Papers and Lectures of Professor William Ross Hardie (1862-1916)

At MSS 3138-3142 there are notes and biographical material, notebooks and heavily annotated classical texts, annotated editions of classical texts, publications by Hardie, and publications by Hardie's contemporaries. There are also notes of lectures on Latin literature, and Hardie's Introductory lectures and Vetera recentia, Gen. 1890, as well as lectures on Statius and Juvenal, Gen. 2033

William Ross Hardie was born in Edinburgh in 1862. He was educated at Circus Place School in the city, and then studied at Edinburgh University where he was awarded the degree of MA in 1880. He then went on to study at Balliol College, Oxford, where he was awarded a BA. Hardie was Fellow and Tutor at Balliol, 1884-1895, and also Junior Proctor, 1893-1894. He became Professor of Humanity at Edinburgh University in 1895. Hardie's publications include Lectures on classical subjects (1903), Latin prose composition (1908), Silvulae academicae (1911), and Res metrica (1920). Professor William Ross Hardie died on 3 May 1916 after contracting a severe attack of influenza in January 1916.

Hardie's lectures had been attended by James Stirling Ross, later to become a civil servant. James Stirling Ross was born on 3 August 1877. He and was educated at Edinburgh's Royal High School and then studied at Edinburgh University, 1895-99, where he was awarded the degree of MA with 1st Class Honours in Classics. He then attended Balliol College, Oxford. His career as a civil servant began in 1900 at the then War Office. He became Private Secretary to the Chief of the General Staff, 1904-5, before serving at Aldershot and with the Scottish and Northern Commands, 1905-12, and then at the Finance Department. From 1912 until 1918 he was again at the War Office. Various postings followed until his retiral in 1938, but at the outbreak of war in September 1939, he rejoined for war service. Ross published The National Health Service in Great Britain: an historical and descriptive study (1952). Sir James Stirling Ross died on 2 October 1961.

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

Lecture notes taken down by James Ross Stirling received from his son, Mr. J. M. Ross, London, April 1972, Accession no. E72.10. Notes taken by J. Jackson received from Glasgow University Archives, E78.10.

The biographical history was compiled using the following material: (1) Who was who 1916-1928. A companion to Who's who.... 3rd edition. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1962. (2) The dictionary of national biography. The concise dictionary. Part 2. 1901-1970. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1982. (3) Who's who 1962. p.2647. London: Adam and Charles Black, 1962.

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.

A student essay by Sir James Stirling Ross as a student, 1898-99, on State socialism, and with comments, is at Gen. 1896, ff.189-214. As regards Professor William Ross Hardie, the UK National Register of Archives (NRA), updated by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, notes: markbooks, work on Aristotle, compositions and academic papers, at Oxford University, Balliol College Library, NRA 35577 Balliol misc; and, letters to Gilbert Murray, 1893-1915, Oxford University, Bodleian Library, Special Collections and Western Manuscripts, Ref. MSS Gilbert Murray NRA 16865 Murray. For Sir James Stirling Ross, the UK NRA notes: papers, 1917-1945, at the Public Record Office, London, Ref. AIR19.