royal Mile', 1945, and 'The Heritage of Greater Edinburgh', 1947. The material consists mainly of dyeline copies of maps and drawings of Edinburgh, annotated by MacRae. Also a collection of record photographs of conservation projects, schools and housing overseen by MacRae in the 1930's and a group of glass slides.
Archive History Material from at least two different accessions. A collection of 'photographs of conservation projects, new schools and housing carried out by E J MacRae, 1930s' was presented to RCAHMS from Edinburgh Public Libraries per Mrs N Armstrong in 1975 (Accession 1991/58). A later accession of glass lantern slides and glass negatives was presented by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
Access Conditions Open, but note that access may be subject to provisions outlined in the Data Protection Act and conservation requirements. Please contact the archive to confirm access in advance of a visit.
Administrative History Ebenezer MacRae (1881-1951), Edinburgh City Architect. Articled in 1899 to the architect Archibald Macpherson, MacRae served as a draughtsman and assistant. Over the next few years he studied at the School of Applied Art, the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt College, and the Edinburgh College of Art. After a short period with the practice of John Kinross, he moved to the Edinburgh City Architect's Department. After war service in the Royal Engineers, he returned to the City Architec's Office, being promoted to Depute City Architect by 1925, and City Architect in July of that year. This year also saw him join a Department of Health tour of housing estates in the Netherlands, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria and France, and contributing to subsequent report on local authority housing. Notable buildings by the Office under his tenure include Portobello Power Station (1927), Prestonfield and Stenhouse Housing Schemes (1927), St John's and St Cuthbert's churchyards arcades (1930), Greyfriars Hostel (1930), the Edinburgh Police boxes (1931), Craigmillar School (1931), Braidhills and Edinburgh Thistle Golf Clubs (1932-3), and Holy Cross Academy (1939). Conservation of historic buildings in the Old Town formed another element of his work, including renovation or rebuilding in Candlemaker Row, the Grassmarket and the Pleasance (1920s-30s) For fuller details, see the Dictionary of Scottish Architects: Dictionary of Scottish Architects - DSA Architect Biography Report (April 29, 2021)
Accruals No further accruals are anticipated.
Accession Number 1991/58; RIAS
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1176353
