Landscape designer to the Metropolitan Board of Works. He wrote 'Parks, Open Spaces and Thoroughfares of London' (1869). Was the first Superintendent of Alexandra Palace Park, and was also bailiff of Epping Forest and Burnham Beeches.
Born Scotland. Moved to London in 1851 and working at the Royal Botanical Gardens and on land belonging to the King of Belgium (we wonder where this was).
A member of the Honourable Artillery Company, rising to the rank of Major.
1863 appointed superintendent of Alexandra Palace and Park, and then became the superintendent of open spaces owned by the Metropolitan Board of Works, giving him responsibility for Finsbury Park, Southwark Park, Victoria Embankment, Albert Embankment, Hampstead Heath, Blackheath, Shepherd's Bush, Stepney Green, Hackney Commons and London Fields. To which we can add, Queen's Park and Queen Mary's steps. (At one time we thought he'd designed Victoria Park and he did, but the one in Portsmouth. We are grateful to Lisa White for this correction.)
From 1879 he was Superintendent of Epping Forest, through until his death, when his son, Frank Fuller McKenzie, took over.
Most of this information comes from the excellent AIM25 page on McKenzie.
That hairstyle doesn't do him any favours, does it? This photo comes from Lisa White's blog about Alexandra Palace. Lisa is continuing to research McKenzie for her PhD and is particularly keen to make contact with living descendants. She writes: "I know four of his children didn't have children, one son Francis Fuller had a son called Colin, but he didn't marry or have children, so this just leaves his name sake and his son Alexander McKenzie. I thought he might have died early, but he was at his father's funeral in 1893." If you have information please contact us and we'll put you in contact with Lisa.
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