Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Archives
Listings from the Probationer / Apprentice Gardener Registers

There are very few staff records amongst the material stored in the Archives at RBGE, but a notable exception is a set of four registers dating between 1876 and 1935 in which are listed the probationer or apprentice gardeners who would have come to RBGE to gain experience and qualifications in subjects such as horticulture, book keeping, surveying and forestry before moving on to employment elsewhere.  Dates of birth, addresses, previous employment, subsequent positions and exam marks are recorded making this an invaluable source of information for genealogists and garden historians.

Below is a list of the gardeners featured in these registers in alphabetical order by surname.  The Register reference refers to volume and page number.  Although every effort has been made to transcribe these records faithfully, some errors may have slipped in due to illegible handwriting, errors present in the registers and modern human error, so if in doubt, contact us with any questions.
Restrictions on provision of information may apply if we have any reason to believe the subject of the information is still alive.

With thanks to our volunteer Claire Sillick for entering the information.

Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Abernethy, John David	1875	1896	1/063	
Adamson, Hugh C.	1907	1929	3/057	
Aird, Hector	1898	1920	2/040	
Allen, John	1910	1932	4/026	
Ames, Joseph	1889	1910	1/219	
Anderson, Alexander	1863	1885	1/022	
Anderson, Duncan	1872	1892	1/002	
Anderson, Egbert James	1905	1928	3/052	
Anderson, Frederic C.	1901	1919	2/023	
Anderson, George	1877	1898	1/084	
Anderson, Henry Brown	1885	1905	1/170	
Anderson, John M.	1910	1934	4/058	
Anderson, Robert T.	1896	1920	2/037	
Anderson, Thomas	1897	1920	2/033	
Angus, Thomas E.	1894	1912	2/007	
Annand, John Fowler	1867	1892	1/006	
Armstrong, David	1883	1901	1/116	
Armstrong, Samuel John	1914	1935	4/066	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Armstrong, Thomas N.	1909	1933	4/046	
Austin, George C.	1899	1920	2/032	
Barker, Lina	1866	1897	1/070	
Beattie, Robert	1883	1903	1/147	
Bell, William R.	1880	1901	1/123	
Bennett, William F.	1889	1911	1/229	
Berry, George	1869	1893	1/029	
Birse, William	1886	1908	1/198	
Blake, Frank	1903	1925	3/013	
Brown, John R.	1885	1906	1/181	
Bruce, Alexander D.E.	1884	1905	1/164	
Bruce, James	1908	1928	3/047	
Bryce, Alexander D.	1903	1924	2/072	
Bryce, Henry Howden	1897	1913	2/010	
Brydon, James D.	1882	1904	1/162	
Buchanan, Donald	1900	1922	2/051	
Buist, David	1876	1895	1/053	
Burnett, George	1906	1930	4/011	
Burrells, George Henry	1869	1895	1/041	
Caffin, Denis Harden	1908	1929	3/063	
Caird, Arthur Henderson	1904	1929	3/054	
Cairns, Alexander	1902	1923	2/064	
Cairns, Edith	1898	1922	2/052	
Cameron, Alexander	1876	1896	1/056	
Cameron, George R.	1903	1925	3/006	
Campbell, Angus	1904	1924	2/071	
