Peter MacGregor Chalmers
Peter MacGregor Chalmers LLD (14 March 1859 – 15 March 1922) was a Scottish architect specialising in country churches, and also being involved in several important restoration schemes.
Life[edit]
Chalmers was born on 14 March 1859, the son of George, a mechanical engineer, and his wife, Jane (née MacGregor). He was educated at Glasgow Secular School, then articled to the architect John Honeyman. He set up in private practice from 1887.[1]
From around 1900 many of his churches adopt a very distinctive circular tower.
In 1904 he was living at 6 Minard Road (now Turnberry Road) in Glasgow.[2] The property is a substantial four-bedroom tenement flat, in Glasgow's west end. His offices were in a more prestigious property at 95 Bath Street. He travelled very widely, and Glasgow University awarded him an honorary doctorate (LLD) in 1920 for his writings.
He died of a heart attack while visiting his cousin, Rev. R. H. Fisher, in Edinburgh on 15 March 1922.[3] He is buried in the lower southern section of the Glasgow Necropolis alongside the north-east path that leads to the main, upper section.
Family[edit]
In 1905 he was married to Barbara Greig Steel (1860–1939) of Partick.
Principal works[edit]
- Cardonald Parish Church (1887)
- Alterations to Jedburgh Parish Church (1891)
- Alterations to Crailing Parish Church (1892)
- Restoration of Abercorn Parish Church (1893)
- Investigation and archaeological survey at Jedburgh Abbey (1894)
- St Margaret's, Newlands, Glasgow (1895)
- Five tenements on Crow Road (1896)
- Kilchoman Parish Church (1897)
- Morvern Parish Church (1897)
- St Bride's Church, Partick (1897)
- St Kiaran's Church, Port Charlotte, Islay (1897)
- St Margaret's Church, Polmadie
- St Mark's Church, Morningside, Edinburgh (1897)
- St Kenneth's Church, Govan (1897)
- Consolidation and restoration of Glenluce Abbey (1898)
- Keil Church, Lochaline (1898)
- Kelvinside Laundry (1898)
- Restoration of South Queensferry Parish Church (1898)
- St Ninian's Chapel, Whithorn (1898)
- Stepps Established Church (1898)
- Carnoustie Parish Church (1899)
- Restoration of St Monans Parish Church (1899)
- Ardwell Parish Church (1900)
- Restoration of Inverkeithing Parish Church (1900)
- Restoration of Kilmun Parish Church (1900)
- Remodelling of Kirk Yetholm Church (1900)
- Public House, 6–8 Sinclair Street, Helensburgh (1901)
- Rebuilding of Scoonie Parish Church (1901)
- St Leonards Church, St Andrews (1902)
- St Columba's Church, Blackhall, Edinburgh (1902)
- St Leonard's Church, Dunfermline (1904)[4]
- Kilmore Church, Dervaig (1904)
- Skelmorlie Church (1903)
- St Ninian's, Prestwick (1904)
- St Serf's, Tullibody (1904)
- Restoration of Culross Abbey Church (1905)
- Hoselaw Chapel, Linton, Scottish Borders (1905)
- Restoration of church, Saline, Fife (1905)
- St Columba's Church, Elgin, Moray (1905)
- Repairs to Melrose Abbey (1905)
- Dennistoun Established Church (1906)
- Neptune Buildings, 470 Argyle Street Glasgow (1906)
- St Cuthbert's Church, Saltcoats (1906)
- Kirn & Sandbank Parish Church, Kirn (1907)
- Restoration of parish church, Bowden, Scottish Borders (1907)
- Hexagonal vestry, Rafford (1907)
- St Luke's Church, Stockbridge, Edinburgh (1907)
- Remodelling of St Columba's Church, Strone (1907)
- Braes of Rannoch Church (1907)
- Carriden Parish Church (1907)
- Remodelling of Iona Abbey (1908)
- Colvend Parish Church (1909)
- Remodelling of Sprouston Parish Church (1911)
- St Anne's Church, Corstorphine, Edinburgh (1911)
- St Kiaran's Church Achnacarry (1911)
- New roof, Caddonfoot Kirk (1911)
- Holy Trinity Church, Merrylee (1912)
- Church on the isle of Canna (1912)
- Restoration of Duthil Parish Church (1912/13)
- Restoration of Paisley Abbey (1912 to 1922) completed by Sir Robert Lorimer[5]
- Tarbrax Church (1913)
- St Modan's Church, Falkirk (1914)
- Urr Parish Church (1914)
- Remodelling of St Andrew's Church, Lochgelly (1915)
- Works at Dunfermline Abbey to give permanence to then recent archaeological excavations (1916)
- Restoration of Iona Nunnery (1916 to 1923)
- Restoration of Dalmeny Church (1919)
- Restoration of church, Symington, South Ayrshire (1919)
- Remodelling of Tillicoultry Parish Church (1921)
War memorials[edit]
Chalmers designed several war memorials from 1919, these include: Cambuslang Parish Church; Morebattle Parish Church; Burntisland Parish Church; Kelvinside Free Church; Memorial Chapel in St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh; West Linton Parish Church; Abbey Parish Church in Kilwinning; Barony Church, Glasgow; Memorial arch in Dyke, Moray; Rosneath Church; St Salvator's College, St Andrews; Crieff; Memorial window Uphall.
Gallery[edit]
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St Leonard's Church, Dunfermline (1903) -
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Kilchoman Parish Church -
Glenluce Abbey ruins. -
St Ninian's Priory Chapel, Whithorn -
Kimore Church at Dervaig -
Ardwell Church -
Bowden Church -
-
Colvend Parish Church -
Culross Abbey Church -
St Monans Parish Church, Fife -
St Serf's Church at Tullibody
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Publications[edit]
- Glasgow Cathedral
- John Morro, A Scots Medieval Architect
- St Ninians Candid Casa
- The Govan Sarcophagus
- Dalmeny Kirk
- The Shrine of St Constantine
- The Shrines of St Margaret and St Kentigern
References[edit]
- ^ "Peter MacGregor Chalmers (1859-1922), architect, a biography". glasgowsculpture.com. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
- ^ Glasgow Post Office Directory 1910–11
- ^ "www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=200244". scottisharchitects.org.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
- ^ Gifford, John (2003). The Buildings of Scotland: Fife (1. publ ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-300-09673-6.
- ^ Dictionary of Scottish Architects: Robert Lorimer
