James Key Caird
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Sir James Key Caird, 1st Baronet (January 7, 1837 – March 6, 1916) was a jute baron and philanthropist. Born in Dundee, he was one of the city's most successful entrepreneurs, who used the latest technology in his Ashton and Craigie Mills. He became head of the family firm in 1870.
He made a substantial fortune, and gifted both the Caird Hall, which dominates City Square, and Caird Park in the north of the city. The Marryat Hall, gifted by his sister Mrs Emma Grace Marryat, links to the Caird Hall. His donations totalled £270,000 — equivalent to £20 million. He was created Baronet in 1913.
Caird funded Sir Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic expedition of 1914 to 1916 on the Endurance, and Shackleton's open boat the James Caird, in which six of the Endurance's crew made the epic open boat voyage of 800 miles (1,300 km) from Elephant Island to South Georgia, was named in appreciation of Caird's contribution.
Caird held an honorary degree from the University of St. Andrews.
He died at Belmont Castle, Dundee.