Alexander G Murdoch
An excerpt from Dennistoun Past and Present by James Baird 1922.
Was born in the northern part of Glasgow in April 1843, After receiving a meagre education he was early apprenticed to the trade of marine engineering and was a period thereafter employed by Messrs Singer. Without outside assistance he developed a literary bent, and contributed many poems - especially humorous ones - to the 'Glasgow Weekly Mail'. He was after a time able to publish a book of his poetry, and by 1879 he had issued three volumes of his poems. In this year he won the medal offered by the committee of the Burns Monument at Kilmarnock for a poem on the Ayrshire Bard. After this he became a member of the staff of the 'Mail' and wrote several serial stories - 'Fire and Sword' 'Sweet Nellie Gray', Bob Allan's Lass', etc besides issuing various other books. including 'Recent and Living Scottish Poets'. It is as a poet, however he will be remembered, as he had the real poetic chord in his nature. He died at his house in Bellgrove Street on 12th February 1901.