Papers of Professor Henry Calderwood (1830-1897)

The papers of Professor Calderwood consist largely of lecture material although there are one or two pieces of correspondence. There are: notes of lectures on moral philosophy, 1880, at Dk.1.3/2; notes on moral philosophy, 1881-1882, at Gen. 2059-2060; lecture notes, 1882-1883, at Dc.5.106-108; and, lecture notes on moral philosophy, 1885-1886, at Gen. 2075. There is a letter to Robert James Drummond, 1882, referring to a lecture at University Education of Women Association, at Gen. 1429/10/15, and a letter to Sir W. Muir, 1891, at Dk.2.14, p.36.

Henry Calderwood was born in Peebles on 10 May 1830. He was educated at the Royal High School in Edinburgh and then studied at Edinburgh University with the intention of going into the Church. He entered the theological hall of the United Presbyterian Church in 1851 and was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Edinburgh in 1856. In September 1856, Calderwood was ordained as Minister of Greyfriars Church, Glasgow. While in Glasgow, he gave a great deal of his time to political and religious movements directed towards improving the lot of the city's poor. In 1861, he was elected examiner in philosophy to Glasgow University, and in 1866 he conducted the moral philosophy classes at the University. In 1868, Calderwood was appointed to the Chair of Moral Philosophy at Edinburgh University. Just as he had done so in Glasgow, he took an active interest in political, philanthropic, educational and religious matters in the city, and as a Liberal Unionist he was repeatedly asked to stand for parliament to represent one of the Edinburgh constituencies. In 1880, he was elected moderator of the United Presbyterian Church synod. Calderwood's publications include Handbook of moral philosophy (1872), Teaching, its end and means (1874), The relations of mind and brain (1879), and Evolution and man's place in nature (1893). Professor Henry Calderwood died on 19 November 1897.

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Lectures at Gen. 2075 received from Keele University, April 1978, Accession no. E78.16. Lectures at Gen. 2059-1060 purchased from J.G. Stewart MacPhail, May 1978, Accession no. E78.15. Letter at Gen. 1429/10/15 received among others, January 1970, Accession no. E70.2.

The biographical/administrative history was compiled using the following material: (1) Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of national biography. Vol.22 Supplement. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1909. (2) Who was who. A companion to Who's who ... 1897-1916. London: A. and C. Black, 1920.

Compiled by Graeme D Eddie, Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections Division.

Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

The local Indexes show one or two other references to Calderwood related material (check the Indexes for more details): a mention in a letter of Sir E. R. Lankester to Sir A. Geikie, at Gen. 1425/277; and, a notice of Calderwood in Sir J. S. Flett's account of student days, 1886-1894, at Dc.6.116, ff.17-18.