Peter Spalding (1758–1826) was a Scottish colonial trader and philanthropist.

Life

He appears to be born in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

around 1768. The only Spalding in the first Edinburgh Street Directory in 1773 is "James Spalding", a grocer on the High Street. This is presumably his father although some sources say his father was a jeweller, and Peter followed in that trade. Whether that is true or not, Peter ended up trading in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

around 1785. He appears to have owned his own vessel and was probably trading in tea and/or spices. However, early in his trading life his ship and all its contents sank in the River Ganges and as he was uninsured, he had to start again. This appears to have inspired rather than dishearten him. He continued to trade and made very good business connections, His friendship with Governor Lord Cornwallis led to Peter being appointed Superintendent of the

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

Mint. By 1785 his mother was living at the head of the West Bow on the

Lawnmarket The Royal Mile () is a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The term was first used descriptively in W. M. Gilbert's ''Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century'' (1901), des ...

section of the

Royal Mile The Royal Mile () is a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The term was first used descriptively in W. M. Gilbert's ''Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century'' (1901), des ...

Edinburgh's Old Town The Old Town ( sco, Auld Toun) is the name popularly given to the oldest part of Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh. The area has preserved much of its medieval street plan and many Reformation-era buildings. Together with the 18th/19th-cent ...

. Peter returned to Edinburgh in 1801 and seemed to have returned to his mother, who moved in 1804 to a newly built apartment at Antigua Street at the head of

Leith Walk Leith Walk is one of the longest streets in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is the main road connecting the centre of the city to Leith. Forming most of the A900 road, it slopes downwards from Picardy Place at the south-western end of the street to the ...

. By 1805, his mother's tenure as the head of household ended. James Spalding, builder, is listed at the same address (Peter's eldest brother). A Walter Spalding is also listed as a builder at Shakespeare Square at the east end of

Princes Street Princes Street ( gd, Sràid nam Prionnsan) is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland and the main shopping street in the capital. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1.2 km (three ...

. The latter is probably an uncle or brother. Whether through these builder connections or through the inheritance from his mother's death, Peter began investing in properties in Edinburgh. In 1808, he was the first occupant of no.1

Heriot Row Heriot Row is a highly prestigious street in central Edinburgh, virtually unchanged since its original construction in 1802. From its inception to the present day in remained a top address in the city and has housed the rich and famous of the cit ...

, which stands on the corner of Heriot Row and Dundas street. This is an extremely elegant ground floor and basement house within the corner pavilion, and is now a category A

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. He died at Heriot Row in 1826. He was unmarried and childless but had several properties apart from his home: Atholl Place in the West End, Grassmarket. West Bow, Anchor Close (on the

and a block on Lauriston Street. He left the proceeds of these (£6826, around half a million in current terms) to the

Royal Institution The Royal Institution of Great Britain (often the Royal Institution, Ri or RI) is an organisation for scientific education and research, based in the City of Westminster. It was founded in 1799 by the leading British scientists of the age, inc ...

to provide funds to impoverished or retired artists (on application). This fund was called the Spalding Fund. Two known to specifically benefit were Alexander Nasmyth who received £60 and Andrew wilson who he had commissioned to reladscape the section of Queen Street Gardens which his house looked onto, who received £100.

Artistic Recognition

Spalding's portrait by Sir John Watson Gordon is held by the Scottish National Portrait Gallery but is rarely displayed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spalding, Peter 1768 births 1826 deaths Businesspeople from Edinburgh Philanthropists from Edinburgh