What did the students at St Andrews in the nineteenth century think about slavery, colonialism and empire? Unless they wrote or spoke publicly about it, it’s difficult to say… The archives of the University tend to be…
The Bell Chair of Education was established in 1876 by the trustees of Andrew Bell, including the Earl of Leven. and this endowment amounted to £4,000, which is equivalent to at least £400,000 in 2021. The trustees…
Taken in isolation, the life and career of the renowned mineralogist Matthew Forster Heddle (known as ‘Forster’) could hardly appear more Scottish or Scotland-bound. Born in 1828 in Hoy to two old Orkney families,…
William Carmichael McIntosh, or M’Intosh, (1838-1931) is remembered both as a pioneer in marine zoology and for his contributions to fisheries science. [1] At St Andrews, McIntosh’s legacy stems from his time as…
The Shairp Memorial Fund was established in 1885 in memory of John Campbell Shairp, Principal of the United College at the University of St Andrews. The fund raised £466 16 s 5d by subscription. Around 180 persons…
John Campbell Shairp (1819-1885) was born on 30 July 1819 in Houston, Linlithgowshire, to Major Norman Shairp and Elizabeth Binning Campbell. From 1799 to 1816, Major Shairp had served in the army of the Bengal…
The Taylour Thomson Bursaries were established by William Taylour Thomson (1813-1883). In his will of 1882, he expressed the desire to aid students ‘of both sexes in equal numbers’ and ‘in the case of females to assist…
William Taylour Thomson, CB, KCMG (1813-1883) had a fascinating, if not potentially controversial career, as a life-long diplomat. Born and educated in Edinburgh, Thomson’s career as a civil servant would be spent in…
During the 1891-92 University academic year, the Students Representative Council began a fundraising campaign for the joint Students Union and Dining Committee to establish a student dining hall. John Patrick…
James Alexander Guthrie (1823-1873) and Arbuthnot Charles Guthrie (1825-1897) were the sons of David Charles Guthrie (1788-1859) and Jane Campbell Hunter (1798-1859). Their lives and careers were intricately linked to…