William Brand (botanist)

William Brand WS FRSE (5 January 1807, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire – 18 October 1869) was a Scottish solicitor, banker, botanist and plant collector.

Biography

He was born in Peterhead in Scotland the son of Charles Brand a farmer. He attended parish schools, and completed a medical degree at the university of Edinburgh. It was around this time that he grew an interest for botany.[1]

After his studies, William Brand was apprenticed to Scott, Findlay and Balderston, rising to become a partner in 1834, the year he also became a Writer to the Signet.[1] In 1836 he is shown as working from 18 Dundas Street in Edinburgh's New Town.[2]

He served as secretary to the Union Bank of Scotland from 1846 to 1869.[1]

He was a founding member of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh on 8 February 1836,[1] and the discoverer of the Astragalus alpinus.[1]

A bust of William Brand stands in the library of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.[1]

Distinctions

Personal life

In 1848, William Brand married Eleanor Bruce Mitchell. They had 3 children.[1]

References
  1. Paterson, Leonie (12 December 2016). "William Brand WS – First Treasurer of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh". Botanics Stories. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  2. "The Botanical Society of Edinburgh: Instituted 17th March 1836". 1840.
  3. http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp1.pdf


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