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Former Pupil Biographies
Dr Robert Meldrum Craig (1882 - 1956)
Dr Robert Meldrum Craig FRSE FGS was a prominent Scottish
geologist and academic author. He left a large collection of fossils now
housed in the collection of St Andrews University.
He was born on 13 July 1882 in Ardentinny in Argyllshire in northern
Scotland, the son of Rev Robert Craig, the local minister. His younger
brother John Douglas Craig grew to fame as a classicist. He was schooled
at the local parish school and then attended Madras College in St Andrews
University. James Manson Craig, Professor of English at St Andrews
University was also his brother. Several other brothers grew to fame in
the military: Brigade Major Henry David Cook Craig MC; Lt Falconer Gray
Craig MC; Cpt Archibald Douglas Craig. Joseph Murison Craig became a
surgeon, and his sister Constance Craig became a missionary in China.
In 1909 he began lecturing in Geology at Dundee, then a branch of St
Andrews University, moving to St Andrews in 1912.
In the First World War he served first in the Durham Light Infantry then
in the 5th South Staffordshire Regiment (rising to the rank of Captain).
From 1918 to 1921 he acted as the Government Geologist to Nyasaland in
Africa. He then received a professorship at Edinburgh University and
remained there from 1921 until retiral, lecturing in Economic Geology. He
was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1925. He won the
Society’s Keith Medal for 1925-27.
He served as a President of the Edinburgh Geological Society 1934-6 and
Trustee from 1939-48.
He died on 28 March 1956.
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Sons and daughters of Robert & Susan Craig
Robert Craig, minister of Ardentinny in 1860 was married to Susan
Stewart Meldrum in 1880. They had several sons in the army and
others abroad. Some of the sons are known to have been educated at
Madras College.
- Robert Meldrum Craig b.1882, M.A., BSc., F.G.S., Lecturer in
Geology, University of Edinburgh, was a captain in the 5th South
Staffordshire Regiment; Madras Pupil;
- James Manson Craig b.1885, M.A., B.D. was Professor of
English, United College, Madras (India); Madras Pupil;
- John Douglas Craig b.1887, M.A., B.A. (Oxon), Classical
Lecturer, University of Sheffield, was a captain R.F.A.; Madras
Pupil;
- Henry David Cook Craig b.1888, M.A., M.C., Order of St
Stanisaus, was a brigade major 107th Infantry Brigade, died of
typhus at Reval, 13th Feb. 1920; Madras Pupil;
- Falconer Gray Craig b.1892, M.C., was a lieutenant in the 3rd
Hussars;
- Joseph Murison Craig b.1893, M.B., Ch.B., F.R.C.S.;
- Archibald Douglas Craig b.1898 was a captain with 11th Gurkas,
India;
- Andrew Russell Craig b.1901, a rubber planter in Malaya.
Their daughters were:
- Constance Craig b.1890, M.A., missionary at Ichang, China,
born 20th May 1890 (marr. 1st March 1921, John Watt Cameron,
Shanghai);
- Jean Soutar Craig b.1896, M.A.
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