OPINIÓN DE LOS DEUDORES ALIMENTARIOS

Rossie Priory also has been an area in Rodger's life about which there has been much controversy. Again there are differences of opinion as to when this event actually took place.

The earliest we hear of this group, before Rodger's involvement, is in a letter from Brewster to Talbot in June 1840. Brewster, while asking Talbot for details about his method, mentioned a visit to Lord Gray of Kinfauns near Perth.® House parties seemed to be a regular part of Brewster's social life where he and his friends discussed and entertained each other with scientific theories. Rossie Priory appears to have been one of the main areas where some of these scientific theories were being put into practice.

Situated at Inchture in Perthshire, on the north side of the River Tay, Rossie Priory was the home of George William Fox Kinnaird, ninth Baron Kinnaird (1807-1887).^ Science was but one of Lord Kinnaird s interests and

he, along with Lord Gray of Kinfauns, Playfair and Adamson made up the core of the St. Andrews photographic pioneers. This group advanced enormously in the 1840s, reaching a point where Rodger would fit this picture.

In the St. Andrews Citizen obituary, dated 13th January 1883, it states that Rodger, whilst assistant to Adamson in the chemistry room, was invited to Rossie Priory.® As we know, Adamson taught the chemistry class as St. Andrews University from 1849-52. This obituary goes on to say Rodger went on to matriculate at Glasgow for two sessions in Medicine. As I have said, in my opinion, Rodger may have gone to Glasgow before assisting Adamson. In the British Journal of Photography article, dated 9th July 1897, it is also stated that Rodger went to Rossie Priory for six months whilst assistant to Adamson, who sent him there with a letter of introduction.® Rodger had gone to Rossie Priory to assist Lord Kinnaird who was keen to advance his knowledge in this new art. According to the article in the British Journal of Photography, "as Lord Kinnaird could not afford time to go through the tedious preparatory manipulation he resolved to procure a student to assist the work, and keep the apparatus in order".’'

Therefore, I would put the Rossie Priory era at approximately 1849-50. At this point Rodger would have been competent in chemical manipulation and in calotype processing, having been to Glasgow, and supposedly having been persuaded by Adamson to take the art up full time; he would have been an extremely competent student more than able to assist Lord Kinnaird.

An article written by Rev. Robert Graham tells us of the events taking place at Rossie Priory when Talbot was corresponding with Brewster on his methods in the early 1840s.® Here Brewster was often a house guest of Lord Kinnaird, and at this time was "teacher" to the group gathered at Rossie. Lord Kinnaird is portrayed as a man who "wrought himself from morning till night with unflagging energy, and discovered a dexterity of manipulation which none of us could surpass". Graham also tells of Brewster "perfecting his invention of the refracting stereoscope". He also refers to "The first stereoscope with which he experimented was a clumsy, ill-made thing, somewhat like a demented opera-glass, which some unhandy tin-smith in St. Andrews had made for him". This apparatus is thought to have been made by a local Dundee man, George Lowden. He recalls "at the end of 1849 I got acquainted with that nobleman so well and favourably known to all

Dundonians, George, Lord Kinnaird, and through him was introduced to many of the savants who were entertained by his Lordship at Rossie Priory".’

Amongst these was Sir David Brewster, "who had at this period (1849) invented his stereoscope, and I got the making of the first one, and the sending of copies of it to many scientific men all over Europe". In a local newspaper at this time there is told at the Royal Scottish Society of Arts an "Account of a Binocular Camera, and a method of obtaining Drawings of Bodies, which can be exhibited as solids by the Stereoscope, by Sir David Brewster".^® In the British Journal of Photography article of 1897 we are told of Rodger being assigned to photographing the collection of ancient and

modem paintings and statues which adorn the princely halls of Rossie. The Govan Album, held in St. Andrews University Library's

photographic collection, has a few of the prints taken at Rossie Priory in the early 1840s. These prints have not been identified as having been taken by Rodger.

No matter how much we speculate about this time, it is difficult to deny that it did take place. But as to precisely when may well continue to be unclea»; and other experts may contradict my opinion that 1849-50 being the time that these events took place. In my view, at this point all elements appeared to be in place, Rodger's connection with Adamson, photography being at a stage where Albumen and Collodion had been invented, and Brewster's invention of the stereoscope. Rodger at this period in his career would have been an obvious choice of assistant.

RODGER IN THE 1850s

1850 saw the birth of Jean Glen Rodger on 8th July, fifth child of Thomas Rodger and Elizabeth Greenhill.^^ The 1851 Scottish Census still brings no record of the Rodger family in St. Andrews, but unfortunately there is no other evidence to the contrary. However, we do find his name on the St. Andrews University's 1851-52 Physiology class list.^^ Do we therefore

wonder if Rodger still yearned after a medical career?

While Rodger continued to build his career in New York Garden the railway-line from Leuchars to St. Andrews was built in 1852.^® This

advancement would bring a new influx of customer to Rodger, encouraging tourist and gentry visitors alike to the town. Not only would this bring new subjects to be photographed, but it would also provide a greater customer catchment for purchasing his free-standing work.

We see Rodger's first professional accolade in 1853 when he won the Aberdeen Mechanics Institutions Prize medal. Although no written

evidence can be found for the reason this medal was awarded, the event can be seen advertised on the back of Rodger's Cartes-de-visite sold at a later date. Fig. 12.

This year also saw Melville Fletcher, Bookseller, advertising in a local newspaper. Fletcher, seller of books, stationery, and plates, providing an ideal platform for advertising and selling Rodger's material.^®

'ON COLLODION CALOTYPE'

1854 brought Rodger further professional recognition when he was awarded a medal for his work in the Edinburgh Photographic Exhibition. This accolade can also be seen on the back of Rodger's Carte-de-Visites. He was also awarded the Royal Scottish Society of Arts Medal for his paper entitled 'On Collodion Calotype'. (See Appendix I) This paper was read to

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