Charles Alston 1685-1760

Charles ALSTON 1685-1760

Biographical Note

Born at Hamilton, Lanarkshire, son of Thomas Alston, physician. Matriculated at Glasgow University 1700, but financial hardship after the death of his father in 1703 prevented him from graduating. His potential was recognised by Elizabeth, Duchess of Hamilton who then supported him and provided him with legal training; he also studied medicine in his spare time and with the Duchess's patronage he became regius professor of botany and superintendent of the physic garden at Edinburgh in 1715. He graduated MD at Glasgow in 1719 and became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1721 (Linnaeus proved to be ill-judged.

Books

Alston's library was auctioned in Edinburgh, beginning 2 February 1761; no catalogue survives. One book noted as having been bought at that sale survives at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, C.6.18 (Colonna, Plantarum, 1592).

Sources

• Allen, D. E. "Alston, Charles (1685–1760), physician and botanist." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
• Bird, D.T., A catalogue of sixteenth-century medical books in Edinburgh libraries, Edinburgh, 1982, no.581.
• Information from Brian Hillyard.