XII.— Notice of John Smith

Abstract

John Smith's association with the Geological Society of Glasgow, as ordinary member from 1865 and as honorary member from 1909, extended over the long period of sixty-five years. Accordingly, it seems fitting that a brief notice of his career and a list of his more important publications should be included in the Transactions. He was born on the 14th September, 1845, at Clarkston, near Airdrie. In the following year, however, his father, who was engaged in the mining industry, was transferred to Dalry in North Ayrshire, to superintend the opening of new shafts in the rich ironstone fields of that district. He went to school in Dalry and for some time attended Irvine Academy, and then proceeded to Glasgow to serve his apprenticeship in mining and surveying in the office of Messrs. W. and J. McCreath (now McCreaths and Stevenson). During his five years' residence in the city (about 1863-1868) he made many contacts with scientific workers; he joined the Geological Society, studied botany at Anderson's College under Professor R. Kennedy, well-known as the author of the “Clydesdale Flora,” and attended classes in chemistry and astronomy. On the completion of his apprenticeship he left Glasgow to take up an appointment with Messrs. W. Baird and Co. as under-manager at Lugar and two and a half years later (about 1870) became manager of the Eglinton Ironworks at Kilwinning, a position which he held for some nineteen years. The rest of his life was passed in retirement, first at Monkredding, two miles This 250-word extract was created in the absence of an abstract