David W. T. Cargill

"Jockeys before the Race" by Degas

He was born on 14 January 1872 the son of David Sime Cargill (1827-1905) of 9 Park Terrace in Glasgow. His mother was Margaret Traill (1840-1872) who died at his birth or soon after. His father worked for Milne & Co in the city. Their five storey townhouse faced onto Kelvingrove Park (the house still exists and is a listed building). In 1878 his father married Connell Elizabeth Auld who became David's step-mother.[4]

His father founded the Burmah Oil Company in 1886 and became immensely wealthy.

He worked for Milne & Co in Glasgow and, with his brother Sir John Traill Cargill were also Directors of Burmah Oil.

In 1910 he was living at 59 Partickhill Road in Glasgow.[5]

In March 1920 he bought William McTaggart's "Where the Smugglers Came Ashore" for £2500 through the art dealer Alexander Reid.[6] Other known acquisitions are Renoir's "Mont Sainte-Victoire"[7] and Corot's "Brume matinale au marais".[8] He also owned works by Manet, Monet, Sisley, Pissarro, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Seurat and Cezanne.

In 1922 he bought "Jockeys Before the Race by Degas (through Reid) for £2100.[9]

At some point in the 1930s he bought "Arrangement in Black" (a sister-piece to Arrangement in Grey and Black aka Whistler's Mother) by James Whistler.[10]

He died in Lanark on 5 September 1939. His will sold off his art collection to provide multiple philanthropic donations to the university and to Glasgow's well being. The David W T Cargill Trust created other facilities such as the David Cargill Centre which cares for the elderly[11] and David Cargill House.[12]

He was portrayed in the act of analysing art by Honoré Daumier known as "Advice to a Young Artist".[13]

He was married to Berthe Josephine Chopier (d.1947).[10]