David Robertson (naturalist)
Encyclopedia
Dr David Robertson FLS
, FGS
(1806–1896) was a Scottish naturalist who founded the University Marine Biological Station, Millport
.
Robertson was born in Glasgow
. From age 8 he worked as a herd boy in Ayrshire
, Scotland but eventually went on to gain a medical degree. His interests turned to the study of Natural History in the town he regularly visited, Millport
, in the Firth of Clyde
. He studied the local flora and fauna and established Millport as a significant area for marine biological research. In 1885 he had the 'Ark', an old floating laboratory, drawn up on shore, at Port Loy, Cumbrae. He persuaded members of the professional and business community in Glasgow to fund a permanent marine research station there. Work was progressing on the building of the present Marine Station and museum when Robertson died aged 90. The station opened in 1897 and consisted of a laboratory, museum, and public aquarium.
With George Stewardson Brady
(1832–1921) and HW Crosskey
he wrote A Monograph of the Post-Tertiary Entomostraca
of Scotland, printed for the Palaeontographical
Society. With Crosskey he wrote on the post-tertiary fossil
iferous beds of Scotland (Trans. Geol. Soc. Glasgow).
Robertson was known as 'The Cumbrae Naturalist'.
Linnean Society of London
The Linnean Society of London is the world's premier society for the study and dissemination of taxonomy and natural history. It publishes a zoological journal, as well as botanical and biological journals...
, FGS
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
(1806–1896) was a Scottish naturalist who founded the University Marine Biological Station, Millport
University Marine Biological Station, Millport
The University Marine Biological Station Millport is a higher education institute located on the island of Great Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland...
.
Robertson was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. From age 8 he worked as a herd boy in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
, Scotland but eventually went on to gain a medical degree. His interests turned to the study of Natural History in the town he regularly visited, Millport
Millport, Isle of Cumbrae
Millport is the only town on the island of Great Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde off the coast of North Ayrshire, Scotland. The town is four miles south from the Largs-based Caledonian MacBrayne ferry slipway....
, in the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
. He studied the local flora and fauna and established Millport as a significant area for marine biological research. In 1885 he had the 'Ark', an old floating laboratory, drawn up on shore, at Port Loy, Cumbrae. He persuaded members of the professional and business community in Glasgow to fund a permanent marine research station there. Work was progressing on the building of the present Marine Station and museum when Robertson died aged 90. The station opened in 1897 and consisted of a laboratory, museum, and public aquarium.
With George Stewardson Brady
George Stewardson Brady
George Stewardson Brady was a professor of natural history at the Hancock Museum in Newcastle-upon-Tyne who did important volumes on Copepoda, including those from the Challenger expedition ....
(1832–1921) and HW Crosskey
Henry William Crosskey
Henry William Crosskey , English geologist and Unitarian minister, was born at Lewes in Sussex.After being trained for the ministry at Manchester New College , he became pastor of Friargate chapel, Derby, until 1852, when he accepted charge of a Unitarian congregation in Glasgow...
he wrote A Monograph of the Post-Tertiary Entomostraca
Entomostraca
Entomostraca is a historical subclass of Crustacea, no longer in technical use. It was originally considered one of the two major lineages of crustaceans , combining all other classes – Branchiopoda, Cephalocarida, Ostracoda and Maxillopoda. The Ostracoda have the body enclosed in a bivalve...
of Scotland, printed for the Palaeontographical
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
Society. With Crosskey he wrote on the post-tertiary fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
iferous beds of Scotland (Trans. Geol. Soc. Glasgow).
Robertson was known as 'The Cumbrae Naturalist'.