John Adamson (physician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Adamson
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Adamson circa 1865
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| Born | 12 December 1809 St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
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| Died | 11 August 1870 (aged 60) Dulnain Bridge, Moray, Scotland
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| Known for | First calotype portrait in Scotland |
| Spouse(s) |
Esther Christina Alexander
(m. 1850) |
| Relatives | Robert Adamson (brother) |
John Adamson (born December 12, 1809 – died August 11, 1870) was a Scottish doctor, a very early photographer, a scientist (physicist), a teacher, and a museum manager. He was highly respected in St Andrews, Scotland.
John Adamson made the first ever calotype portrait in Scotland in 1841. He also taught this new photography method to his younger brother, Robert Adamson, who became a famous photographer. John worked as the curator (manager) of the Literary and Philosophical Society Museum in St Andrews from 1838 until he passed away.
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Who Was John Adamson?
John Adamson was born in St Andrews, Scotland. He grew up in a place called Burnside. He was the oldest of ten children. His father, Alexander Adamson, was a farmer in Fife, and his mother was Rachael Melville.
John's Education and Early Career
John Adamson studied at the University of St Andrews and the University of Edinburgh. He became a licensed doctor in 1829. After finishing his studies, he moved to Paris, France, where he started his own medical practice. He even worked as a doctor on a ship that traveled to China.
In 1835, John returned to St Andrews and set up his medical practice there permanently. He became very involved with David Brewster at the university. Brewster was a famous scientist who helped develop early photography.
Pioneering Photography in Scotland
John Adamson worked closely with David Brewster to study the calotype process. This was a new way to create photographs using paper negatives. John was also a teacher and the curator of the university museum.
In May 1841, John Adamson created the first calotype portrait in Scotland. He did this at the Royal Museum in Edinburgh. This was a big achievement because the calotype process was very difficult to control back then.
John was also important because he taught his younger brother, Robert, how to use the calotype process. Robert Adamson later used this skill to create about 2,500 calotypes with David Octavius Hill between 1843 and 1848. John Adamson was in touch with Henry Fox Talbot, who invented the calotype process.
John earned his Master's Degree in 1843. He was also a member and the curator of the St Andrews Literary and Philosophical Society museum from 1838 until his death.
John Adamson's Family Life
John Adamson married Esther Christina Alexander in 1850. They had several children together. Their children included Esther Hamilton Proctor Adamson, John Adamson Jr., Robert Oswald Adamson, and Alexander Archibald Adamson. His daughter Esther later married Rev. William Weir Tulloch. William was the son of John Tulloch, who was the head of St Andrews University.
John Adamson passed away in Dulnain Bridge, Scotland, in 1870.
John Adamson's Legacy
John Adamson left an important mark on St Andrews and the world of photography.
There is a special blue plaque on his former home at 127 South Street in St Andrews. He lived there from 1848 to 1865. The plaque honors him and says: "He was a physician and pioneer photographer. In 1841 he took the first calotype portrait. He also taught his brother Robert and Thomas Rodger the technique and art of photography. A town councillor, he was a tireless worker for public health, and the hospital here is, in part, his memorial."
His home later became the main post office for St Andrews in 1907. In 2012, it was changed into a restaurant, which was named The Adamson in his honor.
