Papers of Archibald Lamont, 1907-1985, geology graduate and Scottish Nationalist, University of Glasgow, Scotland

• Published poetry and ballads1946-1975;
• Published political and historical papers 1946-1976;
• Published scientific papers 1965-1976;
• Glass negatives of geological specimens 1949-1950;
• Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association Syllabus 1930.

Archibald Lamont was born at Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute in 1907  , the son of John MacNab Lamont, OBE and JP, who was a solicitor and writer. He was educated at Port Bannatyne primary from 1913-1918, and then at Rothesay Academy between 1918-1925. After this he obtained the Duncan Bursary and entered into studies at the University of Glasgow between 1925 and 1935. He took classes in Latin, English, Greek, Geology, Geography, Botany and Zoology. He graduated M A in 1928  , BSc (Hons) in Geology 1932  and between 1932 and 1935 he held the Carnegie Research Scholarship and also the Strang-Steele Research Scholarship. This then led on to him gaining a PhD in 1935  . His thesis was entitled "The Drummuck Group, Girvan: a stratigraphical revision, with descriptions of new fossils from the lower part of the Group". He started an eleventh year in 1935 to study for a DSc, but must have abandoned this as it is not recorded in his qualifications.

While he was at University he was President of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association in 1930-1931 and organised the Rectorial election of Compton Mackenzie in 1931. He also made many contributions, including detailed poetry, to the Glasgow University Magazine under various pseudonyms (Pam, Albannach, Asteria etc).

Once he had finished his studies he moved to Dublin in 1936 to research the Tramore Limestone of Waterford, and in the same year married Rose McKinley, later having a son called Patrick John Coll Lamont. Sadly the marriage did not last and Lamont moved to Birmingham to become an Assistant Lecturer and then Lecturer at Birmingham University. He continued working throughout most of the war as he was a declared pacifist. It was in 1945 that he moved up to Edinburgh to take up the position of Carnegie Research Fellow at Edinburgh University. He remained in this post until 1955. During this time he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1950. Although holding the Research Fellowship in Edinburgh, Lamont had retired from teaching at the age of 38 in order to live alone in a remote cottage in Carlops, Midlothian. He did still however produce major studies of a geological nature, as well as combining his continued interst in Scottish Nationalism to produce many articles on Scottish Home Rule. He also founded the "Scottish Journal of Science" and was practically the sole contributor for nearly twenty years. His combined interests also led to him naming the trilobite genus 'Wallacia' after William Wallace and lithological markers 'Shepherd's Tartan' and 'Haggis Rocks'. His collection of trilobites is housed in the Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow. Archibald Lamont died in 1985  .

Sources: Glasgow University Archives student records; Bute Museum, Isle of Bute, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.

Arranged chronologically within record series.

Open

Glass negatives: Deposit : University of Glasgow's Department of Adult and Continuing Education : 2003 : ACCN2349

Digital file level list available in searchroom

None known

The glass negatives are fragile and require special handling.

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the Archivist.

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents

This material has been appraised in line with standard GB 0248 procedures

The papers were previously catalogued as GUA 36038, 36041-36056. The glass negatives were previously held by the University of Glasgow's Department of Adult and Continuing Education. They came from Archibald Lamont via Dr James MacDonald, an extra-mural tutor in geology in the Department.

None expected

University of Glasgow, Hunterian Museum, Trilobite collection of Archibald Lamont.

This material is original

Robertson, Eric.Archie Remembered . Edinburgh : Edinburgh Geological Society, The Edinburgh Geologist, Issue 42  , 2004  .

Clarkson, Euan N KArchie Lamont (1907-1985) . British Columbia : Trilobite Papers 3, Denman Institute for Research on Trilobites  , 1991  .

Description compiled in line with the following international standards: International Council on Archives,ISAD(G) Second Edition, September 1999 and National Council on Archives,Rules for the construction of personal, place and corporate names

Scotland is the location of all place names in the administrative/biographical history element, unless otherwise stated.

Fonds level description compiled by Vaila Holbourn, Archive Assistant, 21 August 2006. Lower level descriptions compiled by Glasgow University Archive Services staff. Finding aid created by Vaila Holbourn, Archive Assistant, 21 August 2006. Revisions made by Vikki Laidlaw, Assistant Archivist (Cataloguing), April 2007 and Emma Anthony, Assistant Archivist (Business Records Cataloguer), March 2012. Catalogue edited by Michelle Kaye, Archives Assistant, 18 July 2012.