Cptn Thomas Robertson with sextant on the deck of Scotia

Speirs Bruce was undoubtedly a prickly and secretive individual whose lack of political skills worked against him in what was a very political milieu.

But he was also a strong and commited Scotish nationalist at a time when such a thing was regarded as misguided, at best, and treacherous, at worst. Markham described the atempt to have a separate Scotish vessel as part of the National Expedition as “mischievous rivalry.” Speirs Bruce described it as being one which had “Science as its talisman……but Scotland emblazoned on its flag.” That did not win him any friends at Whitehall or in Buckingham Palace.

The plaque, near to the site where Speirs Bruce established his Scotish Oceanographic Laboratory, is litle known and litle visited. But the time is surely right for some other, more fiting and generous recognition of a great scientist, a great Scot and a man unjustly spurned by the British establishment.

Scotia off Millport, Firth of Clyde, 1904 August 2015 91