Botany

Origins

Botany has its origins in the gardens created by Sir Andrew Balfour (1630-1694) in 1668, assisted by Sir Robert Sibbald (1641-1722). They created a garden at Holyrood and charged James Sutherland (c1639-1719) to look after it. Sutherland procured additional land next to Trinity Hospital in 1675. A year later he was appointed to teach at the College though this was not fully formalised until 1695 when he was also appointed King's Botanist and Keeper of the Royal Garden at Holyrood.

Professors of Botany

• James Sutherland (c1639–1715), 1676-1705
• Charles Preston (1660-1711), 1706-1711
• George Preston (1665-1749), 1712-1738
• Charles Alston (1685-1760), 1738-1760

King's Botanist (Regius Professor) and Keeper of the Royal Botanic Gardens

• James Sutherland (c1639–1715), 1699-1714
• William Arthur ()]], 1715-1716
• Charles Alston (1685-1760), 1716-1760

Thereafter the two positions stayed combined as an automatic joint appointment.

Professor of Botany and King's Botanist (Keeper of the Royal Botanic Gardens)

• John Hope (1725-1786) 1761-1786
• Daniel Rutherford (1748-1819), 1786-1819
• Robert Graham (1786-1845), 1820-1845
• John Hutton Balfour (1808-1884), October 22, 1845
• Alexander Dickson (1836–1887), 1879-1887
• Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour (1853-1922), 1888-1922
• Sir William Wright Smith (1875-1956), 1922-1956

Thereafter the Chair was once again separated from that of Keeper of the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Professors of Botany

• Robert Brown (1908-1999), 1958-1977
• Michael Magson Yeoman, 1978-1993