Heriot, George (1563–1624)

Scottish goldsmith. In 1601 he became jeweller to James VI, having already been appointed in 1597 goldsmith to his queen, Anne of Denmark. In 1620 a grant was made to him and out of the proceeds he founded George Heriot's School in Edinburgh, Scotland. The fund of £23,625 established under his will had so increased by 1885 that a subsidy was made to create a technical college for older students called the Heriot-Watt College (now University). No works can be proven to be by him, but the enamels on the binding of a 1570 Meditationes Christi in the British Museum are attributed to him. Heriot was born in Edinburgh, Scotland.