Alexander McGibbon [also known as Alex McGibbon] was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland in c.1860 and was articled to Harry Blair (c1847-?) in Glasgow from c.1875 to c.1880. He also attended Glasgow School of Art. He then worked as an assistant to Campbell Douglas & Sellars in Glasgow from c.1880 to c.1882; as a draughtsman to John Honeyman (1831-1914) in Glasgow from 1882 to 1889; and as an assistant to Burnet Son & Campbell in Glasgow in 1889-90.
McGibbon qualified as an architect in 1884 and was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) later that year. He established his own independent practice in Glasgow in 1890 which he ran until the 1920s. He also joined the staff at Glasgow School of Art, where he assisted William James Anderson (1863?-1900), the Director of Architecture. In 1900 McGibbon was appointed the first Professor of Architecture at Glasgow School of Art and proved to be particularly popular with his students.
In 1893-94 McGibbon drew a series of illustrations of Scottish cathedrals for 'The Builder' which established his reputation as a perspectivist. In c.1896 he became a member of Glasgow Institute of Architects, He died at his house, 51 Kessington Road, in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on 5 December 1938.
See: Dictionary of Scottish Architects 1660-1980 [link below]
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
Fyfe, Theodore. ‘Obituary’. RIBA Journal vol. 46, 1939 pp. 473-474
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 118, 23 January 1920 p. 140
‘Obituary’. Royal Institute of British Architects Journal vol. 27, 24 January 1920 p. 140