McManus 168

John Boyd Baxter was the son of William W. Baxter, cousin to Mr William Baxter, the father of the founders of the firm of Baxter Brothers and Co. He was educated at the Grammar School in Dundee. In 1827 he married Margaret Edward, daughter of Alexander Edward, tobacconist. They had one son, John Edward Baxter.^[3]

John Boyd Baxter was appointed Procurator Fiscal in May 1824, a post he was to hold until his resignation in March 1881.

On 1 February 1874 St Andrews University conferred upon him the degree of LL.D in consideration of his “high legal status and literary gifts.”^[30].

On the 4 June 1874, to recognise his 50 years of service, a ceremony was held in the Courthouse building, with representatives from the magistrates and town council. A marble bust by William Brodie was also unveiled and given to the Faculty of Procurators and Solicitors in Dundee for display in its library.^[31] He wanted to see a college established in Dundee and made reference to this in his speech during the public commemoration of his 50 years as Procurator Fiscal. Five months later he put the scheme to Dundee Town Council, but divergences of opinion emerged and indeed the University of St Andrews was opposed to the idea and deprecated the idea of Dundee entering into competition with itself.

A Royal Commission report in 1878 suggested the establishment of a college in Dundee affiliated to St Andrews but teaching only Medicine and Sciences.^[32]

On 22 December 1880, six years after he had brought the college question to the town council he brought the same subject before the directors of the High School. This time he offered, on behalf of his friend and cousin, Mary Ann Baxter, and himself, the sum of £125,000. He did not live to see the foundation stone laid, but a beginning had been made, with Mary Anne Baxter increasing her contribution to £130,000 and John Boyd Baxter increasing his to £10,000. Altogether £35,000 had been spent on the purchase of a site and fitting out the building as classrooms. A deed of endowment and trust had been executed^[33] and as soon as a principal and professors had been appointed, the work proper of  University College, Dundee could commence. The first students enrolled in 1883.

However, the Royal Commission had rejected the Albert Institute plan for the “unbroken circle of literature and science” to be available in Dundee,^[32] which was central to the deed of endowment. It was stated clearly that the endowment was for the “founding, establishing, endowing, maintaining and conducting a college for promoting the education of persons of both sexes and the study of science, literature and fine arts”.^[33]

As chairman of the Albert Institute company he asked the shareholders to transfer their interest in the Albert Institute buildings to the town council for the nominal sum of £1,000. This allowed the whole structure to be in the hands of the town council, for the benefit of the people of Dundee under the terms of the  Public Libraries (Scotland) Act, 1854. After the Albert Institute company had been finally wound up he was able to return, in the name of the shareholders, the sum of £280 for the purpose of increasing the number of volumes in the reference department of the Free Library. In honour of his overwhelming generosity in handing over the rooms within the Albert Institute, to which his company had a proprietorial claim, on the 9 September 1881, he was presented with his portrait, painted by Sir Daniel MacNee, president of the Royal Scottish Academy. During his acceptance speech he spoke of the increase in material prosperity in Dundee after the fall of Napoleon, but regretted that the provision of means for mental improvement did not keep pace with the accumulation of wealth and the progress of the town.^[17] The portrait was presented by Dr. Baxter to the Provost for the Albert Institute’s picture collection.^[34]

He resigned as Procurator Fiscal at the end of March 1881.^[17]

In his will his estate was valued at £71,668 17s. 0d. There were many personal bequests and among the public ones were £1,000 to Dundee High School, £1,000 to Dundee Royal Infirmary and £500 to Dundee Free Library.^[35]