James Mundell (died 1762) was a Scottish educator. He founded and ran the exclusive Mr Mundell's school in the

West Bow The Grassmarket is a historic market place, street and event space in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. In relation to the rest of the city it lies in a hollow, well below surrounding ground levels. Location The Grassmarket is located direct ...

of Edinburgh, from 1735 to 1762. He was uncle of Robert Mundell, rector of Wallace Hall, which adapted the teaching methods of Mundell's Edinburgh school.

Life

Mundell married Agnes Bennet (died 1820), the daughter of a brewer, and their son Robert Mundell (died 1775) became a prominent printer. Agnes Mundell continued her son's business upon his death. James Mundell became a Burgess of Edinburgh on 16 July 1740. He bought the lands of

Over Auldgirth Over may refer to: Places *Over, Cambridgeshire, England * Over, Cheshire, England **Over Bridge * Over, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, England * Over, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England * Over, Seevetal, Germany Music Albums * ''Ov ...

in 1752.

James Mundell's school

Mundell's school taught the

humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture, including Philosophy, certain fundamental questions asked by humans. During the Renaissance, the term "humanities" referred to the study of classical literature a ...

, to boys and girls, primarily in

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

. It served the wealthiest residents of Edinburgh, who were concentrated in the

Lawnmarket The Royal Mile () is the nickname of a series of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. The term originated in the early 20th century and has since entered popular usage. The Royal Mile runs between two ...

. In competition with the

High School A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

, Mr Mundell's school had the advantage of being located closer to the most fashionable quarters. Mundell's school admitted younger children than the High School, typically around the age of six, rather than the High School's eight. There were only 2 members of staff: James Mundell himself and an usher, initially his younger brother Alexander Mundell.

Former pupils of the school

According to an official ''List of scholars educated by the Late Mr. James Mundell'', printed in 1789 in Edinburgh by Mundell and Wilson, 568 boys and 94 girls attended the school during its years in operation. The list includes many prominent names: * William Baillie, Lord Polkemmet *

James Boswell James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (; 29 October 1740 ( N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his biography of the English writer Samuel Johnson, '' Life of Samuel ...

Encyclopædia Britannica The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...

'', 6th edition, vol. 16 (1824), p. 372 *

William Brodie William Brodie (28 September 1741 – 1 October 1788), often known by his title of Deacon Brodie, was a Scottish cabinet-maker, deacon of a trades guild, and Edinburgh city councillor, who maintained a secret life as a burglar in order to supp ...

David Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan David Stuart Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan, (1 June 1742 – 19 April 1829), styled Lord Cardross between 1747 and 1767, was a Scottish antiquarian, founder of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and patron of the arts and sciences. Backg ...

Charles & Caleb Whitefoord, ed. W. A. S. Hewins, ''The Whitefoord papers'' (1898), p. xi * Ilay Campbell * George Fergusson, Lord Hermand * Dr Andrew Hunter * Alexander Monro * Donald Monro *

John Monro John Monro may refer to: * John Monro (advocate) (1725–1773), Scottish advocate * John Monro (physician) (1716–1791), physician and specialist in insanity * John Monro (surgeon) (1670–1740), Scottish surgeon *John U. Monro (1912–2002), Amer ...

Daniel Rutherford Daniel Rutherford (3 November 1749 – 15 November 1819) was a Scottish physician, chemist and botanist who is known for the isolation of nitrogen in 1772. Life Rutherford was born on 3 November 1749, the son of Anne Mackay and Professor J ...

Caleb Whitefoord Caleb Whitefoord (1734 – 25 January 1810) was a Scottish merchant, diplomat, and political satirist. Life He was born in Edinburgh in 1734, probably in the family home of Whitefoord House on the Canongate, the illegitimate son of Colonel C ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mundell, James 1762 deaths Scottish schoolteachers Schoolteachers from Edinburgh Founders of Scottish schools and colleges 18th-century Scottish educators Place of birth missing Year of birth missing People of the Scottish Enlightenment Burgesses in Scotland