William Carmichael McIntosh

Epithet: zoologist

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000976.0x0002c5

William Carmichael McIntosh FRS, FRSE (1838-1931) was the first systematic marine zoologist in Britain. He started his academic career at Madras School, St Andrews around 1845, later entering the University of St Andrews at the age of 15. His life-long interest in natural history and in collecting marine creatures was already established by the time he entered Edinburgh University to study Medicine in 1857, whence he graduated in 1860. From 1860-1882 McIntosh was employed in institutional psychiatry in Perthshire, most importantly as the first director of the Murthly Hospital County Asylum from 1863. He was never to marry. His sister Roberta assisted him in many of his most important projects by providing drawings before her early death in 1868.

In 1873, British Annelids Vol. 1 Nemertea was published by the Ray Society; this was the first of a classic series of monographs, which would not be finally completed until 1923. McIntosh was also a pioneer of United Kingdom fisheries research, most especially in the period 1883-1896. Honours followed his many scientific achievements, including election to Fellowships of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1869 and the Royal Society of London in 1877.

From 1882 to 1917 McIntosh was Professor of Natural History at the University of St Andrews. During this period, he made a number of important contributions to the development of the University. These included the reform of Natural History teaching and the establishment of a Botanic Garden. He also played an important part in establishing a modern School of Medicine at St Andrews. Perhaps his most important contribution was the establishment of the St Andrews Fisheries Laboratory in 1884, the first dedicated facility of its kind in the British Isles. This was followed by the establishment of the world-renowned Gatty Marine Laboratory in 1896. In his later years, McIntosh made a number of important benefactions and bequests to the University.

The vast majority of photographic holdings within this collection relate to McIntosh's personal and family life. McIntosh was born into a prosperous middle-class family which had both the means and opportunity to be involved in photography from a relatively early period. The family certainly embraced formal portrait photography from the mid-1850s, while a note within the collection records McIntosh himself owning a camera in 1857 (ms37115 /2/23v).

From 1861, McIntosh's companion was his sister, Agnes McIntosh. She remained with her brother until her death in 1923. Agnes was an avid compiler of scrapbooks which chronicle her personal interests, the family and her brother's career. Dating principally from ca. 1850 to ca. 1905, these scrapbooks contain a significant amount of photographic material including much of the early material.

From the guide to the Papers of William Carmichael McIntosh, ca.1800-2001, (University of St Andrews)

William Carmichael McIntosh FRS, FRSE (1838-1931) become one of the leading marine zoologists of his generation. He started his academic career at Madras School, St Andrews around 1845, later entering the University of St Andrews at the age of 15. His life-long interest in natural history and in collecting marine creatures was already established by the time he entered Edinburgh University to study Medicine in 1857, whence he graduated in 1860. From 1860-1882 McIntosh was employed in institutional psychiatry in Perthshire. He was never to marry. His sister Roberta assisted him in many of his most important projects by providing drawings before her early death in 1868.

In 1873, British Annelids Vol. 1 'Nemertea' was published by the Ray Society; this was the first of a classic series of monographs, which would not be finally completed until 1923. McIntosh was also a pioneer of United Kingdom fisheries research, most especially in the period 1883-1896. Honours followed his many scientific achievements, including election to Fellowships of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1869 and the Royal Society of London in 1877.

From 1882 to 1917 McIntosh was Professor of Natural History at the University of St Andrews. During this period, he made a number of important contributions to the development of the University. These included the reform of Natural History teaching and the establishment of a Botanic Garden. He also played an important part in establishing a modern School of Medicine at St Andrews. Perhaps his most important contribution was the establishment of the St Andrews Fisheries Laboratory in 1884, the first dedicated facility of its kind in the British Isles. This was followed by the establishment of the world-renowned Gatty Marine Laboratory in 1896. In his later years, McIntosh made a number of important benefactions and bequests to the University.

The vast majority of photographic holdings within this collection relate to McIntosh's personal and family life. McIntosh was born into a prosperous middle-class family which had both the means and opportunity to be involved in photography from a relatively early period. The family certainly embraced formal portrait photography from the mid-1850s, while a note within the collection records McIntosh himself owning a camera in 1857 (ms37115 /2/23v).

From 1861, McIntosh's companion was his sister, Agnes McIntosh. She remained with her brother until her death in 1923. Agnes was an avid compiler of scrapbooks which chronicle her personal interests, the family and her brother's career. Dating principally from ca. 1850 to ca. 1905, these scrapbooks contain a significant amount of photographic material including much of the early material.

From the guide to the Photographs from the William Carmichael McIntosh collection, ca. 1848-ca. 1990, (University of St Andrews)