Campbell, Douglas G.	1905	1926	3/015	
Campbell, Duncan	1903	1922	2/054	
Campbell, James John	1884	1905	1/165	
Campbell, Kenneth	1908	1929	3/068	
Campbell, William I.P.	1902	1924	2/070	
Cattanach, Charles B.	1906	1930	4/013	
Chaplin, William	1870	1896	1/054	
Chapplow, John Nelson	1890	1911	1/231	
Chisholm, James	1904	1923	2/062	
Chisolm, John Spence	1877	1902	1/136	
Chisolm, Robert M.	1881	1899	1/097	
Christie, James	1879	1897	1/075	
Clark, John	1913	1935	4/074	
Clark, John	1872	1892	1/011	
Clark, John Haldane	1913	1935	4/072	
Clunas, John	1883	1906	1/172	
Cockburn, Alex K.	1871	1895	1/050	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Cocker, Clement L.	1880	1899	1/102	
Collet, Ruby S.M.	1900	1924	3/001	
Comber, Harold F.	1897	1920	2/043	
Cooper, Roland Edgar	1890	1910	1/215	
Cosh, Andrew R.	1889	1907	1/190	
Cosh, George Morton	1883	1903	1/134	
Coutts, Albert	1885	1903	1/152	
Coutts, Duncan	1892	1912	2/008	
Cowan, Herbert Francis	1874	1895	1/042	
Crabbe, Alfred	1877	1898	1/087	
Crichton, Alexander	1884	1903	1/140	
Crichton, Robert	1870	1894	1/034	
Crombie, Alexander T.	1877	1898	1/085	
Crowe, Angus M.	1908	1932	4/029	
Crowe, Frederick	1884	1908	1/200	
Cunningham, Athol F.	1906	1930	3/071	
Currie, C. I. Hay	1873	1897	1/071	
Dall, David	1888	1908	1/199	
Dalziel, Henry	1879	1900	1/106	
Dann, Robert A.S.	1905	1930	3/069	
Davidson, William	1869	1892	1/003	
Dewar, James Andrew	1908	1930	4/001	
Dickson, David	1911	1933	4/045	
Dickson, James	1870	1894	1/035	
Dixon, Bertram A.	1874	1891	1/016	
Dodgshon, William P.	1902	1923	2/060	
Doig, James	1904	1925	3/014	
Donald, James	1874	1898	1/083	
Donaldson, James	1884	1907	1/184	
Dorward, Andrew	1882	1899	1/098	
Douglas, Robert	1889	1903	1/151	
Dow, Alexander Stuart	1911	1935	4/067	
Dugdale, William	1910	1935	4/068	
Duguid, James Davidson	1909	1930	4/009	
Dunbar, James	1881	1906	1/174	
Duncan, Robert	1905	1925	3/009	
Duthie, Alexander	1876	1901	1/125	
Duthie, Geroge Reid	1911	1934	4/059	
Duthie, James Logie	1907	1929	3/066	
Duthie, John	1872	1892	1/007	
Duthie, Ogilvie William	1910	1932	4/031	
Dyker, Charles	1877	1901	1/128	
Edgar, Lancelot D.	1893	1919	2/029	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Edgar, Robert	1906	1926	3/016	
Edmonstone, Robert	1870	1889	1/001	
Edwards, Alexander	1904	1924	2/068	
Ellwood, Horace	1890	1913	2/004	
Erskine, Robert	1908	1929	3/060	
Esplin, James Wilson	1884	1904	1/155	
Eyre, Alfred H.	1878	1899	1/096	
Fallow, George C.	1890	1911	1/232	
Fawcett, Edmund	1880	1900	1/111	
Feaks, Matthew	1875	1898	1/090	
Fergie, Alexander E.	1905	1926	3/022	
Ferguson, Alex D.	1879	1897	1/073	
Ferguson, Malcolm	1898	1919	2/026	
Fergusson, John	1872	1894	1/036	
Fernie, Alexander	1885	1903	1/143	
Fernie, Andrew A.	1910	1933	4/034	
Fernie, Robert	1875	1897	1/079	
Fernie, William	1888	1908	1/192	
Fielding, Roger	1902	1925	3/005	
Findlay, Robert	1911	1931	4/021	
Finlay, George	1873	1895	1/038	
Finlay, James	1908	1929	3/067	
Finlayson, Alexander	1867	1892	1/012	
