User:Islbai/Mary Pirie
Mary Pirie | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 January 1822 Cotton Lodge, Woodside, Aberdeen |
| Died | 8 February 1885 (aged 64) |
| Burial place | St Nicholas Cemetery, Aberdeen |
| Occupation(s) | Botanist (study of plants); Entomologist (study of insects); Teacher (educator) |
| Notable work | |
| Parents |
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Mary Pirie (20 January 1822 – 8 February 1885) was a Scottish botanist, entomologist and teacher. She was interested in education and botany (plants) and entomology (insects). She called entomology the study of "animated nature" which is what her second book is about.[2] She thought a good thing about natural sciences was they could be studied by everyone. Pirie says, "The Science of Botany is the branch of Natural History most accessible to all; it is the science which furnishes us with the key to unlock the cabinet and unfold the wonders of the Floral Kingdom".[3] This was why Mary Pirie would write about plants and insects, through poetry and pictures.
Biography[change | change source]
Pirie was born in Aberdeen. She was born on the 20 January 1822.[4] Pirie was born at Cotton Lodge, Woodside. This is now Primrosehill Drive and gardens in Aberdeen.[5] Her mother was called Clementina Anderson. Pirie's father was a carpet maker called William Pirie.[6] Her parents had ten children.[6] Her family started living in Portsoy from 1840. Pirie spent her life in Portsoy and died on 8 February 1885 in her home.[7] Pirie died when she was 64 years old. Her house was on North High Street in Portsoy and was made into a hotel called the Temperance Hotel after she died.[8] It is now called Boyne Hotel.[9]
Pirie was interested in educating others on plants and insects. She believed that "the regular operations of nature are a convincing proof that all things are made by divine hand".[3] In later life, after publishing her books Pirie did not get married and lived with her servant Christina Ogilvie as of the 1881 England, Wales, and Scotland Census.
Career[change | change source]
Pirie was a botanist who wanted to inspire others, both her works are aimed at encouraging people from all walks of life to be interested in nature.[6] She wrote a regular part on nature in The Banffshire Reporter where she wrote weekly about natural history and botany.[6] Later in her career, her focus was teaching others and to support others to study botany through her books.[2]
Pirie's 1860 popular book was described as "a beautiful book for a present".[10] It includes her own poetry and pictures.[6] One example of Pirie's style is the story told about the mignonette, reseda odorata and how it became part of the Count Walsheim of Saxony's coat of arms.[3] Pirie's 1864 work was dedicated to Viscount Reidhaven and in the introduction, she states that it is written to "encourage and aid youth in the study of animated nature".[2] Her first book was published by James Blackwood & Co[11] and her second book, by Lewis Smith.[2]
Pirie's first book was added to The Banff Literary Society's selection of periodicals in March 1862.[12] Pirie's books are available across the world with 7 copies of 'Flowers, Grasses and Shrubs with Anecdotes and Poetical Illustrations' in North America and 3 copies in the United Kingdom according to OCLC records. This includes one in Pirie's native Scotland in the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. [13]
Mary Pirie lived in Portsoy, where she ran a private school, on Old Cullen Street.[6][7] The success of this school led directly to the creation of Durn Road School, however, due to being ill she was not able to teach there.[5] The Durn Road School ran for years after Pirie's death until it shut in 1908.[8] Pirie died in Portsoy on 8 February 1885.[6] Her body is buried in St Nicholas Cemetery in Aberdeen.[7] Her obituary described her as "highly educated", as well as being active in the Dorcas Society - a church group- of Portsoy and a member of St John the Baptist Episcopal Church Portsoy.[7] She was the last member of her family.[7]
Books[change | change source]
- 1860 - Flowers, Grasses and Shrubs with Anecdotes and Poetical Illustrations.[3]
- 1864 - Familiar Teachings on Natural History: A Book for the Use of Schools and Families[2]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Pirie, Mary (c. 1800). Flowers, grasses, and shrubs: a popular book on botany. London: James Blackwood.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Pirie, Mary (1864). Familiar Teachings on Natural History: A Book for the Use of Schools and Families. Lewis Smith.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 PIRIE, Mary (1860). Flowers, Grasses, and Shrubs. A popular book on Botany. Illustrated. pp. 157–161.
- ↑ The biographical dictionary of women in science : pioneering lives from ancient times to the mid-20th century. Ogilvie, Marilyn Bailey., Harvey, Joy Dorothy. New York: Routledge. 2000. pp. 1027. ISBN 0-203-80145-8. OCLC 606390201.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Queries". Aberdeen Journal "Notes & Queries": 15.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 The biographical dictionary of Scottish women : from the earliest times to 2004. Ewan, Elizabeth., Innes, Sue., Reynolds, Sian. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 2006. pp. 292. ISBN 978-0-7486-2660-1. OCLC 367680960.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Death of Miss Mary Pirie". Banffshire Reporter. 14 February 1885.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Aberdeen journal" notes and queries. Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. [Aberdeen, Scotland] : "Aberdeen Daily Journal" Office. 1908.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ↑ "Portsoy, 2 North High Street, The Boyne Hotel | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ↑ "A beautiful book for a present". Bell's Weekly Messenger. 20 October 1860.
- ↑ Talmage, Thomas De Witt (1798). Around the tea-table. Complete ed. Catalogue of Publishers Works in endpapers.
- ↑ https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000533/18620328/022/0006. Retrieved 2023-04-03 – via British Newspaper Archive.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ Women in Literature and Society Catalogue 804 (PDF). London, England: Pickering and Chatto.
[[Category:People from Aberdeen]] [[Category:1885 deaths]] [[Category:1822 births]]