Founded in 1863, the Largo Field Naturalist's Society was very active in the late 19th century. At their 1864 AGM, Dr Lumgair presided and the treasurer reported healthy accounts following a successful exhibition at Kiel's Den. Committee members were elected and among the new members was one Charles Jenner, Esq. of Edinburgh. Jenner had founded the famous department store on Princes Street in 1838 with fellow draper Charles Kennington. His connection to the Largo area, may have been through Charles Howie (a seedsman and florist), a fellow member of the Society with whom he took field excursions and published papers on botany.
Jenner regularly donated prizes to be awarded at the Society's annual exhibition. The Fife Herald of 14 December 1865 covered the monthly meeting of the Largo Field Naturalist's Society. Henry Petheram of Haworth, Lundin Links was in the chair and the main topic of discussion was the forthcoming exhibition, in which there was much public interest. The schedule of prizes was agreed by attendees and printing was given the go-ahead. Details were then given of several donations received by the Society. Among them was "a large collection of minerals and specimens of curious rocks" provided by Charles Jenner. WIlliam Wood of Largo had given "specimens of fossil shells and sea urchins from the English chalk and two varieties of shale from the Methil oil works" and several other interesting items were also listed.
Jenner regularly donated prizes to be awarded at the Society's annual exhibition. The Fife Herald of 14 December 1865 covered the monthly meeting of the Largo Field Naturalist's Society. Henry Petheram of Haworth, Lundin Links was in the chair and the main topic of discussion was the forthcoming exhibition, in which there was much public interest. The schedule of prizes was agreed by attendees and printing was given the go-ahead. Details were then given of several donations received by the Society. Among them was "a large collection of minerals and specimens of curious rocks" provided by Charles Jenner. WIlliam Wood of Largo had given "specimens of fossil shells and sea urchins from the English chalk and two varieties of shale from the Methil oil works" and several other interesting items were also listed.
Charles Jenner was born in Rochester, Kent in 1810, the son of an innkeeper. He became a draper's apprentice and moved to Edinburgh in 1829. He worked with Charles Kennington at the drapery firm of W R Spence in Picardy Place but the pair were sacked when they skipped work to attend Musselburgh Races. They went on the co-found their own department store with Kennington leaving the business to Jenner when he retired in 1861.
Not only a successful businessman, Jenner, like many entrepreneurial Victorians, had great energy and a broad range of interests. His intellectual pursuits included botany and geology. He also was a great benefactor and contributed to many charities and causes. Jenner died in 1893. His younger brother Sir William Jenner was personal physician to Queen Victoria.
Jenner's department store went on to become the oldest independent department store in the world before its acquisition by House of Fraser in 2005.
(watercolour and ink painting by Annie Lynch)
Not only a successful businessman, Jenner, like many entrepreneurial Victorians, had great energy and a broad range of interests. His intellectual pursuits included botany and geology. He also was a great benefactor and contributed to many charities and causes. Jenner died in 1893. His younger brother Sir William Jenner was personal physician to Queen Victoria.
Jenner's department store went on to become the oldest independent department store in the world before its acquisition by House of Fraser in 2005.
(watercolour and ink painting by Annie Lynch)
RSS Feed
