Below a painting of Robert Dick, the famous botanist and geologist who described himself as nothing but a humble baker. Robert was born in Tullibody in 1811. During his schooling he was regarded as a top level student having an inexhaustible thirst for knowledge. He learned Latin so quickly that his master recommended that he should be sent to college.
However this never came to pass and Robert served his trade as a baker starting at 3am and finishing sometime between 7 and 9 pm. He received no wages other than his bed and meals. Robert travelled to Thurso in 1830 and set up his bakery.
However the extremely modest and quiet baker was to achieve his unwanted fame through his knowledge of the natural world. He built up huge collections of insects, shells, geological and botanical specimens, considered to be the best in the country. Robert was to suffer when his order of flour along which contained some books and a microscope to help protect them from being knocked or damaged was lost when the boat carrying them sank. Eventually with no supplies to bake his business suffered. After being bedridden for two weeks he died penniless on Christmas Eve 1866 aged 56.
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