Fish, David Sydney	1881	1896	1/058	
Fisher, Hugh	1901	1926	3/024	
Flaherty, Ewen C.	1891	1911	2/001	
Fletcher, J. Sidney	1885	1910	1/212	
Forbes, George Duncan	1895	1920	2/031	
Forgan, William	1873	1896	1/066	
Forsyth, John	1878	1897	1/074	
Fothergill, George Hugh	1896	1912	2/009	
Fraser, Frederick	1880	1910	1/223	
Fraser, James A.	1909	1932	4/027	
Fraser, John Chalmers	1909	1933	4/050	
Frater, John	1878	1895	1/048	
Fyfe, Harry	1887	1908	1/203	
Gibson, William	1904	1929	3/064	
Gibson, William	1904	1924	2/069	
Glasgow, James	1864	1884	1/024	
Glass, Robert	1886	1905	1/168	
Good, William	1878	1902	1/144	
Goodall, Andrew	1865	1882	1/020	
Goodchild, Arthur M. R.	1890	1907	1/188	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Gow, Alexander	1904	1929	3/055	
Gow, John	1880	1900	1/110	
Graham, Charles	1871	1895	1/047	
Grant, Ewan Smith	1882	1902	1/137	
Grant, James Murray	1890	1912	2/002	
Grant, John B.	1872? (wrong date given)	1892	1/013	
Gray, Alfred	1902	1927	3/038	
Green, Bernard F.	1902	1923	2/058	
Greenhow, George E.	1882	1905	1/167	
Grier/Greer, Thomas	1909	1933	4/035	
Grieve, Thomas Douglas	1908	1928	3/042	
Guthrie, William F.	1897	1911	1/239	
Haldane, Thomas	1875	1894	1/037	
Hall, Herbert	1878	1900	1/109	
Hammond, Denys H.	1906	1926	3/027	
Hardie, James	1888	1909	1/204	
Harris, Alfred Leonard	1909	1934	4/056	
Harris, James	1877	1900	1/113	
Harrow, R. L.	1867	1893	1/028	
Harrower, William	1892	1920	2/038	
Hart, William John	1910	1933	4/049	
Hawson, James	1911	1934	4/057	
Heath, John William	1906	1927	3/032	
Henderson, Charles W.W.	1913	1935	4/075	
Henderson, John	1897	1919	2/030	
Henderson, Musgrave	1872	1897	1/076	
Hendry, Donald	1890	1911	1/230	
Hepburn, William John	1889	1913	2/012	
Hislop, James A.	1912	1935	4/069	
Hogg, Arichibald, D.	1876	1895	1/051	
Holm, James W.B.	1907	1928	3/049	
Hope, Joseph	1875	1909	1/208	
Houston, Murdo J.A.	1904	1924	3/003	
Howarth, John Walford	1914	1935	4/073	
Howe, James	1890	1910	1/210	
Hughs, Frederic	1878	1901	1/114	
Hume, David	1888	1904	1/156	
Huscroft, Harold Henry	1906	1930	4/004	
Hutchinson, James	1871	1898	1/082	
Inglis, James	1871	1886	1/021	
Inglis, William G.S.	1892	1913	2/011	
Innes, Alexander	1861	1894	1/033	
Irvine, Cosmo Irvine	1882	1903	1/150	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Irvine, George	1876	1897	1/078	
Irvine, John	1865	1892	1/010	
Jeffers, Robert Haynes	1900	1923	2/063	
Jessiman, Alexader M.	1879	1901	1/126	
Johnston, Alexander	1854	1888	1/008	
Johnston, Andrew Reid	1876	1900	1/103	
Johnston, John	1878	1899	1/099	
Johnston, John Henry	1903	1926	3/026	
Johnston, William L.	1911	1935	4/063	
Johnstone, James A.	1899	1922	2/048	
Keenleyside, James	1896	1919	2/024	
Keir, Robert	1895	1913	2/015	
Kemp, Edward Edmund	1910	1932	4/022	
Kerss, James	1870	1893	1/030	
Kerss, Roy James	1906	1927	3/030	
Kirkwood, William	1874	1893	1/025	
Knight, Francis Philp	1902	1919	2/027	
Knizek. Rudolph	1876	1898	1/086	
Lackey, Samuel	1875	1895	1/052	
Laird, James M.D.	1889	1910	1/221	
