Charles Pringle Finlayson (1911-1985)

Charles Finlayson in a group of Library staff, 1939

Keeper of the Manuscripts

Finlayson was born in 1911 in Ecclefechan, Dumfries-shire, the son of Postmaster Frederick Finlayson and his wife Mary Spence Pringle. He married Isabella Grubb in Edinburgh in 1939.

In effect he was the first Head of Special Collections, though his title was Keeper of the Manuscripts and he took up the post in 1947. He was succeeded by John Hall in 1978, though Hall's title was Special Collections Librarian.

Charles Finlayson died in Edinburgh in 1985.