Happy Birthday, James Donaldson!

He was born on this date (Dec. 3) in 1751. Donaldson’s School for the Deaf was named after him.

Donaldson’s School for the Deaf has long been a dominant feature of the Edinburgh skyline.

It was named for Edinburgh printer and businessman James Donaldson. He was born on Dec. 3, 1751, and died on Oct. 19, 1830. Donalson left large sum go to the building of a facility to care for children who would otherwise have been living on the streets. When it opened, 20 years later, the school was known as Donaldson’s Hospital. Deaf and hearing children were taught but socialized together. The name was later changed to Donaldson’s School for the Deaf. During his life, Donaldson served as editor of the 'Edinburgh Advertiser', a newspaper founded by his father. Read more about Donaldson in the National Records of Scotland and The Historic Environment of Scotland.