Talk:Alexander Heron

Idle Chat

Alexander Heron lived, with his parents, in my house in Duddingston. The Figgate Burn Park at the end of the road (Hamilton Terrace) was the brainchild of Sir Thomas Whitson, treasurer to the 1904 Scottish expedition to the Antarctic, who has a headland (Cape Whitson) named after him in the South Orkney Islands. However he did not dream up the Park, knowing about Heron - but there must have been some local passion for exploration.Sebmelmoth (talk) 04:38, 5 January 2015 (UTC)
 * I hope there is a blue plaque! I am interested that you refer to him as "Macmillan" which was his middle name (and his mother's maiden name). Was he called that, do you know, in childhood or later in life? I could find very little about him apart from what he acheived on the 1921 Everest expedition (which was very considerable). Are you aware of any other sources of information? Thincat (talk) 09:33, 5 January 2015 (UTC)

Sorry, I didn't mean to call him Macmillan - I meant his full title - don't know what happened there. We don't have blue plaques in Scotland but there are discreet cast iron ones around here. His two aunts lived here too with his parents, they were Nicholas Macmillan (a woman) and Helen. I am asking our local historian if he knows more. Are you the originator of this article?

I am working on his wife and child. Ancestry has some of his voyages to Rangoon (no wife) and his applications to join the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was born round the corner in Kelton Cottage, Duddingston Park and then they moved to 4 Ashton Villas before arriving here, where his father died in 1906. Although called a retired coal merchant, William Heron was by 1901 calling himself Macer, Court of Session.Sebmelmoth (talk) 13:07, 5 January 2015 (UTC)


 * Yes, I created this article because Heron was an annoying red link in an article I'd created earlier, 1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition. It would certainly be nice to know a bit more about his parents, wife and child(ren?). He went on to become Director of the Geological Survey of India so there must be information about all that but I just don't have access to the right sort of books. There has been quite a lot published about his Everest activities so the article covers that aspect of his life. Thincat (talk) 14:13, 5 January 2015 (UTC)

Some of his books are in the National Library, here in Edinburgh and I will try to see them in the next week or two. The Royal Society of Edinburgh, also here, may have stuff on him - although what they post on line about him is thin.Sebmelmoth (talk) 08:46, 6 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Printed references are absolutely fine. If you do find anything then you should note author, date, publisher, title, preferably page. Citing sources Thincat (talk) 13:04, 6 January 2015 (UTC)

I have now found his marriage and daughter and sent for the marriage certificate; sent for his will; and should be able to flesh out his early life once these confirm my leads.Sebmelmoth (talk) 12:15, 8 January 2015 (UTC)

I have the marriage certificate and will and will add this info shortly.Sebmelmoth (talk) 17:55, 31 January 2015 (UTC)

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