Sir Donald Pollock

These are The Pollock Halls - site of university residences in the University of Edinburgh (I lived there for two years in the late 1960's, first of all in Grant and then in Ewing Houses.) They were built on ground gifted by Sir Donald Pollock, who was a physician, industrialist, and a former Rector of the University, and he also gave a lot of money to the building of the halls.

Sir John Donald Pollock was born in Galashiels in 1868 and died in 1962. He studied Science at Glasgow University and Medicine at Edinburgh University. He was the Personal Physician and General Advisor to the Duke of Leinster (1907-26), served as Hon. Colonel Royal Army Ordnance Corps (1939) and Hon. Wing Commander of Royal Air Force (1939). He held many important positions including the Rector of Edinburgh University (1939-45) and Chairman or President of several large companies including British Oxygen Co. Ltd, and the Ben Shipping Line.

He was immensely wealthy and unmarried - and left his considerable fortune for charitable purposes. I am a Trustee of one of the Trusts he established at his death.