1823 in Scotland explained

Events from the year 1823 in Scotland.

Incumbents

Law officers

• Lord Advocate – Sir William Rae, Bt
• Solicitor General for Scotland – John Hope

Judiciary

• Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord Granton
• Lord Justice General – The Duke of Montrose
• Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Boyle

Events

• 14 January – the Plinian Society is inaugurated for students of natural history at the University of Edinburgh under the presidency of John Baird.^[1]
• 7 February – the Bannatyne Club is inaugurated by Sir Walter Scott and others as a text publication society to print by subscription rare texts relating to the history, literature and traditions of Scotland.
• 17 June – Charles Macintosh patents the waterproof material later used to make Mackintosh coats.^[2]
• 18 July
  • Excise Act reduces duties on the distillation of whisky, encouraging its commercial production.
  • Act for building additional Places of Worship in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland passed.
• November – the Highland Society’s Veterinary School, predecessor of the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, organises its first regular classes in Edinburgh under William Dick.^[3]
• James Smith of Deanston introduces an improved method of land drainage on slopes.^[4]
• First Hebrew congregation in Glasgow in modern times established.
• Rev. Dr. Henry Duncan completes reconstruction of the Northumbrian Ruthwell Cross.

Births

• 13 March – William Mackinnon, shipowner (died 1893 in London)
• 31 March – William Hart, painter of the Hudson River School (died 1894 in the United States)
• 1 May – Jemima Blackburn, née Wedderburn, watercolourist and illustrator, wife of Hugh Blackburn (died 1909)
• 17 May – Henry Eckford, horticulturist (died 1905 in Shropshire)
• 28 May – Henry MacDonald, soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (died 1893)
• 2 July – Hugh Blackburn, mathematician (died 1909)
• 11 July – John Stuart McCaig of Muckairn and Soroba, creator of McCaig's Tower, Oban (died 1902)
• 26 September – Robert Boog Watson, malacologist and Free Church minister (died 1910)
• 28 October – William Simpson, war artist (died 1899 in London)
• Thomas Bantock, businessman (died 1895 in Wolverhampton)

Deaths

• 28 March – Ilay Campbell, judge (born 1734)
• 29 March – William Taylor, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and Principal of the University of Glasgow (born 1744)
• 16 June – Archibald Elliot, architect (born 1761)
• 8 July – Sir Henry Raeburn, portrait painter (born 1756)^[5]
• 29 September – George Beattie, poet (born 1786)
• George Finlayson, naturalist (born 1790; died at sea)

The arts

• February – a monument to poet Robert Burns (died 1796), designed by Thomas Hamilton, is opened in Alloway.^[6]
• Thomas Campbell's poem The Last Man is published.
• John Galt's novels The Entail, or The Lairds of Grippy, The Gathering of the West, Ringan Gilhaize, or The Covenanters and The Spaewife: a Tale of the Scottish Chronicles are published.
• Sir Walter Scott's novels Peveril of the Peak, Quentin Durward and St. Ronan's Well are published anonymously.
• William Tennant's poetic drama Cardinal Beaton is published.^[7]
• John Wilson's novel The Trials of Margaret Lyndsay is published.

See also

• 1823 in Ireland

Notes and References

1. Book: Browne, E. Janet. Janet Browne. 1995. Charles Darwin: vol. 1 Voyaging. London. Jonathan Cape. 1-84413-314-1. 73–5.
2. Book: Penguin Pocket On This Day. Penguin Reference Library. 0-14-102715-0. 2006.
3. Book: Bradley, O. Charnock. 1923. History of the Edinburgh Veterinary College. Oliver & Boyd. Edinburgh.
4. Book: Kermack, W. R.. 19 Centuries of Scotland. Edinburgh. Johnston. 1944. 86.
5. Web site: Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823) . National Records of Scotland . 24 June 2022 . English . 31 May 2013.
6. Web site: Joe. Rock. The Burns Monument, Alloway. 2014-08-27.
7. Book: Chambers, William. Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen. William Tennant. William Chambers (publisher). 2014-08-07.