Correspondence written by Alexander Monfries to Peter Carmichael initially while undertaking a tour in Europe for the purposes of his health. Letters include descriptions of his tour, meetings with mutual friends and acquaintances from the Dundee area, his marriage to Miss Smith from Montrose. A more detailed list of the letters is available. Please ask a member of staff for more details
D.Bruce Peebles (1826-1899) was a gas and electrical engineer, inventor, manufacturer and writer, with wide interests in the Arts. He was born in Dundee and attended school in Carnoustie and began his working life as an apprentice in the Great Western Railway Co. His father was engaged in shipping [possibly as a Master]. One brother, Robert, was a Chairman of the London and San Francisco Bank, which had a considerable investment interests in North American railways. Another brother, James, was a partner in the Meiklejohn brewing company of Alloa. Peebles himself was the father of a large and enterprising family. He was a partner in a firm of gas meter manufacturers before establishing Peebles & Co, inventing and manufacturing devices for use in the gas industry. He diversified into heavy electrical engineering (Bruce Peebles & Co, transformer and rectifier manufacturers at his Tay Works, Fountainbridge, Bonnington, Edinburgh). He devoted much time to the invention, patenting and development of a gas engine. He wrote poetry and articles for publication, submitting items under the nom de plume 'Saxum' for the Ladies Journal. He served a term as President of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts 1886-1887 and was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1886. He was a close friend of and shared many interests with Peter Carmichael, and a regular visitor to Arthurstone.
Ordnance Survey plans of parts of Dundee c1870s; plans relating to Arthurstone House and estate, including technical drawings; Springhill (1858-1861); Belmont estate and Newtyle (1872); field gate for Dens Works, Dundee (1875); plans relating to the Scottish Midland and North Western Railways (1844-1845).
The numbered sequence of both stereoscopic and transparency slides will appear in random order. This is because the original numbering by A. Burn-Murdoch has been retained. A numbered and ordered list for cross references appears in the documentary section MS 104/1/1. Box I-VII contain stereoscopic slides. Box 1-4 contain coloured transparency slides. For full details see MS 104/2/1/1-7 and MS 104/2/2/1-4 for detailed descriptions.