Laird, John	1876	1895	1/045	
Laird, William	1877	1897	1/080	
Lambert, James A.	1911	1932	4/032	
Lambie, Hugh	1913	1934	4/061	
Lamont, Charles	1891	1914	2/028	
Lauder, William A.	1909	1934	4/055	
Lauriston, John	1875	1898	1/089	
Lawson, Alex R.	1875	1896	1/059	
Lawson, Alexander	1906	1930	4/003	
Leech, Norman	1906	1927	3/040	
Leven, George	1867	1892	1/005	
Liddell, James B.	1907	1928	3/048	
Lindsay, Alexander D.	1900	1922	2/057	
Lindsay, Robert	1907	1928	3/051	
Little, George James	1910	1931	4/018	
Longmuir, Stuart N.	1904	1925	3/008	
Lumley, James	1883	1901	1/127	
Macarthur, William	1877	1901	1/115	
MacDonald, Hector	1913	1935	4/071	
MacDonald, Hector	1894	1913	2/013	
MacDonald, Ian Urquhart	1904	1928	3/053	
MacDonald, John	1889	1907	1/185	
MacDonald, Thomas F.	1910	1933	4/041	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
MacDonald, William	1873	1896	1/065	
MacGillvary, William	1875	1900	1/112	
MacGregor	1907	1930	4/008	
Machray, Frank	1874	1893	1/027	
MacIntyre, Donald	1871	1892	1/019	
MacKenzie, Duncan S.	1908	1933	4/044	
MacKenzie, Hector	1909	1931	4/015	
MacKenzie, James D.	1881	1903	1/141	
MacKenzie, John	1904	1930	4/005	
MacKenzie, Norman	1880	1901	1/130	
Mackenzie, Roderick	1878	1900	1/108	
MacKenzie, William G.	1904	1928	3/044	
MacLaren, Frank	1881	1899	1/100	
Macpherson, James	1883	1903	1/148	
MacRae, John	1897	1922	2/056	
Mair, James Ballantine	1911	1932	4/033	
Manning, Daniel	1882	1909	1/209	
Masson, George	1880	1901	1/120	
Masterton, David	1877	1901	1/131	
Matheson, Duncan	1878	1899	1/093	
Maver, James	1904	1926	3/020	
Maxwell, William	1882	1903	1/135	
Maynard, Victor Maurice	1912	1931	4/019	
McAdam, Robert James	1900	1924	2/073	
McAlister, James	1895	1911	1/238	
McCallum, Hugh	1873	1897	1/072	
McCaskie, Walter Lloyd	1903	1928	3/045	
McCreadie, Donald	1908	1932	4/025	
McCutcheon, Alexander	1885	1907	1/186	
McDermott, Michael J.	1904	1929	3/058	
McDonald, Hector	1899	1920	2/045	
McDonald, James T.	1898	1925	3/007	
McDonald, John N.S.	1906	1930	3/072	
McDonald, Michael M.	1902	1920	2/044	
McDonald, Peter	1889	1909	1/205	
McDougall, Adam	1868	1892	1/018	
McDougall, Robert	1892	1912	2/003	
McEwan, John	1887	1908	1/193	
McFadyen, William	1908	1933	4/036	
McFarlane, David	1889	1910	1/220	
McGlashan, Hugh R.	1900	1926	3/025	
McHardy, William	1871	1893	1/026	
McHurraith, William	1872	1896	1/057	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
McIntyre, Cecil William	1905	1928	3/046	
McKenzie, Alexander	1883	1904	1/158	
McKenzie, Angus	1883	1904	1/163	
McLennan, Murdo	1886	1910	1/218	
McLeod, Ewan	1906	1927	3/036	
McLeod, Ronald	1900	1923	2/066	
McMartin, David John	1884	1904	1/161	
McMillan, John	1868	1892	1/023	
McNicoll, Frank	1886	1907	1/191	
McPherson, Alexander	1877	1900	1/107	
McPherson, Archie	1875	1895	1/043	
McPherson, Neil J.	1887	1906	1/178	
McTaggart, William	1875	1895	1/046	
Meldrum, Alexander F.	1905	1926	3/018	
Menzies, Alan	1894	1913	2/016	
Middleton, David G.	1880	1899	1/101	
