 References and Articles : Angus and Dundee
Edward Baird 1904 - 1949
Edward Baird was born in Montrose in 1904, the son of a local sea captain. he was descended from six generations of
seamen on his father's side. Captain Baird was lost with his ship whilst Edward was still an infant, and his brother David served in the
merchant navy during the war.
He was to stay in the town for almost all of his short life and become a most successful artist. He attended
Montrose Academy, leaving the town in 1924 to study at Glasgow School of Art. He was admitted straight into second year of the course and
on graduation in 1927 won the prestigious Newberry Medal. After graduation Baird used a travelling scholarship to journey to Italy.
A fellow student at Glasgow School of Art was another important Scottish painter, the late James Mackintosh Patrick
who was to be a life-long friend and source of interesting anecdotal history about the young artist. He remembers
Baird as pale and delicate with a life-long struggle with chronic asthma, but the young painter was also
remembered as having a dry and observant sense of humor. Sadly Baird's health was always unstable. In 1945 he was hospitalized with pneumonia
and married Fairweather's sister, Ann in the same month. Unfortunately the chronic illnesses had taken their toll and Baird's heart was weakened.
He died in 1949 leaving many unfinished works and a unique place in Scottish Art with works in all the major collections of
the country. Some of his works included the following: Rooftops from the Pincio 1928, Portrait of a Young Scotsman 1932, The Birth of Venus 1934,
George Fairweather 1935, James Carson MBE, Distressed Area 1939, Montrose from Ferryden 1941, Unidentified Aircraft 1942, portrait of Dan Crosse and Munros. For more information on Edward Baird, you may download a PDF file here
Resolutions regarding pay for Angushire Regiment of Fencibles
Resolutions passed at a meeting of the Angushire Regiment of Fencibles, commanded by Archibald Douglas, at their
headquarters in Dungannon concerning their pay. Officers were listed thus: Captain Thomas Hewan, Captain William
Allardice, Captain Andrew MacFarlane, Captain Andrew Baird, Lieutenants John Irvine, Michael Hewan, John Ferguson,
Robert Duff, Forbes Anderson, Robert McCubbin, David Bowman, Andrew Mill, Thomas Kerr, Alexander Fraser, John
Clugston, Ensigns John Wilson, Thomas Fairwether, John Innes, David Gilchrist, William Hamilton, George Black and
Charles Johnstone. In addition the Resolution names Lt Colonel David Hunter and Captains James Baird, George Innes,
James Duff and George Fairweather.[no date given]
The Albion Hotel - Dundee
This photograph shows Dundee's Tally Street running from the Overgate in the north (behind the position taken by the
photographer) towards the Nethergate in the south. By 1907, the Albion Hotel has been re-named the City Hotel, and is owned by J. T. Phillips.
In the Dundee Directory for 1892-93, the Albion Hotel is, "the favorite resort in Dundee of farmers, cyclists, visitors and others" and under new
management in the form of John W Baird. Tally Street, is no longer there. A recently modernised shopping complex, known as the Overgate Centre, now stands on the site. (2001). click on photo for full view.
This photo is from the Dundee Central Library, Photographic Collection which is well worth a browse through as it shows many of the streets that Baird families of Dundee lived in. |
