He is probably the single most important person in molding the city of Inverness, both socially and physically. Furthermore, he is responsible for a very high proportion of Inverness's churches, offices, public buildings, shops, tenements and villas.
Life
Free North Church (left) in its riverside setting in InvernessSt Andrew's Cathedral InvernessFree North Church, InvernessArdtornish House
He was born on 9 July 1834 at Huntly Hill in Stracathro near Brechin in Angus He was the son of James Ross, architect. The family moved to Inverness in 1838. Alexander was educated at Inverness Royal Academy and Dr Bell's Institution. In 1848, he was briefly apprenticed to a stonemason to gain some practical experience before being articled in his father's architect's office. When his father died in 1853, he took over the office.[1]
Ross & Joass was created in 1859, when Ross took William Joass into partnership, . In the same year he became a volunteer in the Inverness Garrison Artillery (later rising to Colonel) and joined the St John Lodge of the Inverness Freemasons.
Ross & Joass was dissolved in 1865 and Joass set up in Dingwall.
In 1866 he secured a major commission to design St Andrew's Cathedral in Inverness.[2] This led to his nomination in 1872 for St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh. He entered his three-spired design under the pseudonym "Fidelitas". However, this ended in a complicated legal dispute: George Gilbert Scott won the competition by one vote, but his design was for a complicated and expensive single spire design. The commissioning body asked for the design to be changed closer to Ross's design: Ross naturally objected. But Ross's design was then claimed to be that of George Freeth Roper who had undertaken the building of Ross's St Andrew's Cathedral in Inverness. It was messy, and did some reputational damage, but also gained him some fame as a designer.[3]
He was Master of his lodge in Inverness 1873 to 1876.
He had a strong reputation for designing church-run schools, and after the Education Act of 1872 he received at least 450 small commissions to create the numerous small parish schools required in the Act. He opened a branch office in Oban in 1880 to cope with the work. This office was run by his new partner David Mackintosh. The partnership was dissolved in 1883 when the school commissions were exhausted. In 1887 he entered a third (and final) partnership with Robert John MacBeth to create Ross & MacBeth.
He had little practical involvement in design beyond around 1910 and retired completely in 1917 aged 83.
He died at home, "Riverfield", in Inverness on 19 May 1925 aged 90. The funeral service took place in his own building, St Andrew's Cathedral. He was buried at Tomnahurich with full masonic rites.[4]
Other roles
Grand Master Mason for Inverness 1873 to 1876
Local politician, joining the town council in 1881 and rising to be Provost of Inverness 1889 to 1895
President of the Inverness Architectural Association
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