Robert Craig Maclagan

Born in Edinburgh in 1839, Robert Craig Maclagan was a Scottish physician, anthropologist, and author. He trained in medicine and later became known not only for his medical work but also for his wide-ranging interest in Scottish traditions, especially the beliefs and customs of the Highlands.

Maclagan played an important role in collecting and recording folklore. The University of Edinburgh describes his manuscript collection as one of the most significant bodies of folkloric material gathered from the West Highlands, built through years of organized collecting. In print, he explored subjects such as myth, superstition, and popular tradition, helping preserve material that might otherwise have been lost.

He was also involved in public and educational life, including work connected with medical education for women in Scotland. Maclagan died in 1919, leaving behind a body of writing that continues to interest readers drawn to Scottish history, folk belief, and the meeting point between learned study and oral tradition.