Sir John Young Walker MacAlister (10 May 1856 – 1 December 1925) was a Scottish journalist, editor, librarian, and promoter of medical postgraduate education. He was the Secretary of the

Royal Society of Medicine The Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) is a medical society in the United Kingdom, headquartered in London. History The Society was established in 1805 as Medical and Chirurgical Society of London, meeting in two rooms in barristers’ chamber ...

from 1901 to 1925 and one of the promoters of the Society's formation.

Education and career

John Y. W. MacAlister was educated at the

Liverpool Institute High School for Boys The Liverpool Institute High School for Boys was an all-boys grammar school in the English port city of Liverpool. The school had its origins in 1825 but occupied different premises while the money was found to build a dedicated building on ...

and at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. He studied medicine for three years at the University of Edinburgh, but ill-health prevented him from completing his medical education. He was a sub-librarian for the Liverpool Library from 1877 to 1880 and a librarian for the Leeds Library from 1880 to 1887. He worked as a journalist for the ''

Leeds Mercury The ''Leeds Mercury'' was a newspaper published in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was published from 1718 to 1755 and again from 1767. Initially it consisted of 12 pages and cost three halfpennies. In 1794 it had a circulation of about 3,00 ...

'' and the ''

Yorkshire Post ''The Yorkshire Post'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds in Yorkshire, England. It primarily covers stories from Yorkshire although its masthead carries the slogan "Yorkshire's National Newspaper". It was previously owned by ...

''. In 1889 he became the founder, owner and editor of the journal ''The Library''. From 1887 to 1889 he was the Honorary Secretary for the Library Association and in 1889 obtained a Royal Charter for the Association. During WW I, MacAlister was Honorary Secretary of the War Office's Surgical Advisory Committee and also Organiser and Honorary Secretary of the Emergency Surgical Aid Corps for the Admiralty, War Office, and Metropolitan Police. In recognition of his work during WW I, he was knighted in 1919.

Family

John Y. W. Macalister was a brother of Sir

Donald MacAlister Sir Donald MacAlister, 1st Baronet of Tarbet (17 May 1854 – 15 January 1934) was a Scottish physician who was Principal and Vice-Chancellor and, later, Chancellor of the University of Glasgow. He was a member of the Cambridge Apostles intelle ...

. John Y. W. Macalister married Elizabeth Batley on 7 January 1875 in Edinburgh. They had two sons; their elder son was Donald Alexander MacAlister.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Macalister, John Walker Young 1856 births 1925 deaths Scottish librarians Scottish journalists Scottish editors Scottish educators Scottish knights Writers from Perth, Scotland People educated at Liverpool Institute High School for Boys University of Edinburgh Medical School alumni