Ebenezer James MacRae

Who is Ebenezer James MacRae?

Ebenezer James MacRae was an important early 20th Century Scottish architect serving as City Architect for Edinburgh for most of his active life.

He was the son of Rev Alexander MacRae of the Free Church of Scotland. To family and friends he was generally known as Ben MacRae. He studied architecture under Archibald MacPherson from 1899 to 1907, remaining good friends until death. He trained at both Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh University and later Edinburgh College of Art. He did various sketching tours around the country in his twenties: York, England, Melrose, Belgium, Cambridge, Lincoln, Northamptonshire, and Oxford.

In 1908 he trained further, under John Kinross. Late in 1908 he got a post as an assistant in the City Architect's Department of the then Edinburgh Corporation, serving under James Anderson Williamson.

He qualified as an architect in 1914. He served in the Royal Engineers during World War I then returned to Edinburgh as Depute City Architect. In 1925 he was promoted to City Architect, a role he held until retiral in 1946.

In the 1930s he compiled "The Heritage of Greater Edinburgh": a study of the central area and outlying historic centres such as Leith. This document was one of the first to identify buildings worthy of preservation, including almost all of Edinburgh New Town and much of Edinburgh Old Town. It formed the basis of later works such as The Abercromby Plan. A very keen historian it is likely that he was instrumental in erecting the first series of historic plaques in Edinburgh: a series of bronze plaques along the Royal Mile explaining various Closes.