McLEOD, Alexander Angus (1855-1934) was active in Fenlon Falls, Ontario where his name is recorded as “architect” of several ecclesiastical and residential works in that town. Born on the Isle of Skye, Inverness Co., Scotland in 1855, he was brought to Canada at a young age by his family who settled in Victoria County, Ontario. By 1881 he was working in the building trades in the town of Fenlon Falls, and he styled himself as an architect and builder, providing designs for residential, ecclesiastical and institutional works there, and offering his services as both builder and contractor to erect these projects.
By 1894 he appears to have become active in East Toronto as well as continuing to maintain an office and residence in Fenlon Falls. He was instrumental in developing many properties in the Benlamond neighbourhood, where he acted as both designer, builder and land developer for several residences which still stand on local streets there including Swanwick Avenue and Benlamond Avenue. After 1900 his last name was adapted to MacLeod, and recorded in this manner in several sources up until his death in 1934. McLeod never joined the Ontario Association of Architects (founded in 1889), and he was not a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, preferring instead to operate outside these professional organizations by preparing his own designs and overseeing the construction of his own work. McLeod died in Toronto on 8 January 1934 (obituary and port. Daily Mail & Empire [Toronto], 10 January 1934, 4; obit. & death notice The Globe [Toronto], 10 Jan. 1934, 9 & 10; inf. Randall Speller, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto; inf. Barbara Myrvold, Toronto)
(works in Fenlon Falls)
HELEN STREET, residence for the architect, 1883 (Gazette [Fenlon Falls], 21 July 1883, 2)
ST. ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Colborne Street, 1895 (Gazette [Fenlon Falls], 15 March 1895, 5; 1 Nov. 1895, 4, descrip.)
OAK STREET, residence for an unnamed client, 1895 (Gazette [Fenlon Falls], 22 Nov. 1895, 4)
TOWN HALL, designed by McLeod in 1899, but not built (Minute Book of the Council of the Village of Fenlon Falls, entries for 25 April 1899, 28 May 1899, 12 June 1899, 26 June 1899)
ST. JAMES ANGLICAN CHURCH, Bond Street East, 1902 (Gazette [Fenlon Falls], 9 May 1902, 5; 13 June 1902, 5; Canadian Churchman [Toronto], 18 Dec. 1902, 822, descrip.)