Town planner Patrick Geddes was born - On this day in Scottish history

Town planner Patrick Geddes was born on 2 October 1854 in Ballater. He was educated at Perth Academy and later studied at the Royal School of Mines in London.

Geddes was a botanist by trade and turned to town planning after an accident affected his sight. He was responsible for transforming sections of Edinburgh's Old Town, which had become known as slum areas - he and his wife moved into the derelict James Court in Edinburgh and Geddes restored the houses around him, opening up spaces and improving the flow of air and light.

Although the idea of slum clearance by knocking down houses was a pouplar one, Geddes preferred to work with existing buildings where possible, believing that knocking down poor housing simply transferred the problem to another, often worse, area.

Geddes also worked overseas, creating master plans for the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as well as writing up eighteen town planning reports for sites in India.

Patrick Geddes Timeline

2 October 1854 - Patrick Geddes is born in Ballater

1880 - Geddes begins to lecture in zoology at Edinburgh University

1919 - Commissioned to draw up a master plan for the city of Jerusalem

1932 - Patrick Geddes is knighted

17 April 1932 - Geddes dies in France