| Administrative History | Archibald Alison was born in Edinburgh in 1757. He studied at Glasgow University where he met Dugald Stewart (1753 - 1828), philosopher, with whom he formed a friendship that was to last for the rest of their lives. He then studied in Oxford at Balliol College where he met Reverend William Gregory (MS 2206/9) and through him he met his sister, Dorothea Gregory (c1754 - 1830). Despite opposition from Dorothea's patron, Elizabeth Montagu (1718–1800), the couple married on the 19th of June 1784 and had 6 children. Their eldest son was William Pulteney Alison (1790 - 1859) who also features in this collection (MS 2206/21).
From 1778, Archibald Alison was curate of Brancepeth near Durham and then curate at Sudburgh in Northamptonshire. The following ten years were spent in Shropshire, firstly at Kenley (1790 - 1794) then as Vicar of High Ercol (1794 - 1797) and finally as Rector of Roddington (1797 - 1800).
In 1800 he returned to Scotland and became the minister of St Paul's Chapel in the Cowgate, Edinburgh where he stayed until his retirement in 1830. He died in 1839.
He wrote 'Essays on the Nature and Principles of Taste' in 1790 and a 2 volume 'Collection of Sermons, Chiefly on Particular Occasions' which was published in 1814. |