James Currie (shipowner)

He was also a keen amateur botanist, mineralogist and archaeologist, making sufficient impact on the Scottish world of science as to rise to be President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Currie was born at Catherine Bank House on Newhaven Road (demolished c.1900) in Leith, Scotland[1] on 13 April 1863.

His business interests were second to his scientific pursuits until 1900 when his father died and he had to take his place as owner and director of both James Currie & Co (the shipbuilding branch) and the Currie Line (the shipping company), by this time owning ships and property both in Leith and London.

[5] In 1897 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh his proposers being Sir William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, Matthew Forster Heddle, D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson, and John Young Buchanan.

[6] He is buried with his wife in Warriston Cemetery near the centre of the main roundel (south of the vaults).