James Calder Macphail (21 February 1821 – 12 February 1908) was a Scottish Free Church minister and Gaelic tutor. He is best remembered as a pioneer photographer and one of the first to photograph the Holy Land.[1]
He was ordained in the Free Church of Scotland in 1849, and his first charge was the East Free Church in Aberdeen.[7][8] In 1868 he moved to the newly completed Pilrig Church on Leith Walk designed by Peddie & Kinnear.[9] He replaced Rev William Garden Blaikie who oversaw the building of the new church, replacing an earlier structure by David Cousin on the opposite side of Pilrig Street.[10] He would have then lived in the associated manse, at the north end of Pilrig Street facing the grounds of Pilrig House (later becoming Pilrig Park).
In 1869 he founded a bursary to Gaelic-speaking boys to fund their university education for the Free Church of Scotland.[11]
In the 1870s he made a photographic tour of the Holy Land. He was a member of the Edinburgh Calotype Club.
Macphail remained minister of Pilrig Church until at least 1895, continuing to live at Pilrig manse. By this stage the University of Edinburgh granted him an honorary doctorate (DD).[12] He left Edinburgh on retiral around 1896.
He died on 12 February 1908 and is buried in the first northern extension of Dean Cemetery in western Edinburgh. The grave lies in the first northern extension facing south onto the south path.
Familyedit
He was married to Ann Badenach Nicolson (1834-1918) daughter of Robert Badenoch and Ann Wilson (a wealthy landowner).[6]
They had two daughters, Annie Catherine Phebe Macphail and Sybella Mary Macphail.
His elder son James Robert Nicolson Macphail (1858-1933) was an antiquary,[13] while his younger son Earle Monteith Macphail (1861-1937) was a missionary to India who became principal (1921) and vice-chancellor (1923-5) of Madras University and rose to a senior position in colonial politics, rising to become deputy chairman of the Legislative Assembly of India in 1927.[14]
Publicationsedit
Old Stones for a New Church (1877)
Galleryedit
Pilrig manse, Edinburgh
The grave of Rev Dr James Calder Macphail, Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh
Pilrig St. Paul's Church
Referencesedit
^The Photography of Victorian Scotland, Roddy Simpson
^Hannavy, John (16 December 2013). Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography. Routledge. ISBN9781135873271.
^Griffiths, Alan. "Luminous-Lint - Photographer - James Calder Macphail". www.luminous-lint.com. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
^"Photographs by Macphail". National Library of Scotland.
^"Edinburgh Calotype Club Album - Volume 2 - Story". www.edinphoto.org.uk. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
^"MacPhail, James Robert Nicolson : Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - oi". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/53044. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Macphail Papers". Mundus. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
April 11, 2024
james, macphail, james, calder, macphail, february, 1821, february, 1908, scottish, free, church, minister, gaelic, tutor, best, remembered, pioneer, photographer, first, photograph, holy, land, james, calder, macphail, contents, life, family, publications, ga. James Calder Macphail 21 February 1821 12 February 1908 was a Scottish Free Church minister and Gaelic tutor He is best remembered as a pioneer photographer and one of the first to photograph the Holy Land 1 James Calder Macphail Contents 1 Life 2 Family 3 Publications 4 Gallery 5 ReferencesLife editHe was born on 21 February 1821 near Loch Broom in Wester Ross in northern Scotland In 1847 8 he travelled to Italy and Malta 2 Four photographs from this trip still exist 3 He was a friend to James Dunlop 1830 1858 and his uncle Alexander Earle Monteith His friend Cosmo Innes encouraged him to take an interest in photography and he joined the Edinburgh Calotype Club in 1843 aged only 22 4 5 He studied divinity at the University of Aberdeen Divinity College and New College Edinburgh After being licensed by the Church of Scotland he served as assistant minister at Enzie 6 He was ordained in the Free Church of Scotland in 1849 and his first charge was the East Free Church in Aberdeen 7 8 In 1868 he moved to the newly completed Pilrig Church on Leith Walk designed by Peddie amp Kinnear 9 He replaced Rev William Garden Blaikie who oversaw the building of the new church replacing an earlier structure by David Cousin on the opposite side of Pilrig Street 10 He would have then lived in the associated manse at the north end of Pilrig Street facing the grounds of Pilrig House later becoming Pilrig Park In 1869 he founded a bursary to Gaelic speaking boys to fund their university education for the Free Church of Scotland 11 In the 1870s he made a photographic tour of the Holy Land He was a member of the Edinburgh Calotype Club Macphail remained minister of Pilrig Church until at least 1895 continuing to live at Pilrig manse By this stage the University of Edinburgh granted him an honorary doctorate DD 12 He left Edinburgh on retiral around 1896 He died on 12 February 1908 and is buried in the first northern extension of Dean Cemetery in western Edinburgh The grave lies in the first northern extension facing south onto the south path Family editHe was married to Ann Badenach Nicolson 1834 1918 daughter of Robert Badenoch and Ann Wilson a wealthy landowner 6 They had two daughters Annie Catherine Phebe Macphail and Sybella Mary Macphail His elder son James Robert Nicolson Macphail 1858 1933 was an antiquary 13 while his younger son Earle Monteith Macphail 1861 1937 was a missionary to India who became principal 1921 and vice chancellor 1923 5 of Madras University and rose to a senior position in colonial politics rising to become deputy chairman of the Legislative Assembly of India in 1927 14 Publications editOld Stones for a New Church 1877 Gallery edit nbsp Pilrig manse Edinburgh nbsp The grave of Rev Dr James Calder Macphail Dean Cemetery Edinburgh nbsp Pilrig St Paul s ChurchReferences edit The Photography of Victorian Scotland Roddy Simpson Hannavy John 16 December 2013 Encyclopedia of Nineteenth Century Photography Routledge ISBN 9781135873271 Griffiths Alan Luminous Lint Photographer James Calder Macphail www luminous lint com Retrieved 18 January 2018 Photographs by Macphail National Library of Scotland Edinburgh Calotype Club Album Volume 2 Story www edinphoto org uk Retrieved 18 January 2018 a b Ewing William Annals of the Free Church Macphail James Calder 1821 1908 National Library of Scotland Retrieved 20 January 2018 Macphail James Calder 1821 1908 National Library of Scotland Buildings of Scotland Edinburgh by Gifford McWilliam and Walker The Kirk at Pilrig Stuart W Sime Rev Dr James Calder MacPhail and of sheriff J R M MacPhail papers Tasglann nan Eilean Siar ica atom tasglann org uk Retrieved 18 January 2018 Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1895 MacPhail James Robert Nicolson Oxford Dictionary of National Biography oi Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press 2004 doi 10 1093 ref odnb 53044 Subscription or UK public library membership required Macphail Papers Mundus Retrieved 4 November 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Macphail amp oldid 1165576345, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
