Napier Book List
Books published 1951 to 1975
Charles Napier, Friend and
Fighter, 1782-1853.
The life of General Sir Charles Napier,
eldest son of Colonel George Napier and Lady Sarah Lennox.
Contains photographs of portraits of Colonel George, Lady
Sarah, Charles and his brother William.
The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club
for 1953 (Volume XXVIII).
Mention of a Thomas Napper, paper maker
at Sutton Mills. (It is a correction for an article on paper
making in Edinburgh which appeared in the previous volume,
Volume XXVII).
The Chapel of St Mahew,
Cardross.
The Chapel of St Mayhew sits on a piece
of land known as the Kirkton of Kilmahew. A chapel existed on
the site before the 14th century. The land on which it stood
came into the possession of the Napiers of Kilmahew in 1357
and the family maintained the chapel. Duncan Napier, Laird of
Kilmahew, rebuilt the chapel in 1467 and it was this building
that was restored in 1955. This tiny booklet (20 A6 pages)
tells the story of the chapel. It contains a map of the area
showing the position of the chapel in relation to the other
medieval churches in the area and also a ground plan of the
chapel.
The Third Statistical Account of
Scotland. Volume V, The City of Glasgow..
Contains references to Robert Napier
(The Father of Clyde Shipbuilding), his shipbuilding cousin
David Napier, and the company of Napier and Miller. An
excellent reference book for Glasgow.
Men and Machines. A History of D.
Napier & Son, Engineers, Ltd., 1808-1958.
As the title says, a history of the
engineering company founded by David Napier of Dumbarton,
cousin of Robert Napier (The Father of Clyde Shipbuilding)
and the other David Napier, the eminent marine engineer. Many
photos of members of the family, engines, cars and aircraft.
An excellent list of sources. It also contains an abbreviated
family tree for David and his cousins David and Robert. An
essential reference book for anyone researching this
subject.
Napier Verse.
William Addison was minister at Ettrick
and Buccleuch from 1929 to his death in 1953 and was a well
known local poet. This is a companion volume to Ettrick Verse (see above). This volume is
dedicated to the Rt Hon. Francis Nigel Napier (14th) Lord
Napier and (5th) Ettrick, who has written a foreword to the
book. The first poem in the book is To
the Master of Napier, 5th December 1951, on the
coming-of-age of the dedicatee. The second poem is on the
return of the ashes of Francis Horatio Napier from
Johannesburg for burial at Ettrick on 18th January
1950.
A Genealogy of Alexander Napier of
Randalstown, County Antrim, Northern Ireland and New York
City, USA.
Includes members of the family resident
in Scotland in 1999.
The Vintage Motor
Car.
Contains references to Napier motor
cars. One picture of a 1919 Napier 40/50 Luxury
Tourer.
The Book of the Old Edinburgh
Club, Volume XXXI, The Tower of Merchiston.
A history and architectural description
of the Tower together with information about its restoration.
Contains plans and reproductions of old prints. This article
was written in 1961 as an interim report, midway through a
six-year restoration programme. The Tower became the
centre-piece of the newly created Napier Technical College,
which has now become Napier University.
The Kirk of St. Ternan,
Arbuthnott.
This book covers extensively the
ecclesiastical, economic, social and educational life of a
Mearns parish and also relates it to the growth of Scotland's
life during fifteen centuries. Based on rich local records,
it deals with the whole period from Pictish times to the
present day, through the Roman Catholic period, the
Reformation and post-Reformation period, the Episcopal period
and the Church of Scotland period. It deals in some detail
with the Arbuthnott family and the Montrose and Jacobite
risings. There are three Napiers mentioned, James (perhaps
John), George and William. Could be a useful reference if
researching the Napiers of the Mearns.
Robert Napier 1791-1876
Exhibition.
This is a catalogue and descriptive
brochure of an exhibition held at the Institution between
15th July and 4th September 1963.
Veteran and Edwardian Motor
Cars.
This book is basically a history of
British, Continental and American motor cars from 1900 to
1914. It has very interesting entries regarding Napier cars
and engines, and gives technical specifications and
prices.
The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club
for 1966 (Volume XXXII).
Reminiscences of a walk from Tollcross
to Morningside, mentioning briefly the Napier family,
Merchiston Tower and the site of the Doocot for Merchiston
Tower. Another article on a Lieutenant-Governor of Edinburgh
Castle between 1751 and 1753 mentions a Colonel
Napier.
A Late Beginner.
An autobiographical memoir of her
childhood which was spent in Egypt.
The 1933 24-litre
Napier-Railton.
Descriptive booklet about the
Napier-Railton racing car specially designed for the racing
driver John Cobb by Reid Railton, chief engineer of racing
car engineers Thomson & Taylor and built round a used 12
cylinder, 24 litre, Napier Lion aircraft engine. The car was
specially designed for long distance races and held world
records for distances from 200 miles to 3000 miles, and times
from 3 hours to 24 hours. Full technical details of the car
are given as well as many photographs.
