Education
He attended the High School in Edinburgh 1762-1763.
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Hugh Cleghorn
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He was key in the takeover of Ceylon from Dutch control to the British Empire. He was born in Fife around 1751. He was Professor of Civil and Natural History at Street Andrews University from 1773 to 1793.
He took a long leave of absence from 1788 to 1790 and traveled with the young Alexander Home, 10th Earl of Home on an extended trip of Europe: France, Switzerland and Italy, lecturing at universities along the route.
In 1795 he traveled to India and Ceylon with Charles Daniel, the Comte de Neuron. In 1798 he was appointed Colonial Secretary of Ceylon.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1790. His proposers were John Playfair, Alexander Hamilton and James Hutton.
Cleghorn had several properties, primarily Stravithie Castle, north of Dunino, a large townhouse, "Street Leonards" in Street Andrews and the estate of Pitreavie near Dunfermline.
All are in Fife. He also had property at Wakefield in England. In 1829 he was staying at Society in Edinburgh to have a bladder stone removed by Doctor Bell.
He died in February 1836.
Cleghorn married Rachel some time around 1795. Hugh"s sons Patrick Cleghorn and John Cleghorn both spent much time in India. A third son, Peter Cleghorn, was the father of Hugh Francis Clarke Cleghorn FRSE.
