Margaret Scott Gatty (1809-1873) was the daughter of the Reverend Alexander Scott (1786-1840), noted as having been Nelson's chaplain at the battle of Trafalgar. Margaret showed a strong talent for art and became a skilled manuscript illuminator and copper etching artist. In 1839, she married the Reverend Alfred Gatty (d.1903). He was vicar of Ecclesfield, near Sheffield (Yorkshire) and Sub-dean of York Minster. He was also cousin to Charles Henry Gatty, the benefactor of the Gatty Marine Laboratory at St Andrews.
Both Margaret Scott Gatty and the Reverend Alfred Gatty were published authors. The Reverend Alfred Gatty published a number of theological works while Margaret Scott Gatty became an extremely successful author of children's books. Foremost amongst these were the groundbreaking Parables from Nature series as well as the popular Aunt Judy's Magazine .
Margaret Scott Gatty also wrote a number of other works on various subjects. The most notable of these were The history of British Sea Weeds and The Book of British Sundials . These were published in 1863 and 1872 respectively and remain classic standard texts in their fields.
Of their eight children, four were notable in their own right. These were: Alfred Scott-Gatty (b.1847): knight, Garter King of Arms at the College of Arms (London), planner of various major Royal ceremonials; Juliana Horatia Ewing (1841-1885): eminent children's author; Stephen Herbert Gatty (b.1849): knight, British colonial judge; Charles Gatty: author and amateur archaeologist.
From the guide to the Papers of Margaret Scott Gatty, 1822-ca.1989, (University of St Andrews)
