John Rattray (22 September 1707 – 5 July 1771) was an Edinburgh surgeon who served as surgeon to Prince Charles Edward Stuart during the Jacobite rising of 1745. He was a proficient archer, winning the Edinburgh Arrow on two occasions, however it is for his golfing achievements that he is principally remembered. A skilful golfer, Rattray won the first competition organised by the Company of Gentleman Golfers (later the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers) to become the 'Captain of Goff' for a year. In this capacity he signed the first ever Rules of Golf.
Early life
John Rattray was born on 22 September 1707 in Craighall Castle, the family seat of Clan Rattray, near the village of Blairgowrie and Rattray in Perthshire, Scotland. His father the Rt Rev Thomas Rattray (1684–1743) was an Episcopalian priest who became the Bishop of Dunkeld, then of Brechin and was elected Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church. On his death in 1743 his elder son James became clan chief and inherited the estate. As the second son John Rattray had no such inheritance and he trained as a surgeon in Edinburgh by apprenticeship to the surgeon John Semple between 1728 and 1735, when he began surgical practice in Edinburgh. To enhance his professional status he applied to become a freeman (or fellow) of the Incorporation of Surgeons of Edinburgh (later the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh). This involved sitting a series of four examinations which were held in the later months of 1740, and, having passed these, he was admitted a freeman of the Incorporation in November 1740.
Sporting activities
Rattray joined the Royal Company of Archers in 1731 and won the archery competition for the silver punch bowl on 4 occasions (1732, 1735, 1740, and 1742). The company's most prestigious prize, the Edinburgh Arrow or Silver Arrow was presented to the company by Edinburgh Town Council in 1709 as a prize for an annual archery competition. Rattray won this twice, in 1735 and 1744. He was also a skilled golfer and his prowess at golf is recorded in this extract from the mock heroic poem 'The Goff' by Rev. Thomas Mathison (1720–1760) published in 1743, the first poem devoted to the sport of golf.
North from Edina eight furlongs and more
Lies that fam’d field, on Fortha’s sounding shore, Here Caledonian chiefs for health resort, Confirm their sinews by the manly sport.... Rattray for skill, and Crosse for strength renowned, Stuart and Leslie beat the sandy ground.... Yea here great Forbes, patron of the just, The dread of villains and the good man’s trust When spent with toils in serving human kind, His body recreates and unbends his mind.
The ‘fam’d field’ referred to is Leith Links, an area of links grassland in the burgh of Leith where the self-styled 'Company of Gentleman Golfers' began to golf regularly. The 'great Forbes' mentioned is Duncan Forbes of Culloden (1685–1747), Lord President of the Court of Session, Scotland's most senior law officer and one of Rattray's regular golfing companions. Their friendship was to save Rattray's life.