Career
Born in Edinburgh and educated at James Gillespie’s High School. Articled in 1881 to Robert Wilson, architect for the Edinburgh School Board. In 1889 he moved to London and worked with Her Majesty Office of Further trained under Sydney Mitchell in 1892.
When Robert Wilson died in 1901, Carfrae inherited both his office and the full role as architect to the Edinburgh School Board.
In 1918 local government practices changed and the City Architect became responsible for school design. However, the city architect Ebenezer James MacRae still passed him two commissions: for Balgreen and Stenhouse schools.
From 1907 until death he lived in the Grange, Edinburgh at 3 Gillsland Road. He died on 11 July 1947.