CAMPBELL

John Campbell (1849-1899)

John Campbell was a Scottish optician and maker of philosophical instruments. He was born in Glasgow, the son of Colin and Mary Campbell. His father was a blacksmith in Glasgow. In 1879, he was in business in Broughty Ferry near Dundee, which is where he married Helen Culbert. That year, he moved north to Perth where he established a business known as “At the Sign of the Golden Spectacles” at 109 High St. As well as advertising himself as an optician and philosophical instrument maker with all kinds of optical, electrical, surgical, photographic and mechanical instruments including barometers, he also began advertising for agents for the North of Scotland Photographic Company, with himself as the main agent. Their main product seems to have been Carte de Visite portrait photographs, which could be enlarged. The company on the High St must have done reasonably well because he eventually moved to larger premises at 41 George St in Perth. He was a member of the Perthshire Society of Natural History and organised at least two microscopy exhibitions for them. He was also a member of the Society of Opticians in London. His business was the only one of its kind in the City of Perth.

Sadly, Helen died in 1881. John never remarried and had no children. After his death in 1899 after a long illness, the business presumably passed to his brother Colin, a ship fitter from Dundee, and the business and the contents of the shop and house were auctioned. The advertisement for the shop contents includes the wide range of products that might be expected, but does not mention microscopes specifically. It is possible that he either bought them or the parts to assemble them from other suppliers as required. The quality of his household goods as listed for the auctions indicates that his business was successful – as well as solid mahogany furniture, he owned a fashionable fern case, fine engravings and prints, over 150 books and a lot of music.

Campbell was probably a retailer, in Post office directories and Leslie’s directory for Perth and Perthshire, online in National Library of Scotland:

The next part is from 1903, Campbell is no longer in it.

Both buildings on George Street still exist, beautiful houses from the period 1750-1820.