The Walker Trust
The Walker Trust was established in 1881 by John Walker in memory of his brother George Walker.
John Walker put £7,500 into a trust ‘for furthering the usefulness or relieving the needs of the University of St Andrews in such ways as the Trustees shall deem proper.’ Those trustees included local professionals, and several members of the family of John and George’s sister Christian (Mrs George Russell, d.1882). One of her sons was David Russell (senior), while William Tullis was a son-in-law. The Walker Trust was therefore closely linked to the Fife paper making industry, and Tullis Russell in particular.
In his trust deed, John Walker gave his trustees full powers to decide how best to assist the University of St Andrews, but did make the specific suggestion of ‘several Lectures being delivered by a member or members of the Senatus on behalf of “The Walker Trust” in the Town of Cupar yearly’.
In the early twentieth century, a series of Walker Trust Lectures on Leadership included a contribution from the novelist John Buchan (in 1930).