Scottish historical painter, was born at Alloa. On leaving Foulis's academy of painting at Glasgow (1762), after seven years'successful study, he obtained the patronage of Lord Cathcart and of Erskine of Mar, on whose estate he had been born. The latter furnished him with the means of proceeding to Rome (1764), where he remained for a number of years engaged principally in copying the old masters. Among the original works which he then painted was the " Origin of Portraiture "representing a Corinthian maid drawing her lover's shadowwell known through Domenico Cunego's excellent engraving. This gained for him the gold medal given by the Academy of St Luke in the year 1773 for the best specimen of historical composition. Returning from Rome in 1777, he resided for a time in London, and occupied himself in portrait-painting. In 1780 he removed to Edinburgh, where, on the death of Alexander Runciman in 1786, he was appointed director and master of the Academy of Arts. There he painted and etched in aquatint a variety of works, those by which he is best known as the " Scotch Wedding," the "Highland Dance," the " Repentance Stool," and his " Illustrations of the Gentle Shepherd "being remarkable for their comic humour. He was called the " Scottish Hogarth"; but his drolleries hardly entitle him to this comparison. David Allan died at Edinburgh on August 6, 1796.
Robert Allan was born at Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire on November 4, 1774. Inheriting a taste for music, he early evinced talent in the composition of song, which was afterwards fostered by the encouragement of the poet Tannahill. Like Tannahill, his occupation was that of a weaver (in Allan's case, muslin) in his native place & many of his best songs were composed at the loom. A number of them he contributed to the Scottish Minstrel, published by R. A. Smith. Several of Allan's songs also appeared in the Harp of Renfrewshire. In 1836 a volume of his poems was published under the editorial revision of Robert Burns Hardy of Glasgow, and attracted a great deal of attention among lovers of Scottish song, although financially the publication proved a sufficient failure to deter him from putting forth another volume. Several of Allan's lyrics will compare very favourably with the best specimens of the minor poets of his native land. In his more advanced years he became possessed with the idea that he was not appreciated in Scotland as a poet, and was determined to join his youngest son in the United States. He accordingly sailed for the New World on April 28, 1841 at the age of sixty-seven, and only survived the passage six days, having died in New York on June 1,1841. His funeral was attended by a large number of his son's friends, including several prominent American literary men, as well as his own countrymen residing in New York city. Many of Allan's unpublished poems and songs were left in MS. in his son's possession.
Canadian financier, was born on September 29, 1810, at Saltcoats, Ayrshire, Scotland, the son of Captain Alexander Allan, a shipmaster. He emigrated to Canada in 1826, and in 1831 entered the employ of the chief shipbuilding & grain-shipping firm of Montreal, of which he became a junior partner in 1835. In 1853 he organized the Allan Line of steamships, plying between Montreal, Liverpool and Glasgow; till his death he was closely associated with the commercial growth & prosperity of Canada, & in 1871 was knighted in recognition of his services. In 1872-1873 he obtained from the Canadian government a charter for building the Canadian Pacific railway, but the disclosures made with reference to his contributions to the funds of the Conservative party led to the Pacific scandal and that company was soon afterwards dissolved. Sir Hugh Allan died in Edinburgh on December 9, 1882.