Club Meeting

On 10th March, the Rotary Club of South Queensferry held a speakers evening. President Derek Clark greeted members and guests and gave a special welcome to speaker Eric Melvin. Two honorary members, Graham Leith and Jim Boyd, joined the meeting on Zoom. Eric Melvin is married to Linda, great-granddaughter of Duncan Napier, the noted Edinburgh herbalist whose shop in Bristo Place near the university is still a herbalists 150 years since Duncan founded it. Eric explained that Linda's late father, Jack, left two journals belonging to Duncan which sparked an interest in researching the herbalist's life. He was born in 1831 and his mother gave him away hours after he was born. Adopted by a local publican, James Napier, Duncan became an apprentice to Mr Binnie, a baker, in 1846. Here he met John Hope, a wealthy lawyer and philanthropist, who became Duncan's mentor and benefactor. Illustrated with photographs of old Edinburgh and Napier's herbalist shop, and supported by  painstaking research in records of births, marriages and deaths and census records, Eric's splendid presentation brought to life the surprising history of a well-known Edinburgh figure. Eric Melvin's book The Fresh Air of The Summer Morning tells Duncan Napier's story. He was introduced by Richard Brown. Robbie Brechin gave the vote of thanks.