John Dick Peddie RSA 1824-12/03/1891

John Dick Peddie, R.S.A., was born in Edinburgh in the year 1824, and received his education there, passing through the usual curriculum of Arts in the University. His father, Mr. James Peddie, Writer to the Signet, intended him for the legal profession, and he was for several years in his father's office; but his taste for art was so pronounced that he soon abandoned law for the study of architecture.

His ability and energy soon brought him into notice, and many buildings erected after his designs are to be found throughout Scotland. He was elected an Associate of the Academy in 1868, and an Academician in 1870. In the same year he was elected Secretary, which office he held for six years, retiring in 1876 on account of ill health. He shortly thereafter entered into political life, and was for some years Member of Parliament for the Kilmarnock Burghs. He died in Edinburgh on the 12th of March.

The President, the Council, and a large number of Members attended his funeral, and at a meeting of Council held shortly thereafter a minute was unanimously adopted expressive of the regret felt by the Academy at the loss sustained by his death, and their sense of the valuable services rendered by him to the Academy - in the first place as Secretary, an office for which his business qualifications eminently fitted him, and lastly as Chairman of the Committee intrusted with the framing and obtaining the Supplementary Charter. A copy of the minute embodying the above was directed to be sent to Mr. Peddie's family.

RSA Obituary, transcribed from the 1891 RSA Annual Report