James Donn – botanist and horticulturist – born in Perthshire in 1758. He began his study of gardening at Kew in London before appointment as curator of Cambridge University’s botanic garden in 1794 where he undertook the expansion of the gardens both quantitatively and qualitatively. His magnum opus was his Hortus Cantabrigiensis, […]
Alexander Dow (1735/6-1779) army officer and writer. Born in Perthshire, Alexander Dow ran away to sea at a young age joining a private ship of war, the King of Prussia, in 1757. By 1760, he was in Bengal where he joined the East India Company achieving the rank of ensign within […]
Patrick Matthew of Gourdiehill (1790-1874), writer on arboriculture and evolutionary theory, was born into a minor family of Perthshire landowners (Carse of Gowrie). He was educated at Perth Academy before going up to Edinburgh University to study medicine. Unfortunately, after his mother’s death, Patrick Matthew was forced to give up his […]
Agnata Frances (Ramsay) Butler (1867-1931) – classical scholar. Born in London, Agnata Ramsay was brought up in Perthshire. Her family were academics and Agnata followed in their footsteps by going to Girton College, Cambridge to take the tripos in classics. As such she was one of the first women to do […]
John Burns Hynd (1902-1971) was born in Perth and educated at St Ninian’s Episcopal Church and Caledonian Road School. After leaving school, Hynd first worked as a railway clerk (London, Midland and Scottish Railways) in Perth, until 1925. Involvement in the labour movement saw him work firstly for the National Union […]
James Edward Gordon, politician and Protestant religious activist, was born at Abernethy (or possibly Aberdeen) in 1789; his father was a factor employed by the Duke of Gordon. At the age of fifteen, Gordon went into the Royal Navy, was promoted to lieutenant in 1811 and by 1814 was in […]
William Thomson (1746-1817) – writer – was born at Burnside (Forteviot) in 1746 and was educated at the grammar school in Perth before entering St Andrews University to study theology. He later attended Edinburgh University. At university, he gained a post with the Earl of Kinnoull (chancellor of the university) as […]
During the 1830s and 1840s a number of popular radical movements known collectively as Chartism became a revolutionary force in British society. Meetings, demonstrations, petitions and other political actions took place under its name across the British Isles and involved millions of workers and members of the petty-bourgeoisie. The Chartist […]
James Bonar (1852-1941) Economist. Born at Collace (Perthshire), a son of the manse, James Bonar was raised in the Free Church. Bonar was educated at the academy in Glasgow before going up to that city’s university. At university, Bonar excelled, won many prizes and came out with a first-class MA in […]
Winifred Anna Cavendish-Bentinck (1863-1954) avian rights activist was born at Murthly Castle. In 1889, Winifed Anna Dallas-Yorke married the sixth duke of Portland and became well known in society circles. A few years after her marriage, Cavendish-Bentinck, now a duchess, threw herself into bird protection activity campaigning against the use of […]