James Dick.

About James Dick

James Dick was a Scottish merchant, philanthropist and slave trader. Born in Forres, County of Moray, Dick left Scotland at the age of 19 and travelled to the West Indies, settling down in Kingston, Jamaica as a clerk in a local merchant house. In Jamaica, he established his own business importing enslaved people and exporting local produce to London, in the process becoming immensely wealthy. Dick returned to Britain and died c. 1828. Following his death, he bequeathed £113,787 to improve teaching among the schoolmasters in Scotland, which became known as the Dick Bequest. In recent years, the bequest has become controversial due to Dick's involvement in the Atlantic slave trade.