Alexander Crombie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander Crombie
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Alexander Crombie, 1832 portrait
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| Born | 17 July 1760 |
| Died | 11 June 1840 (aged 79) |
| Resting place | St Marylebone Parish Church |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Presbyterian minister, schoolmaster and philosopher |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 7 |
Alexander Crombie was a Scottish Presbyterian minister, schoolmaster (teacher), and philosopher (a deep thinker). He lived from 1760 to 1840 and was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, a special group for important scientists and thinkers.
Contents
The Life of Alexander Crombie
Alexander Crombie was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on July 17, 1760. His father's name was Thomas Crombie.
Education and Early Career
Alexander studied at Marischal College, which is a university in Aberdeen. There, he learned about religion from a famous writer named James Beattie. In 1778, he earned his Master's degree (M.A.). This is a high university degree. Later, in 1794, the college gave him an honorary doctorate (LL.D.). This is a special title given to people for their achievements.
Crombie was allowed to preach as a minister. However, he chose to become a teacher instead. By 1790, he moved to London, England. There, he started and ran his own school in Highgate. This school was known as a Unitarian school.
Teaching and Ministry
From 1796 to 1798, Crombie worked as a minister at a Presbyterian church in Southwood Lane. After 1798, he moved to Greenwich, Kent, to become the head teacher of another school. One of his students there was William Wentworth, who later became an important figure in Australian history.
Alexander Crombie passed away in London on June 11, 1840. He was buried at St Marylebone Parish Church.
Friends and Connections
A friend named John Grant, who was a "philologist" (someone who studies language) and "critic," wrote about Crombie after he died. Grant said that when Crombie was younger, he knew other important thinkers like Joseph Priestley, Richard Price, and Alexander Geddes. John Grant himself was a school principal for 40 years.
Homes and Land
When Crombie lived in Greenwich, he owned a very large house called Maize Hill. A famous person named Sir Gregory Page had built it. Crombie bought this big house from Sir Walter James.
However, in 1822, the Maize Hill house was taken down. Other buildings, including a chapel, were built on the land. Crombie sold the land in smaller pieces. By this time, he was living in the Regent's Park area of London.
In 1832, Crombie inherited a lot of property in Scotland. This property came from his cousin, Alexander Crombie of Phesdo. After Alexander Crombie's death, the small village of Phesdo was sold around 1845 to Sir John Gladstone, 1st Baronet.
Family Life
Alexander Crombie was married at least two times.
From his first marriage, he had a son:
- Alexander Crombie (born 1784), who became a lawyer in 1822.
He married again on March 6, 1798, in Cluny, Aberdeenshire. His second wife was Jane Nory (who lived from about 1773 to 1859). They had several children together, including:
- Lewis Crombie (1800–1880), who became a solicitor (a type of lawyer).
- Mary Crombie (born 1802).
- Jane Crombie (1804–1846), who married Captain Henry Algernon Eliot in 1823.
- Thomas Crombie (born 1806), who became a major in the army.
- William Crombie (born 1808).
- Peter Crombie (born 1809).
