Who's Who in Glasgow in 1909

B: Baird to Burns

JOHN ALEXANDER BLACKIE

THE present chairman of the old-established publishing house of Blackie & Son, Limited, is the eldest son of the late Dr. W. G. Blackie, a well-known and much respected citizen of Glasgow, who was Lord Dean of Guild in the years 1885-87, and of Marion Brodie, second daughter of William Brodie, of Endrick Bank, Stirlingshire. Mr. Blackie was born in Glasgow, 7th March, 1850. He was educated at Glasgow Academy, at Blairlodge School, Polmont, and at Cannstatt in Germany, and afterwards studied at Glasgow University. He received his first business training in the office of Mr. Alexander Moore, accountant, where he remained for three years. Then he entered his father's business of Blackie & Son, publishers, and has taken a leading part in its development and extension.

Mr. Blackie has travelled much on the Continent; he has visited America and Africa, and made several voyages to Australia and New Zealand. On his second visit to Australia, in 1855, he was married in Melbourne to Sarah Gemmell, third daughter of the late Hugh Mitchell Campbell Gemmell, son of the late Robert Gemmell, of Whitehill, Ayrshire. He has two daughters and one son.

He has been urged to undertake municipal work, but has found himself too absorbed in the publishing business to accede to the many invitations. He is a Director of the Merchants' House, a Manager of the Royal Asylum for the Blind, etc., etc.