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https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-george-argent-rhododendron-expert-nicknamed-edinburghs-indiana-jones-botany-1417093

Born in Edinburgh in 1891 to Robert and Marion Anthony, John Anthony attended George Heriot's School and Edinburgh University, reading Arts and Science. His studies were interrupted by the First World War, with him spending eight years in service in France, Italy (where he won a Military Cross in 1918[?]), Egypt and Palestine, resuming University life in 1923.
After graduating in 1924 he worked on a rubber plantation in Malaya for five years, before becoming an assistant lecturer in Botany at the University College in Dundee on his return in 1932. In 1934 he became a lecturer in Forest Botany (amongst other things) at the University of Edinburgh, and so began his career with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. He was a member of the teaching staff for 24 years, retiring in 1958. In his retirement he worked on producing a guide for indentifying trees, shrubs and undershrubs by their microscopic properties, and a Flora of Sutherland - the latter being published posthumously by the Botanical Society of Edinburgh [Scotland].

Born Edinburgh 1832; died Edinburgh 1870.
After graduating with an MD at the University of Edinburgh, Thomas Anderson entered the East India Company Bengal medical service in 1854, serving in the North West Provinces and then Lucknow (he was present at the time of the Siege). He returned to Calcutta in 1858 as garrison assistant surgeon but ill health sent him back to Britain. He had developed an interest in botany at university and whilst in India studied the local flora and collected plants in the Himalayas. During his journey back to Britain he stayed briefly in Aden where his collections formed the basis of ‘Florula Adenensis’, a supplement to the Journal of The Linnean Society. Anderson returned to India in 1860 and took temporary charge of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta, becoming superintendent in 1861, a post he held until 1868. In 1861 he went to Java to bring back plants and seeds of Cinchona calisaya a source of quinine for new plantations in India. He was invalided back to Britain in 1869, resuming his research on Indian flora, but died the following year from a liver complaint.
Sources: DNB; Desmond's Dictionary; Gard Chron 1870, Jnl Bot 1870
by D.W.

(right click, open link in new tab) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1465030/Robb-Anderson.html

(right click, open link in new tab) http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/FMCollectors/A/AndersonJAR.htm

James Robert Anderson, 1841-1930, the son of A.C. Anderson, left Fort Nisqually in 1850 to attend school in Victoria for two years. He returned in 1858 and remained until his death. He was an accountant and businessman, and from 1894 until 1908, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture. He had a keen interest in natural history. His father, Alexander C. Anderson, was an early B.C. land surveyor. (right click, open link in new tab) https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/anderson-james-robert-1841-1930

Born Lanarkshire 1685 (or 1683); died Edinburgh 1760
Charles Alston initially attended Glasgow University and then spent time in legal training through the patronage of the Duchess of Hamilton, before eventually being employed as her ‘principal servant’ where he was able to use his leisure time to study medicine. When the position of superintendent of the physic garden at the Palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh became vacant in 1715, the Duchess used her political influence to secure the post for her protégé. She acquired a commission from George I appointing him King’s Botanist in 1716, a post he held for life. He then returned to Glasgow to obtain a degree, taking a year out to study under Herman Boerhaave at Leiden, before graduating in 1719. After this his reputation developed rapidly. He was elected to the fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians in 1721 and appointed Secretary in 1725, a post he held for 21 years. He taught botany and materia medica at Edinburgh University where he played a major part in enhancing the international reputation of the medical school, and he was appointed professor in 1738, thereby combining the commission of the Kings Botanist in Scotland with the Chair of Botany at the University of Edinburgh, a pattern set for the next two centuries forging a link between the Garden's collections and the University's research and teaching. By 1746 Alston's reputation and stipend (from the Town Council, Patrons of the Chair) were such that he could take on the revival of the University’s botanical garden at Trinity Hospital. The city’s original Garden at St. Anne’s Yard and the Royal Garden at Holyrood also thrived under Alston. Alston first published in 1740 an index to plants demonstrated to pupils in the Botanic Garden. His research interests latterly focused on the medicinal qualities of quick-lime and water. He also made an ‘ill-judged’ attack on the Linnaean sexual system of plant classification.
Sources: DNB; Fletcher & Brown's ‘The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 1670-1970’; Desmond's Dictionary; Bown's '4 Gardens in 1'
by D.W.