John Hutton Balfour (15 September 1808 – 11 February 1884) was a Scottish botanist. Balfour became a Professor of

Botany Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

, first at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

in 1841, moving to 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 ...

and also becoming the 7th Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Her Majesty's Botanist in 1845. He held these posts until his retirement in 1879. He was nicknamed Woody Fibre.

Early life

He was the son of Andrew Balfour, an Army Surgeon who had returned to

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

to set up a printing and publishing business. Balfour was educated at the Royal High School in Edinburgh and then studied at

St Andrews University (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

and the

, graduating with degrees of M.A. and then M.D., the latter in 1832. In Edinburgh, he became a notable member of the

Plinian Society The Plinian Society was a club at the University of Edinburgh for students interested in natural history. It was founded in 1823. Several of its members went on to have prominent careers, most notably Charles Darwin who announced his first scient ...

, where he encountered the

phrenologist Phrenology () is a pseudoscience which involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits.Wihe, J. V. (2002). "Science and Pseudoscience: A Primer in Critical Thinking." In ''Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience'', pp. 195–203. C ...

William A.F. Browne and entered the vigorous debates concerning natural history and theology. His original intention had been to seek ordination in the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

but instead he started medical practice in Edinburgh in 1834 after studying abroad. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in January 1835, aged only 26. He was one of their longest serving members. He was General Secretary 1860–1879 and Vice President 1881-3.

Botany

With an interest in botany, Balfour was prominent in the foundation of both the

Botanical Society of Edinburgh The Botanical Society of Scotland (BSS) is the national learned society for botanists of Scotland. The Society's aims are to advance knowledge and appreciation of flowering and cryptogamic plants, algae and fungi. The Society's activities includ ...

in 1836 (serving as President in 1845–46) and the Edinburgh Botanical Club in 1838. In 1841 he began giving lectures in Edinburgh's extramural school on botany with some success. In 1842 he was appointed Professor of Botany at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

. In 1845, Balfour transferred to take the chair of Botany at the

, a position he held until 1879. He was also nominated keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh and Her Majesty's Botanist. These appointments followed a protracted political struggle in which Balfour triumphed over his distinguished opponent,

Joseph Dalton Hooker Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (30 June 1817 – 10 December 1911) was a British botanist and explorer in the 19th century. He was a founder of geographical botany and Charles Darwin's closest friend. For twenty years he served as director of ...

, a close associate of

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...

. Balfour served for many years as dean of the faculty of medicine in the

and he was an enormously successful teacher of botany, lacing his scientific lectures with theological asides, as he remained profoundly wedded to natural theology. In January 1862, he corresponded with Charles Darwin on botanical matters, recollecting their evenings together at the

with his brother-in-law William A.F. Browne. He also corresponded with the extraordinary and irascible botanist

Hewett Cottrell Watson Hewett Cottrell Watson (9 May 1804 – 27 July 1881) was a phrenologist, botanist and evolutionary theorist. He was born in Firbeck, near Rotherham, Yorkshire, and died at Thames Ditton, Surrey. Biography Watson was the eldest son of Hollan ...

, an early phrenologist, evolutionist and advocate of the differential development of the human

cerebral hemispheres The vertebrate cerebrum (brain) is formed by two cerebral hemispheres that are separated by a groove, the longitudinal fissure. The brain can thus be described as being divided into left and right cerebral hemispheres. Each of these hemispheres ...

. Under Balfour's care the Royal Botanic Garden was enlarged and improved and a

palm Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (ba ...

-house, arboretum, and teaching accommodation were built. His publications include botanical text-books such as ''Manual of Botany'' (1848), ''Class Book of Botany'' (1852), ''Outlines of Botany'' (1854), ''Elements of Botany for Schools'' (1869), ''Botanist's Companion'' (1860), ''Introduction to Palaeontological Botany'' (1872), and ''The Plants of Scripture''. He also contributed to the article on botany in the 8th edition of ''

Encyclopædia Britannica The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various t ...

''. Balfour retired from his academic post in 1879. His son, Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour (1853–1922), became a distinguished botanist in his own right, serving as

Sherardian Professor of Botany The Sherardian Chair of Botany is a professorship at the University of Oxford that was established in 1734. It was created following an endowment by William Sherard on his death in 1728. In his will, Sherard stipulated that the first holder of th ...

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to th ...

from 1884 to 1888, before returning to his father's old Chair at Edinburgh. California's foxtail pine is named '' Pinus balfouriana'' Balf. after him.

Later life

From 1877 he lived in

Inverleith House Inverleith House is a historic house, now within the Royal Botanic Garden, in the suburb of Inverleith, in Edinburgh, Scotland. History Inverleith House was designed in 1773 by David Henderson and built for James Rocheid in 1774. In about 182 ...

within the then newly extended Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh in his role there as Regius Keeper. He died in

and was buried in

Warriston Cemetery Warriston Cemetery is a cemetery in Edinburgh. It lies in Warriston, one of the northern suburbs of Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built by the then newly-formed Edinburgh Cemetery Company, and occupies around of land on a slightly sloping si ...

with his wife Marion Spottiswood Balfour. The grave lies on the north side of the main upper east-west path, towards its western end.

Family

He married Marion Spottiswood Bayley (1828–1879) on 8th August 1848. Their children were Ada Marion Spottiswood Balfour (1850–1918), Cpt. Andrew Francis Balfour RN (1851–1906), Isaac Bayley Balfour (1853–1922), Madeline Drummond Balfour (1854–1912), John Hutton Balfour Jr (1856–1919), George Goldie Balfour (1858–1914), Margaret Eliza Balfour (1860–1932) and Harriet Penuel Balfour (1863–1942). Balfour's sister, Magdelene Balfour, married William A. F. Browne (1805–1885), the

and asylum reformer. Balfour was uncle to Sir Andrew Balfour specialist in tropical medicine who was the first Director of the

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is a public research university in Bloomsbury, central London, and a member institution of the University of London that specialises in public health and tropical medicine. The inst ...

in 1923 and was a close friend of Sir Patrick Manson, founder of the School. According to Sir Andrew Balfour in a speech he made to the London Royal Free Hospital, School of Medicine for Women in 1928, John Hutton Balfour was often referred as 'Woody Fibre'. His great-great-granddaughter is actress

Tilda Swinton Katherine Matilda Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a British actress. Known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition t ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Balfour, John Hutton 1808 births 1884 deaths Scottish botanists Bryologists Scottish scholars and academics Scottish surgeons Fellows of the Linnean Society of London Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Society Academics of the University of Edinburgh Academics of the University of Glasgow Alumni of the University of St Andrews Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scientists from Edinburgh People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh Burials at Warriston Cemetery 19th-century Scottish medical doctors 19th-century British botanists 19th-century scholars John Hutton