Robertson, David, 1806-1896, naturalist

David Robertson was born in 1806, and lived for a large part of his life on the island, Great Cumbrae, in Firth of Clyde at Millport, Scotland. He studied the highly varied habitats of flora and fauna from the waters of the Clyde Sea and the surrounding sea loch. He established Millport as a significant area for biological research, and at his instigation more and more scientists came to study there. 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, with its own staff. This was opened in 1897, and consisted of a laboratory, museum, and public aquarium, and which survives as the University Marine Biological Station, Millport. As a result of his work, Robertson came to be known as 'The Cumbrae Naturalist'. He died in 1896.

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List of sources for the biographical information:

Parker, Steve, University Marine Biological Station, Millport, (http://www.gla.ac.uk/centres/marinestation/index.htmlUniversity of Glasgow, )

Authority record created according to theNational Council on ArchivesRules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names (NCA Rules)1997 and International Council on Archives: Ad Hoc Committee on Descriptive StandardsInternational Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families (ISAAR)CPF1995

Personal name authority record compiled for the GASHE project by John O'Brien, Glasgow University Archive Services, 31 July 2002