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MenuHomeUpfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon | DONALDSON, Walter Malcolm WilsonBorn: 1855 09 05Died: 1941 01 08 Architect / Mason | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal. DONALDSON's father was John Malcolm Donaldson, a school master from Scotland, and his mother was Sarah King, born on St Helena Island. They had nine children. It is known that DONALDSON worked as an architect in the Free State in the late C19 and early C20 (possibly also as a building contractor). He is recorded by Maeder (1917:183) as being of Ficksburg. Here he designed the town hall which was inaugurated in 1897 and drew the plan of the local NG church (1907, although Kesting does not record an architect for the building, he notes additions made 1905-1907) after Rev JD Kestell ''conceived the idea of the church according to the [Neo-] Romanesque Building Style'' [possibly influencing Gerard MOERDYK's book for which Kestell was to write the foreword, Die Geskiedenis van Boukuns]. At one time DONALDSON lived at 55 Brill Street in Bloemfontein. He married Margaret Bellairs (b.1853 - d.1931) in Bloemfontein on 22 April 1879. They had two daughters and three sons. Their first child was baptised in Bloemfontein in 1881 - Walter's profession is given as Mason. Their second child was born in Abramskraal in 1883. Their third child was baptised in Kuruman in 1885, Walter's profession is given as Mason and their abode is Boshof. Their fourth and fifth children were born in Boshof in 1886 and 1889. Schoeman (1982:107) records him as an architect and being a resident of the town Boshof in 1891. After initially working as an architect, he later owned a printing shop in Harrismith, but finally returned to the building industry in Ficksburg with his son Walter Hillary as a partner. Walter Hillary's marriage certificate of 1913 gives his profession as Oprichter van Kerken (builder of churches). A widower, DONALDSON died at his home in President St, Parys at age 86. (The Friend 20.2.1985:8; Kesting 1978; NMC list; www.familysearch.org). All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. List of projects With photographs With notes
References
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