|
"THE LATE FREDERICK ANDREW ECK
A good man and true, who spent twenty years
of his life on the banks of the Doon, has gone
to his rest. Mr. Eck, formerly of Hollybush
died on Saturday last at his residence in
Cromwell Rd. London, in the 78th year of his
age.
He bought Hollybush estate from the late Mr.
Hunter of Doonholm about the year 1852. He
built a fine mansion upon it, and the beautiful
grounds will long bear testimony to his good
taste. Mr Eck was a native of Geneva (Nevey
[=Vevey]) but came early in life to London, and
after receiving a mercantile training, he
became a partner in the firm of Anthony Gibbs
and Sons.
For a dozen years, he was managing partner
in Chili, where the firm had a most extensive
connection, especially in the mining business.
At that time, he had opportunities for forming
a rare collection in mineralogy, which was
arranged with care in Hollybush House, and
afterwards in London.
Successful in his mercantile career, he was
able to retire from business with an ample
fortune at a comparatively early age. He was a
man of high culture. He spoke English, French
and Spanish with almost equal facility, and
wrote other languages with ease and grace. But
his disposition was retiring, and the range of
his knowledge, and his varied accomplishments
were known only to a limited circle.
The death of his only son [William], a
gentle and gifted boy, threw a gloom over him
in the decline of his life, and induced him to
part with Hollybush, where every scene brought
up tender recollections. On leaving the place,
he settled a sum in the hands of trustees
sufficient to yield about 10 pounds per annum
to be spent at Christmas in gifts for humble
villagers in Dalrymple.
Dying at a ripe age, he has left a widow - a
Glasgow lady - and three daughters to cherish
his memory."
Frederick Eck is beleived to have died aged
78 at Cromwell Rd /London, possibly in 1884.
His collection of about 3000 specimens, mostly
minerals, but also inlcuding significant cut
gemstones, and fossil, numismatic,
archaeological and ethnographic material, was
donated by "his family" in 1884 to the
Hunterian Museum/ University of Glasgow.
Information supplied by:
Dr JW Faithfull
Curator of Mineralogy and Petrology
Hunterian Museum
University of Glasgow
G12 8QQ
Photo Website: rss-hunterian-museum
The house with its 25 bedrooms is now one of
three homes run by The Ex-Services Mental
Welfare Society known as COMBAT STRESS.
|