Middleton, John	1877	1901	1/121	
Mighton, Samuel G.	1879	1904	1/153	
Miller, James	1902	1923	2/059	
Miller, Walter	1899	1922	2/049	
Milne, Ernest	1891	1910	1/225	
Mitchell, Arthur James	1903	1920	2/034	
Moffat, Robert	1875	1895	1/044	
Moir, Jack Reid	1906	1930	4/012	
Mollison, Charles	1902	1923	2/061	
Monks, Charles Edward	1904	1929	3/062	
Morison, Annie	1870	1898	1/081	
Morland, Walter Henry	1881	1910	1/228	
Morrison, Norman H.	1904	1926	3/029	
Morrison, William	1886	1910	1/213	
Morton, David	1873	1895	1/049	
Mowat, John L.	1902	1922	2/053	
Muckart, James	1904	1927	3/035	
Munday, Alfred John	1881	1911	1/227	
Murdoch, David	1901	1920	2/041	
Murray, Bertie	1909	1932	4/023	
Murray, John Murdoch	1885	1906	1/173	
Murray, Joseph	1873	1896	1/055	
Murray, Robert James	1909	1932	4/024	
Murray, Ronald Gordon	1904	1925	3/010	
Murray, William	1904	1925	3/011	
Myles, Alexander A.	1879	1896	1/064	
Nash, William	1883	1906	1/182	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Neilson, John Elder	1907	1930	4/006	
Nicholson, Robert	1900	1919	2/020	
Nicoll, William Peter	1878	1901	1/118	
Nimmo, James A.	1893	1909	1/207	
Oliver, Hugh	1892	1912	2/006	
Ord, Mary	1895	1920	2/042	
Parkinson, Cecil Arthur	1905	1924	3/002	
Parnell, Frederick	1883	1902	1/132	
Patterson, Ronald T.	1907	1929	3/059	
Percy-Lancaster, Alick	1912	1933	4/038	
Poore, Thomas E.D.	1899	1923	2/065	
Porter, David	1904	1923	2/067	
Prime, Archibald Edward	1909	1930	4/002	
Proudfoot, James	1904	1925	3/012	
Puddle, Wilfred Ellis	1907	1928	3/041	
Quarry, Robert Scott	1885	1903	1/149	
Reid, Alexander Taylor	1883	1905	1/169	
Reid, James	1910	1933	4/042	
Reid, James	1893	1913	2/014	
Reid, Robert	1869	1892	1/015	
Reid, William Barty	1890	1909	1/201	
Reilly, Thomas James	1903	1927	3/034	
Reynolds, Harold E.F.	1876	1897	1/069	
Richardson, Donald	1906	1927	3/039	
Richardson, Thomas	1888	1910	2/018	
Richardson, Thomas	1888	1910	1/224	
Riddell, John	1903	1924	3/004	
Riddell, Thomas Knox	1908	1929	3/061	
Ritchie, Charles William	1885	1905	1/166	
Roberts, Jack	1909	1931	4/014	
Robertson, Charles M.	1902	1926	3/021	
Robertson, Duncan	1876	1897	1/068	
Robertson, John	1883	1901	1/117	
Robertson, Thomas	1911	1935	4/064	
Robinson, Alfred George	1910	1931	4/016	
Robinson, Charles Harris	1879	1899	1/095	
Robinson, Wilfred	1911	1933	4/040	
Ross, David Mitchell	1879	1904	1/157	
Ross, John	1876	1901	1/124	
Roy, Charles Barclay	1890	1911	1/226	
Royle, James	1857	1892	1/004	
Rutherford, Gilbert A.	1901	1920	2/035	
Rutherford, James	1889	1908	1/195	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Sanderson, Robert	1907	1928	3/050	
Sandison, Charles	1908	1930	3/073	
Scott, Amelia Jean	1903	1919	2/021	
Scott, Andrew	1884	1906	1/180	
Scott, Andrew	1883	1901	1/119	
Scott, Frank	1879	1900	1/105	
Scott, John M.	1892	1920	2/039	
Scroggie, Albert Coutts	1907	1927	3/037	
Shanley, John	1846? (wrong date given)	1876	1/014	
Shaw, Robert	1894	1919	2/025	
Shearer, Frank	1875	1896	1/062	
