Biography of John Stirling

John Stirling matriculated at the University in 1780, the same year as his older brother, James. He was born on 23 February 1768 at Cadder, the second son of William.

Stirling went to Kingston, Jamaica in 1789, where - as recreated by Alan Karras’ book Sojourners in the Sun - he took over the management of the estates of Frontier and Hampden and the resident enslaved people. The Stirlings of Maxwell are amongst the most prominent of all Scottish slave-owning families and had connections with Jamaica over successive generations.

He died at Hampden, unmarried on 24 March 1793. He was the uncle of Sir William Stirling Maxwell, who was named in the report ‘Slavery, Abolition and the University of Glasgow’ (2018).

Sources

Archival Materials

• Addison, W Innes, The Matriculation Albums of the University of Glasgow (Glasgow, 1913); Murray, David, Memories of the Old College of Glasgow (Glasgow, 1927)

Summary

John Stirling
Born 23 February 1768.
Died 24 March 1793.
GU Degree: Arts, 1780;
University Link: Student
Occupation categories: landowners; planters
English snippet: Arts student at the University of Glasgow in 1780
Record last updated: 2nd Jul 2019

Country Associations

Scotland, Cadder
Place of Birth

Jamaica, Hampden
Place of Death

University Connections

University Roles

• Student