John Alexander Carfrae (1868-1947) was a Scottish architect of particular note in the field of innovative school design.
Born in Edinburgh and educated at James Gillespie's High School.
Articled in 1881 to Robert Wilson , architect for the Edinburgh School Board. In 1889 he moved to London and worked with HM Office of Works. Further trained under Sydney Mitchell in 1892.
When Robert Wilson died in 1901, Carfrae inherited both his office and the full role as architect to the Edinburgh School Board. In 1918 local government practices changed and the City Architect became responsible for school design. However, the city architect Ebenezer James MacRae still passed him two commissions: for Balgreen and Stenhouse schools.
From 1907 until death he lived in the Grange, Edinburgh at 3 Gillsland Road. He lived here with his wife, Augusta Wilkes Henderson, and their two sons. His office in later life was at 3 Queen Street.
He died on 11 July 1947.
Carfrae worked largely for the Edinburgh School Board. Even before he completely took control of this design function, his style is clear, acting as Chief Assistant within the office.
Bruntsfield Primary School, Montpelier, Edinburgh (1893-5)
James Gillespie's High School Annexe, Upper Gilmore Place, Edinburgh (1895)
Villas, 18,20 Inverleith Place, Edinburgh (1897) (uncharacteristically plain)
Flora Stevenson School, Comely Bank, Edinburgh (1899-1900)
Craiglockhart Primary School (1901)
Original Boroughmuir High School, Warrender Park Crescent, Edinburgh (1902)
Broughton Primary School Annexe (1902)
Broughton School Annexe, McDonald Road, Edinburgh (1903)
Albion Road School (built as Leith Academy Annexe) (1903)
Office, 5 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh (1903, demolished 2014)
Drummond Street School (built as St. Patrick’s RC School), Edinburgh (1905)
Colinton Cottage Homes (for the Church of Scotland, Aged Christian Friendly Society), Redford Road and Thorburn Road, Colinton (1906-7)
Dirleton School (1910)
Juniper Green Primary School (1910)
Duncan Street Special School, Edinburgh (1910)
Tynecastle High School, Edinburgh (1910–11)
Boroughmuir High School, Viewforth, Edinburgh (1911) (sculpture by Joseph Hayes)
Tollcross School, Edinburgh (1911)
Remodelling of Cannonball House on the Royal Mile as a school (1913)
St Thomas Aquinas School (also known as King’s Park School or St. Leonard’s School), Edinburgh (1913)
Newton School, West Lothian (1914)
School War Memorial, George Watson’s College (1920)
Drummond Community High School (Bellevue School), Edinburgh (1923)
Hawick High School (1926)
Stenhouse Primary School, Edinburgh (1929)