Napier Family.
This book is good on the genealogy of
the family of Ivan Napier up to the date of publication.
However, it does perpetuate the myth, believed by some
Napiers in the USA, that their ancestor Dr Patrick Napier was
a grandson of John Napier of Merchiston, inventor of
logarithms. It has very many mistakes and inaccuracies
regarding the early history of the Napiers in
Scotland.
The Book of the Old Edinburgh Club
for 1969 (Volume XXXIII, Part 1).
The restoration of Merchiston Tower was
completed in 1964. This article, by Stuart Harris,supplements
the original article (Volume XXXI, 1962), amending and
amplifying the original report. Contains further photographs
and a plan.
Wellington. The Years of the
Sword.
The first of a two volume biography of
Hon. Arthur Wellesley, first Duke of Wellington. This volume
covers his youth and his military career up to the Battle of
Waterloo in 1815. The three Napier soldier brothers, Charles
James, George and William, all served under Wellington in the
Peninsular War and many references to them are made in this
book. Their father Col. George Napier and mother, Lady Sarah
Lennox, are also mentioned
Merchiston Tower,
Edinburgh.
A small (A5) leaflet produced by Napier
Polytechnic (as it had become by 1970) describing the Tower
plus a brief history of John Napier (of Logarithms). Contains
some monochrome reproductions of views of the exterior of the
Tower, and colour photographs of the interior.
Gold at Wolf's Crag? An Enquiry
into the Treasure at Fast Castle.
In July 1594, John Napier of
Merchiston, inventor of Logarithms, met with Robert Logan,
Laird of Restalrig, and agreed a contract (a contract of magic) with him to try to find the
treasure believed to be hidden at Faux Castle (or Fast Castle
as it is now known) on the east coast of Scotland, between
Coldingham and St Abb's Head. This involves Crusader gold,
the search for the Holy Grail, Knights Templar, King James VI
of Scotland, the Earl of Gowrie, and many others of that
period. The contract still exists and a photograph of it is
contained in the book.
The Sword Dance. Lady Sarah Lennox
and the Napiers.
Lady Sarah Lennox was the fourth
daughter of the second Duke of Lennox, and thus a
great-grand-daughter of King Charles II. After an eventful
youth and first marriage, she married, as her second husband,
Colonel George Napier, the fifth son of Francis, sixth Lord
Napier, and his second wife. They lived in Ireland and had
five sons and three daughters. The five sons rose to eminence
in their chosen fields. Three became generals and fought in
the Peninsular War, one became a Captain in the Royal Navy
and also became the first historian of Medieval Florence, and
the fifth became a Fellow of All Souls and a notable scholar.
This is the first book about the Napier family published by
Priscilla Napier, the most prolific writer on the Napier
Family. This book tells the story of Lady Sarah, her marriage
to Colonel George ("Donny") and their family. Contains
simplified family trees (no dates) of the Lennox and Napier
families.
A Difficult Country. The Napiers
in Scotland.
The second book about the Napier family
published by Priscilla Napier. It is divided into five parts:
I - The Lennox Fountainhead,; II - Merchiston and the Five
King Jameses; III - Logarithms John; IV - Montrose and Two
Archies; V - Survivors of the Volcano: Scotland and England.
Also contains simplified family trees (no dates) of the Royal
Family of Scotland and the United Kingdom, and of the Napier
family.
Revolution and the Napier
Brothers, 1820 - 1840.
The third book about the Napier family
published by Priscilla Napier. It tells the story of the four
Napier brothers, Charles, William, George and Henry, sons of
Col. George Napier and Lady Sarah Lennox, during the times of
revolution and social upheaval in Europe, and especially in
England. Contains an early portrait of Charles plus a family
tree of George and Lady Sarah's children and their
descendants.
Queen Victoria's Little
Wars.
A brief history of all the wars in
which the British army was involved during the reign of Queen
Victoria 1837-1900. Many members of the Napier family are
mentioned.
Lauriston Castle.
An illustrated guidebook to the castle
with colour photographs, plan of present day house,
architectural history, and brief history of the owners
(Napiers c1580 to 1622).
Montrose, Cavalier in
Mourning.
A modern biography of Montrose with
references to Archibald, first Lord Napier, and his son.
Useful for a modern view of the subject. Contains
photographic reproductions of portraits of the main
characters.
The Incumbent.
Pamela Hill is the
great-great-grand-daughter of the Rev. Peter Napier, the
brother of Robert Napier of West Shanbdon (The Father of
Clyde Shipbuilding). Another Napier descendant in New Zealand
claims that although presented as a novel, the story is in
fact based very closely on the life of
Peter.
© Charlie Napier,
Morningside, Edinburgh, Scotland.