Biography of William Cathcart

William Cathcart attended the University of Glasgow in 1746. He was born in Glasgow, son of Glaswegian merchant, William Hugh Cathcart. His father was described in 1732 by historian John M'Ure as associated with ‘the great company which arose, undertaking the trade to Virginea (sic), Carriby-islands, Barbadoes, New England, St. Christophers, Monserat, and other Colonies in America’. As such, Hugh Cathcart was one of the leading merchants in early eighteenth-century Glasgow. William continued in his father's chosen trade, but on the other side of the Atlantic, in Jamaica. Whilst little is known about the younger Cathcart’s activities in Jamaica, he would have been present amongst high numbers of Scots on the island who worked as merchants, planters, overseers, bookkeepers, doctors, surgeons and overseers in an economy based upon chattel slavery.

Sources

Archival Materials

• W Innes Addison, The Matriculation Albums of the University of Glasgow from 1728 to 1858 (Glasgow, 1913)

Summary

William Cathcart
Born 1730.
GU Degree: Arts, 1746;
University Link: Student
Occupation categories: merchants
English snippet: Arts student at the University of Glasgow in 1746, Merchant in Jamaica
Record last updated: 1st Jul 2019

Country Associations

Scotland, Glasgow
Place of Birth

Jamaica, No Region

University Connections

University Roles

• Student