Sir Alexander Dick, 3rd Baronet
PRCPE FRSE FSA
President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
In office
1756–1763[1]
Baronet of Prestonfield
In office
1746–1785
Personal details
Born
Alexander Cunningham

22 October 1703
Died10 November 1785
Spouses
  • Janet Dick
  • Mary Butler
Children12[2]
Parents
  • William Cunningham (father)
  • Janet Dick (mother)
Alma mater
Occupationlandowner and physician

Sir Alexander Dick, 3rd Baronet of Prestonfield PRCPE FRSE FSAScot (22 October 1703 – 10 November 1785) was a Scottish landowner and physician, who rose to be President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.[3][4]

Life

Dick was born Alexander Cunningham at Prestonfield House, Edinburgh, the 3rd son of Sir William Cunningham, 2nd Baronet of Lambrughton and Caprington, Ayrshire and his wife Janet Dick, the only daughter and heiress of Sir James Dick, 1st Baronet of Prestonfield, Edinburgh. He changed his surname to Dick on the death in 1746 of his elder brother William, when he inherited the baronetcy and Prestonfield.[5] He was educated at the Edinburgh High School and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Leyden and the University of St Andrews.[4]

After qualifying as a physician, he set up in practice in Pembrokeshire prior to his inheritance. He was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1727 and elected President of the Society from 1756 to 1763.[4]

In 1753, with the Lord Provost, Robert Craigie, Lord Kames and Lord Drummore and Alexander Boswell, Lord Auchinleck he organised the site to create the Edinburgh Royal Exchange (which later became Edinburgh City Chambers.[6]

He was also a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and in 1783 was a founding fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

He is mentioned in James Boswell's The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson (1785).

Family

He married twice, firstly in 1736 to Janet Dick, and secondly in 1762 to Mary Butler.[7][2] He left 3 sons and 5 daughters, out of 12 total children.[2] He was succeeded by his eldest son William, the 4th Baronet.

References

  1. ↑ Derek Doyle (2007). "Past presidents: Sir Alexander Dick". Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. 37. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 The Scots Magazine
  3. ↑ "Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783-2002" (PDF). Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "Dick [formerly Cunyngham], Sir Alexander, third baronet". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7592. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  5. ↑ Paterson, James. History of the Counties of Ayr and Wigton, Volume 1, Part 2. p. 650.
  6. ↑ http://www.oldedinburghclub.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/BOEC-OS/Volume-22.pdf
  7. ↑ C D Waterston; A Macmillan Shearer (July 2006). Former Fellows of The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1783–2002: Part 1 (A–J) (PDF). Royal Society of Edinburgh. ISBN 090219884X. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
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