Star's family history goes on display

Published on Thursday 15 October 2009 09:50

THE family history of Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton is to go on show in the Capital as part of the Famous Scots exhibitions in the ScotlandsPeople Centre.

On Saturday, 24 October, there will be a special opportunity to find out about her Edinburgh connections as part of the open day at the ScotlandsPeople Centre.

Research revealed the actress is a direct descendant of Robert the Bruce on both sides of her family, and among her ancestors on her mother's side are some famous figures from Edinburgh's past.

These include her maternal great-great-grandfather, John Hutton Balfour (1808-1884), a professor of botany and keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, as well as geologist James Hutton (1726-1797), whose influential theories on the origins of the Earth laid the foundations for modern geology.

And her great-grandfather was George Campbell Swinton, Lord Lyon King of Arms (1859-1937) and the driving force behind the creation of the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle.

Ms Swinton, who lives in Nairn but was born in London and partly raised in Germany, is the daughter of Sir John Swinton, a former British army officer, who can trace his ancestors back to Robert II, the grandson of Robert the Bruce.