Old Photograph Ross Memorial Hospital Dingwall Scotland

Old photograph of nurses outside the Ross Memorial Hospital in Dingwall, Scotland. James Alexander MacDonald was a 20th century Scottish botanist and plant pathologist. Friends and family called him Jay MacDonald. He was born in Dingwall on 17 June 1908 one of five children to Eliza Kelman and James Alexander MacDonald, HM Chief Inspector of Schools for the Scottish Highlands and a former Rector of Leith Academy in Edinburgh. He was home educated by his mother at Kilmacolm then at Inverness Royal Academy. He then went to Edinburgh University to study Agriculture but then decided to also study botany as a joint degree. He continued as a postgraduate in Botany, gaining his doctorate in 1935. On gaining his doctorate he began lecturing in Botany at St Andrews University in Fife and was given his professorship in 1961. In the same year he became the joint founder and official Keeper of St Andrews Botanic Garden. In the Second World War he served as a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF in India and Malaya, mainly working in radar. In 1940 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Robert James Douglas Graham, Sir William Wright Smith, Sir D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson and Alexander Nelson. He served as Vice President of the Society from 1961 to 1964. He retired in 1977. Although sickly in his early life he developed a love of active sports by his late teens, including rugby and hockey. By later life he had also developed a love of golf, and was ideally located in St Andrews for this pastime. He was also a keen angler. He died in St Andrews on 26 April 1997.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.

Old Photograph Goldenacre Edinburgh Scotland

Old photograph of shops, houses, people and Trams in Goldenacre, Edinburgh, Scotland. The name " Goldenacre " first appeared on maps in 1804, referring to a garden or orchard located southeast of the Ferry Road and Inverleith Row junction. The "golden" likely referred to the land's high agricultural productivity.


All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.

Old Photograph Inner Harbour Leith Scotland

Old photograph of boats in the Inner Harbour in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. Leith has played a long and prominent role in Scottish history. As the major port serving Edinburgh, it has been the stage on which many significant events in Scottish history have taken place. Mary of Guise ruled Scotland from Leith in 1560 as Regent while her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots remained in France. Mary of Guise moved the Scottish Court to Leith. Leith Docks became known as the port for Edinburgh and modest shipbuilding and repair facilities grew. On 20 May 1806, there was a procession of the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Baillies, and Council, along with a numerous company of ladies and gentleman, for the opening of the first new Wet Dock, the first of its kind in Scotland. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.

Old Photograph Sunderland Hall Scotland

Old photograph of Sunderland Hall near Selkirk, Borders, Scotland. This Scottish mansion house was rebuilt about the end of the 1600's by a Mr. Brice. It was called Sunderland Hall because the land on the estate was split asunder.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.

Old Photograph King Street Castle Douglas Scotland

Old photograph of a horse and cart, people, shops and houses on King Street in Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Castle Douglas was founded in 1792 by a wealthy descendant of the Douglas family, William Douglas, who made his money in American Trade and created a planned town on the shores of Carlingwark Loch. The town's layout is based upon the grid plan pattern of streets as used in Edinburgh's New Town, built around the same time. Sir William Douglas also created a number of industries in Castle Douglas, including hand woven cotton factories. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.