Dr. Robert Munro
Born in 1835 in Ross-shire and educated at Tain Royal
Academy and the University of Edinburgh Dr Munro was a man with
many interests. He was both a medical practitioner in Kilmarnock
and for a time, Chairman of the Directors of Glenfield &
Kennedy Ltd. In which company he had a large financial interest.
Despite this he still found time to take an active part in the
affairs of the Kilmarnock Philosophical Society and the Glenfield
Ramblers where he was one of the earliest lecturers. His focus lay
in archaeological and anthropological pursuits and was a recognised
expert on Prehistoric Man; it was largely through his endeavours
that the celebrated excavations took place at Lochlea and
Midbuiston crannogs.
He became Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries
of Scotland in 1888; President of the Anthropological Section of
the British Association in 1893; Rhind Lecturer in the University
of Edinburgh in 1889; Dalrymple Lecturer on Archaeology in the
University of Glasgow in 1910; and Munro Lecturer on Anthropology
and Prehistoric Archaeology in the University of Edinburgh in 1911.
He was also an Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy; the
Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland; the Societie Royale des
Antiquaries du Nord; the Society d'Arch de Bruxelles; Associate
'etranger de la Soc. D'Anthropologie de Paris; and a corresponding
Member of the Anthropological Societies of Berlin and
Vienna.
Munro contributed numerous articles to medical and scientific journals and published well over eight books on early man including 'Ancient Scottish Lake Dwellings (1882)', 'The Lake Dwellings of Europe (1890)', and 'Prehistoric Scotland and its Place in European Civilisation (1899)'.
His extensive archaeological collection was acquired by the town of Kilmarnock in 1879. Housed initially in the Burns Monument in Kay Park, it was transferred to the Dick Institute when it opened in 1901. The Robert Munro Collection is an important specialised archaeology collection from lake dwelling sites. Regularly visited by specialist researchers, the significance of his collection has not decreased with time.
Munro contributed numerous articles to medical and scientific journals and published well over eight books on early man including 'Ancient Scottish Lake Dwellings (1882)', 'The Lake Dwellings of Europe (1890)', and 'Prehistoric Scotland and its Place in European Civilisation (1899)'.
His extensive archaeological collection was acquired by the town of Kilmarnock in 1879. Housed initially in the Burns Monument in Kay Park, it was transferred to the Dick Institute when it opened in 1901. The Robert Munro Collection is an important specialised archaeology collection from lake dwelling sites. Regularly visited by specialist researchers, the significance of his collection has not decreased with time.
