Mary Pirie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Pirie
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| Born | 20 January 1822 Cotton Lodge, Aberdeen
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| Died | 8 February 1885 Portsoy
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| Occupation | Botanist; Teacher |
Mary Pirie (born January 20, 1822 – died February 8, 1885) was a Scottish botanist and a teacher. She loved nature and wanted to share that love with everyone. She wrote books and articles to help young people learn about plants and animals.
Mary Pirie's Life
Mary Pirie was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on January 20, 1822. Her family lived in a house called Cotton Lodge. Her parents were Clementina Anderson and William Pirie, who made carpets. Mary was one of ten children in her family. In 1840, her family moved to Portsoy. Mary Pirie lived there until she passed away on February 8, 1885. She was buried in St Nicholas Cemetery in Aberdeen.
Botanist and Teacher
Mary Pirie was a botanist, which means she studied plants. She wanted to inspire others to love nature as much as she did. She believed that everyone should be interested in science, especially botany. To share her passion, she wrote a regular column about nature in a newspaper called The Banffshire Reporter.
In 1860, Mary Pirie published a popular book about plants. People described it as "a beautiful book for a present." This book included her own poems and drawings. For example, she shared a romantic story about the mignonette flower (reseda odorata). This story explained how the flower became part of a count's family symbol.
Her second book, published in 1864, was dedicated to Viscount Reidhaven. In the introduction, Mary Pirie wrote that this book was made to "encourage and aid youth in the study of animated nature." This shows her goal was to help young people learn about living things. Her first book was published by James Blackwood & Co., and the second by Lewis Smith.
Later in her life, Mary Pirie lived in Portsoy. She ran her own private school on Old Cullen Street. Her school was very successful. Because of its success, a new public school, Durn Road School, was created. Sadly, Mary Pirie was not well enough to teach there. She passed away in Portsoy on February 8, 1885.
Her Books
- 1860 - Flowers, Grasses and Shrubs with Anecdotes and Poetical Illustrations.
- 1864 - Familiar Teachings on Natural History: A Book for the Use of Schools and Families
