There have been several generations of Robert McAlpine involved in construction and British politics.

Sir Robert McAlpine, 1st Bt (13 February 1847-3 November 1934), known as Concrete Bob, founded the major construction firm now known as Sir Robert McAlpine.

McAlpine was born in Newarthill , North Lanarkshire and left school at the age of 10 to work in a coal mine, but became an apprentice bricklayer. He was involved in the building of roads, public buildings and other works including Wembley Stadium in London, some of the tunnelling for the Glasgow Underground and the Singer Sewing Machine factory in Clydebank.

McAlpine built up the large building and civil engineering firm, which continues to exist today. He was also a pioneer in the use of concrete and labour-saving machinery. He was made a baronet in 1918.

His son, also Robert McAlpine, succeeded him as baronet upon his death in 1934 but died less than two weeks later.

Sir Robert Edwin McAlpine, Baron McAlpine of Moffat, 5th Bt (23 April 1907-7 January 1990), grandson of the first baronet, was a British construction magnate heading Sir Robert McAlpine and sons. He was made a life peer as Baron McAlpine of Moffat of Medmenham in the County of Buckinghamshire in 1980.

The fifth baronet's son, Robert Alistair McAlpine (14 May 1942- ), is often known as Alistair McAlpine. He also joined the firm and served as a director and Vice-President. He became a life peer in 1984 as Baron McAlpine of West Green in the County of Hampshire. In the 1990s he had a high-profile business collapse in Australia.

McAlpine was a prominent Conservative peer, close in his views to Margaret Thatcher. He had been both Treasurer and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. In 1996, he defected to James Goldsmith's Referendum Movement and in 1997 became its leader following Goldsmith's death. He sat as an Independent Conservative for some time in the House of Lords before rejoining the Conservatives. He is a bon viveur, patron of the arts and an author.