James Dick
Encyclopedia
James Dick was born in Forres
, Morayshire to Alexander, a shoemaker and town councillor. Dick became a successful merchant in the West Indies
and later in London
. Following his death, he bequeathed £113,787 to encourage "learning and efficient teaching" among the parish
schoolmasters of Elgin, Banff
, and Aberdeen shires. This fund is known as the Dick Bequest, and awards cintinue to be made to school boards in the region.
grammar school about 3 miles from Forres. His father employed him as his bookkeeper and it was during this time that Dick wished to marry the family's household servant. Because his parents objected to this, Dick left home at the age of nineteen for the West Indies. He settled in Kingston
, Jamaica
where he became clerk in a merchant house. Along with his brother John Dick, he set up a business importing colonial produce into London. After twenty years, he transferred his share of the business to his brother and returned to London a very wealthy man. Dick's brother John sold the business when he retired and returned to Scotland but suddenly fell ill in and died. James inherited his fortune.
Most of the masters were arts graduates who taught only while they waited for a career in the church. Dick's vision was that the most learned of these would be encouraged to stay in education for the benefit of both themselves and the children they taught. By 1833 the endowment yielded between £3300 and £5500 annually and had grown to around £200,000. The fund was administered by trustees belonging to the Society of Writers to the Signet
. Applicants were rigorously examined for suitability and were required to be proficient in teaching classical languages, humanities, mathematics and science; those who were successful doubled their salaries. The Education (Scotland) Act 1872 changed the way in which the grants were dispensed by ensuring that endowments were transferred to school boards. The Royal Commissioners in their third report on endowed schools stated
Forres
Forres , is a town and former royal burgh situated in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately 30 miles east of Inverness. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions...
, Morayshire to Alexander, a shoemaker and town councillor. Dick became a successful merchant in the West Indies
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and later in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Following his death, he bequeathed £113,787 to encourage "learning and efficient teaching" among the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
schoolmasters of Elgin, Banff
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
, and Aberdeen shires. This fund is known as the Dick Bequest, and awards cintinue to be made to school boards in the region.
Career
Dick grew up in a house in Forres High Street. In the summer months, he herded cattle and during the rest of the year he received his education at RaffordRafford
Rafford is a village in Moray, Scotland. It is approximately 2.5 miles south-west of the town of Forres, and 5.5 miles north-east of the village of Dallas....
grammar school about 3 miles from Forres. His father employed him as his bookkeeper and it was during this time that Dick wished to marry the family's household servant. Because his parents objected to this, Dick left home at the age of nineteen for the West Indies. He settled in Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
where he became clerk in a merchant house. Along with his brother John Dick, he set up a business importing colonial produce into London. After twenty years, he transferred his share of the business to his brother and returned to London a very wealthy man. Dick's brother John sold the business when he retired and returned to Scotland but suddenly fell ill in and died. James inherited his fortune.
Philanthropist
After providing for his daughter, Dick left over £113,000 in his will with instructions for the setting up a of a bequest fund to help the schoolmasters and schools in Aberdeenshire, Banffshire and Morayshire.it being my wish to form a fund for the benefit of that neglected though useful class of men [the country schoolmasters], and to add to their present trifling salaries
Most of the masters were arts graduates who taught only while they waited for a career in the church. Dick's vision was that the most learned of these would be encouraged to stay in education for the benefit of both themselves and the children they taught. By 1833 the endowment yielded between £3300 and £5500 annually and had grown to around £200,000. The fund was administered by trustees belonging to the Society of Writers to the Signet
Writers to the Signet
The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice. Writers to the Signet originally had special privileges in relation to the drawing up of documents which required to be signeted, but these have since...
. Applicants were rigorously examined for suitability and were required to be proficient in teaching classical languages, humanities, mathematics and science; those who were successful doubled their salaries. The Education (Scotland) Act 1872 changed the way in which the grants were dispensed by ensuring that endowments were transferred to school boards. The Royal Commissioners in their third report on endowed schools stated
any fund [that] has done so much good … no fund that has produced a shilling's worth for a shilling so fully as the Dick BequestIn Forres in 1928, a group of beneficiaries from the fund marked the anniversary of Dick's death by the erection of a memorial.