Wormit - Alexander Stewart

Alexander Stewart made such a huge contribution to the development of Wormit that he was known locally as Mr Wormit, and the area he developed was regularly referred to as Stewart Town. He is best known of course for his sun houses, where occupants used his new electricity supply, supplied by his Tayside Electric Company, and they were rewarded with these extravagant sunray designs above the upper windows. The finest examples are in Hillpark Terrace and Hill Crescent.

Stewart Town Development

In the early 1890s he embarked upon his first building projects in Wormit: these were 7 and 9 Mount Stewart Road, and 19 and 21 Naughton Road. He later extended 7 Mount Stewart Road and lived in the extension (1 Hillpark Terrace) until his death in 1915.

In 1895 he built 1 Northview Terrace (the Tower) and the Wormit shop/post office and hall (present day Spar shop building).

Hillpark Terrace

The first houses of Hillpark Terrace were built in 1894, with the terrace being completed in 1898. In the late 1890s he built several other houses in Birkhill Avenue and along the other side of Hillpark Terrace. Perhaps his most ambitious project was the magnificent terrace of Hill Crescent, completed in 1900.

Birdcages

Alexander Stewart used rather unconventional techniques when he was planning and building his houses. Apparently, he used to mark out the position of the house on the ground with his umbrella. He then built a timber framework, leading to them being referred to locally as the birdcages. So timber-frame houses….not such a new idea after all!

Thanks to William Owen for some of this information.