He was born on 27 March 1808 in
Glasgow, the son of John Laidlay Esq. of
Fleetwood in
Lancashire. His father was a businessman who travelled extensively. His mother was sister to the bankers and merchants J. and R. Watson and it is likely that John Laidlay worked for the firm. Watsons owned extensive
indigo plantations in
Bengal. He was educated at a private school in
Blackheath, London. He then studied Chemistry under
Michael Faraday. He also studied
Hindustani under Dr Gilchrist in
London and there was introduced to Bishop
Reginald Heber. Having been suitably trained he was sent to
India in 1825 to represent his uncles in their Indian companies. This also linked to other company interests in the
East India Company. The two had silk and indigo factories in
Behrampore,
Rampore-Beauleah, Surdah etc. J. W. Laidlay oversaw these factories until 1841. In 1839 he took an extended trip to the
Straits Settlements in Malaysia for health reasons. Here he befriended
Sir James Brooke. In 1841 he moved to
Moorshedabad in north-east Bengal. Here he became more settled. In 1844 he married Ellen Johnstone Hope, daughter of William Hope of
Duddingston in
Edinburgh. Together they went to live in
Calcutta. He had a great love of ancient languages and coins, specialising in India and the Middle East. He published articles in the Journal of the Bengal Asiatic Society. He left India in 1849 and returned to Britain, living mainly in
London. In 1854 he moved northwards to Scotland and settled at
Seacliff House, a large property near
North Berwick, east of
Tantallon Castle with an impressive private harbour. Here he devoted himself to scientific study and private explorations and investigations. In these investigations he discovered a prehistoric cave near his house. In this period he also acquired the linked estates of
Auldhame and Scoughall. In 1868 he was elected a Fellow of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh, his proposer being Sir
David Brewster. He died on 8 March 1885. In his will he left a collection of shells to the
British Museum. He is buried with his wife in
Dean Cemetery in western
Edinburgh. The grave lies in the north-west section of the original cemetery facing west onto the westmost path, close to the access gate to Dean Gallery. ==Works==