McManus 168

Alexander Hean, the oldest son of David Hean and Mary Cairncross,^[1] joined forces with his two younger brothers, Peter and David, as a partner in the well known established firm of ‘David Hean & Sons,’ founded by his father in Dundee. His father, David Hean, died in 1843,^[15] whereupon the three brothers continued under the same title, ‘carrying on a large and extensive business as a builder and contractor’^[10] up to 1850. Alexander, like his father and brother Peter had been ‘wrights’ to trade, with brother David having been a ‘mason.’^[15]

The family lived in Small’s Lane, which ran from the east side of Small’s Wynd and north of St John’s Free Church. A parallel lane was named Hean’s Lane.^[18] Their property was described as ‘that piece of ground with the house built thereon, lying to the east side of Small’s Wynd, commonly called Mill Wynd.’^[15]

The firm of ‘David Hean & Sons’ was credited with having built the original, timber railway bridge at Perth, together with several buildings in Reform Street and Lindsay Street in Dundee. The building of St Peter’s Church in St Peter’s Street, the Church Hall and Church Officer’s House, designed and constructed in 1836, was also attributed to ‘builder-architects David Hean & Sons.’^[19] St Peter’s was noted to have been ‘remarkably douce for a Revivalist Kirk – yet this was the seat of the Reverend Robert McCheyne, a major player in the Evangelical revival who made these sober rafters ring.’^[17] The following year, in 1837, the Hean brothers tackled the building of St Aidan’s Church in Broughty Ferry.^[20]

It was reported that ‘during the time they carried on business, they enjoyed so much prosperity that he (Peter) and older brother (Alexander) were able to retire not long after the death of their father (1843).’^[16] Alexander Hean and his younger brother Peter retired from the building and contracting business in which they were involved by 1850/51. Their younger brother David carried on for a spell thereafter.

During his retirement, Alexander Hean travelled extensively in Europe and the Middle East.^[10] He involved himself with much ardour in the causes of the Free Church, also bequeathing sizeable sums of money to them on his death.^[21] Having been an elder of Free St John’s Church (both before and since the Disruption), The Reverend Laing extolled Alexander’s virtues, declaring him to have been ‘upright and honest – known and esteemed of this congregation.’^[11]

According to his obituary in the Courier, Alexander Hean had been a kind hearted and well respected member of the community who left ‘no enemy behind him.’^[10]