James Donaldson (publisher)

James Donaldson (1751 – 1830) was a Scottish printer, publisher, and newspaper proprietor based in Edinburgh. He inherited a substantial fortune from his father, Alexander Donaldson, also a prominent publisher and bookseller. He is best known for using a significant portion of that inheritance to establish Donaldson's Hospital, a charitable institution dedicated to the care and education of poor children.

Donaldson continued his father's business, which focused primarily on reprints of popular English books, and expanded the family's holdings. He successfully defended his father's right to reprint English works in Scotland in the landmark copyright case of Donaldson v Beckett (1774), although that victory was ultimately short-lived due to subsequent legislative changes.

Donaldson also became the proprietor of The Edinburgh Advertiser, a newspaper which he owned and managed for many years. He was actively involved in Edinburgh's civic life and was a member of the Merchant Company of Edinburgh.

Upon his death in 1830, Donaldson left the majority of his estate to found Donaldson's Hospital, following detailed instructions in his will. The institution opened in 1851 and continues to operate today, though its function has evolved. The original building, a large and imposing Tudor-style structure designed by William Henry Playfair, is a landmark in Edinburgh.