Letter from the Town Surveyor's Office

• Reference:GB 254 MS 331/1/4/6
• Dates of Creation:1872
• Name of Creator:
  The Buist family
• Physical Description:
  1 item

• Scope and Content

  Letter from the Town Surveyor's Office in reference to Barrack Street

• Administrative / Biographical History

  The Reverend John Buist was born in Abdie in around 1762 and in 1802 he married Margaret Jafferson and went on to have nine children; he died in 1845. Alexander Jafferson (A. J.) Buist (1818-1901) was born in Tannadice, Forfarshire, As a young man he joined the business of his elder brother James Jafferson Buist (1810-1844) who was engaged in spinning at Ward Mill Dundee
  The Buist family had strong links to Dundee and the thriving textile industry, indeed Alexander Jafferson Buist was one of the first mill owners to provide a crèche and a school for the children of those who worked in his mills. In 1865, sometime after John James Buist's death, A. J. Buist entered into partnership with William and John Don to form Don Brothers, Buist & Company, a company that still exists today in the form of Don and Low, Forfar. A. J. Buist went on to become a Governor of University College, Dundee, an Elder of the Free Church, a Justice of the Peace, and a Deputy Lieutenant of Dundee. He was also involved in politics as a Unionist.
  John Charles Buist (1852- 1944) was the son of A. J. Buist and was born on 17th March 1852. He was educated at Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh before joining Don Brothers, Buist & Company in 1874. He eventually became managing director of that firm, a position he held until his retirement in 1933. Dr Buist was a member of the Council of University College, Dundee, President of Dundee Chamber of Commerce and a Director of Dundee Royal Infirmary for over five decades (being Chairman of the institution on three separate occasions) . He was awarded an LLD by the University of St Andrews in 1925. Like his father he was involved in politics as a Unionist. John Charles Buist married Isabella Watson of Bullionfield, Invergowrie. He died at his home, Balgillo, Broughty Ferry on 27th August 1944.
  J. C. Buist's son Frank D. J. Buist (1900-1980) became a director of Don Brothers, Buist & Company in 1933 and was chairman of the company in the 1960s. His brother Captian Charles Edward Buist MC died on active service in 1917. F. D. J Buist married the daughter of the Right Reverend Walter John Forbes Robberds (1863-1944), Bishop of Brechin (1904-1934) and Primus of the Episcopal Church in Scotland (1908-1934).

• Arrangement

  Usually chronological within series.

• Access Information

  Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.

• Acquisition Information

  Deposited by Susan Drysdale the granddaughter of F.D.J. Buist

• Note

  The Reverend John Buist was born in Abdie in around 1762 and in 1802 he married Margaret Jafferson and went on to have nine children; he died in 1845. Alexander Jafferson (A. J.) Buist (1818-1901) was born in Tannadice, Forfarshire, As a young man he joined the business of his elder brother James Jafferson Buist (1810-1844) who was engaged in spinning at Ward Mill Dundee
  The Buist family had strong links to Dundee and the thriving textile industry, indeed Alexander Jafferson Buist was one of the first mill owners to provide a crèche and a school for the children of those who worked in his mills. In 1865, sometime after John James Buist's death, A. J. Buist entered into partnership with William and John Don to form Don Brothers, Buist & Company, a company that still exists today in the form of Don and Low, Forfar. A. J. Buist went on to become a Governor of University College, Dundee, an Elder of the Free Church, a Justice of the Peace, and a Deputy Lieutenant of Dundee. He was also involved in politics as a Unionist.
  John Charles Buist (1852- 1944) was the son of A. J. Buist and was born on 17th March 1852. He was educated at Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh before joining Don Brothers, Buist & Company in 1874. He eventually became managing director of that firm, a position he held until his retirement in 1933. Dr Buist was a member of the Council of University College, Dundee, President of Dundee Chamber of Commerce and a Director of Dundee Royal Infirmary for over five decades (being Chairman of the institution on three separate occasions) . He was awarded an LLD by the University of St Andrews in 1925. Like his father he was involved in politics as a Unionist. John Charles Buist married Isabella Watson of Bullionfield, Invergowrie. He died at his home, Balgillo, Broughty Ferry on 27th August 1944.
  J. C. Buist's son Frank D. J. Buist (1900-1980) became a director of Don Brothers, Buist & Company in 1933 and was chairman of the company in the 1960s. His brother Captian Charles Edward Buist MC died on active service in 1917. F. D. J Buist married the daughter of the Right Reverend Walter John Forbes Robberds (1863-1944), Bishop of Brechin (1904-1934) and Primus of the Episcopal Church in Scotland (1908-1934).

• Other Finding Aids

  Descriptive list. Subject source lists and databases are also available

• Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

  Paper

• Archivist's Note

  Description compiled by Jaqui Adams, April 2012

• Conditions Governing Use

  Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges may be made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply; please check with the Duty Archivist.

• Custodial History

  The papers were kept by the Buist family, any material collected by the Jefferson's was passed to the Buist family

• Accruals

  Not expected

• Related Material

  MS 100 (Don and Low)

• Additional Information

  Published