Shepherd, Alexander E.C.	1910	1933	4/048	
Sherlock, Thomas	1884	1907	1/189	
Sim, David Webster	1881	1903	1/139	
Simon, Thomas	1885	1910	1/211	
Simpson, Alexander	1908	1930	3/070	
Simpson, Charles	1872	1892	1/009	
Simpson, Donald W.	1899	1921	2/046	
Simpson, George Allan	1897	1921	2/047	
Simpson, John	1912	1934	4/054	
Sinclair, Lawrence	1905	1926	3/019	
Smart, George	1886	1905	1/171	
Smart, James Buchanan	1909	1931	4/020	
Smith, Alexander Wood	1912	1933	4/047	
Smith, Allan Hutchison	1899	1920	2/036	
Smith, Andrew A.L.	1895	1910	1/216	
Smith, Andrew Leslie	1895	1919	2/019	
Smith, Douglas	1888	1908	1/197	
Smith, Duncan	1884	1909	1/202	
Smith, Edward John	1886	1906	1/175	
Smith, George	1886	1906	1/183	
Smith, James	1878	1901	1/129	
Smith, James	1882	1898	1/091	
Smith, Robert	1872	1894	1/032	
Smith, William	1878	1901	1/122	
Smyth, William F.	1888	1906	1/176	
Snoddy, Andrew	1911	1935	4/065	
Speirs, James	1875	1899	1/094	
Stalker, Duncan John	1910	1934	4/060	
Steadwood, George P.	1909	1932	4/030	
Steel, William Brown	1900	1926	3/028	
Steel, William James	1908	1933	4/039	
Stephen, James A.	1911	1934	4/051	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Stephen, William	1874	1896	1/061	
Steven, Peter	1909	1931	4/017	
Stewart, David	1885	1906	1/179	
Stewart, Doanld Ogilivie	1911	1933	4/043	
Stewart, John	1891	1913	2/017	
Stewart, Lawrence B.	1876	1895	1/040	
Stewart, William	1883	1898	1/092	
Stuart, George M.	1887	1907	1/187	
Stuart, William	1876	1897	1/067	
Sutcliffe, Herbert	1881	1903	1/133	
Sutherland, John Bain	No D.O.B.	1902	1/146	
Swan, John	1904	1928	3/043	
Sykes, Ben	1912	1935	4/070	
Tait, David Reid	1878	1904	1/159	
Tait, Geroge Henderson	1911	1932	4/028	
Taylor, Albert Edward	1908	1930	4/010	
Taylor, James Alexander	1884	1904	1/154	
Taylor, Thomas Douglas	1905	1927	3/033	
Tayor, John	1869	1890	1/017	
Tew, Christopher William	1908	1929	3/065	
Thomson, George J.	1906	1926	3/023	
Thomson, Robert	1874	1897	1/077	
Thomson, William J.C.	1910	1934	4/062	
Tully, James Borthwick	1878	1898	1/088	
Urquhart, Arthur	1879	1900	1/104	
Veitch, Archibald	1875	1895	1/039	
Waite, Thomas	1877	1902	1/138	
Waite, W.	1872	1894	1/031	
Warren, William	1912	1934	4/053	
Wastson, James	1904	1929	3/056	
Watson, Addison	1904	1927	3/031	
Watson, William	1903	1922	2/055	
White, George	1903	1922	2/050	
White, John	1889	1912	2/005	
White, Robert	1880	1902	1/145	
Whittington, Walter	1882	1904	1/160	
Whittle, John Andrew	1909	1930	4/007	
Whyte, Andrew Hayne	1906	1926	3/017	
Wightman, William	1878	1896	1/060	
Wilkie, David	1892	1906	1/206	
Williamson, David S.	1891	1910	1/214	
Williamson, William M.	1889	1906	1/177	
Wills, Edmund	1887	1911	1/237	
Name	Born	Year started at RBGE	Register Ref.	
Wilson, Andrew	1889	1908	1/194	
Wilson, Andrew J.	1891	1910	1/217	
Wilson, James	1884	1903	1/142	
Wilson, John Murray	1911	1933	4/037	
Wilson, Nichol G.	1902	1919	2/022	
Woodcock, James	1889	1908	1/196	
Young, MacDonald	1887	1910	1/222	
Young, Ross	1911	1934	4/052	

List ©RBGE