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Post by LLady on Nov 4, 2006 8:05:01 GMT 10
November 1
On 1 August 1545 Andrew Melville, the Church reformer, founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, Principal of Glasgow University and St Mary's College, St Andrews, was born. Melville is viewed as the successor to John Knox as the leader of Scottish Protestanism. His work, the 'Second Book of Discipline', advocated Presbyterian, rather than Episcopal government, which brought him into conflict with his monarch, James VI, who sought to control the Scottish Church through his bishops. Melville was also a keen advocate of education in Scotland, and is credited with helping to reform Scottish universities through the introduction of European teaching methods.
November 1 1695 Bank of Scotland founded by an Act of the Scottish Parliament.
On this day in 1724 Sir Patrick Hume, Lord Marchmont, the Scottish statesman, died. Imprisoned for his opposition to James II's policies against Scottish Presbyterians, he later escaped to Europe where he became one of William of Orange's chief lieutenants. Following the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688, he was appointed Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and played a vital role in securing William's rule in Scotland.
November 1 1897 Novelist and politician Naomi Mitchison born in Edinburgh. Her best known novels are "The Conquered" (1923), "When the Bough Breaks" (1924) and "Cloud Cuckoo Land".
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Post by LLady on Nov 4, 2006 8:06:46 GMT 10
November 2 1881 Tom Johnston, one of Scotland's best know Secretaries of State, born.
Today in 1910 Roger MacDougall, the Scottish playwright and film screenwriter, was born. MacDougall was the author of the classic comedy play "The Man in the White Coat", which he also wrote the film script for as an Ealing Comedy. He also wrote the scripts for the Ealing comedies, "A Touch of Larceny" and "The Mouse That Roared". His other plays include, "Escapade" and "To Dorothy a Son" bopth adapted as films. MacDougall also treated himself when diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, changing his diet and making a substantial recovery from the disease.
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Post by LLady on Nov 4, 2006 8:09:28 GMT 10
November 3
On this day in 1460, King James II was killed during the siege of Roxburgh Castle. James was regarded as one of the better Scottish monarchs of the period, ending the feud between the Livingstons and Crichtons, and finally defeating the rebellious Douglases. He also established many trade links on the continent and through his wife, Mary of Gueldres, and the marriages of his sisters obtained many valuable political alliances. However, James took too close an interest in the new military invention, the cannon, and met his end, at the age of only thirty, when a Scottish cannon burst its casing killing the young king outright.
November 3 1698 The Darien Expedition landed at "Caledonia" in Panama.
On 3 August 1855 inventor George Johnstone was born at West Linton near Edinburgh. A son of the manse, he trained as an engineer and, in 1894, became the first Scottish motorist driving an imported Daimler. By the following year he had invented his own car, 'the Ghost Tram.' In 1896, he became the first person in Britain to be convicted of a motoring offence when police in Glasgow stopped him in St. Enoch's Square and he failed to convince the court that his car did not constitute a locomotive, and he incurred a fine.
November 3 1975 Queen Elizabeth officially opened an underwater pipeline to bring the first North Sea oil ashore.
November 3 1991 Liz McColgan won her first marathon in a record time.
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Post by LLady on Nov 4, 2006 8:10:55 GMT 10
November 4
Today in 1588 saw the death of Archibald Douglas, the 8th Earl of Angus, the Scottish aristocrat and soldier. Douglas became a formidable power in Scotland under the patronage of his uncle, the earl of Morton, the regent for young King James VI. However, after Morton's death his fall from grace was just as rapid. In 1581, the vengeful king charged him with treason and he was forced to flee to England. Douglas was a fierce Presbyterian and came to lead (with covert assistance from the English Queen Elizabeth) the other Protestant Scottish exiles in England. He was reconciled with the king in 1584 and returned home, but his strong religious views excluded him any position of power and influence under James.
November 4 1650 Birth of King William III.
November 4 1774 Poet and song writer Robert Allan was born in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire.
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Post by LLady on Nov 4, 2006 8:14:19 GMT 10
October 5
November 5 1688 William of Orange landed in South-West England.
November 5 1877 Opening of the original Mitchell Library, Glasgow, now the largest public reference library in Europe.
November 5 1879 Death of Edinburgh-born mathematician and physicist James Clerk Maxwell.
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Post by LLady on Nov 8, 2006 7:58:27 GMT 10
November 6
Today in 1885 saw the birth of Sir William Leishman, Scottish bacteriologist. Leishman discovered the protozoan parasite responsible for 'dumdum fever', now known as Leishmaniasis. He also developed the clinical technique known as the Leishman stain, which is still used today to detect protozoan parasites such as plasmodium (the cause of malaria). He is also noted for his work with Sir Almroth Wright on the vaccine for typhoid. On this day in 1887 Celtic Football Club was formally constituted in Calton. The club was the brainchild of an energetic Irish priest known as Brother Walfrid who devoted his life to helping the poor. Following the success of Edinburgh's Hibernian club, it was decided that the poor inhabitants of Glasgow's East End would benefit from a similar Irish team, and the first Celtic Park was established on a vacant lot next to St Mary's church
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Post by LLady on Nov 8, 2006 8:01:21 GMT 10
November 7
Today in 1974 Eric Linklater, the novelist and playright, died. Although born in Wales, Linklater always considered himself an Orcadian, and commanded the Orkney garrison during the Second World War. Perhaps his greatest work is 'Magnus Merriman,' a political satire based on his own unsuccessful campaign as a National Party of Scotland candidate.
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Post by neil6147 on Nov 13, 2006 5:12:34 GMT 10
12th November
On this day in 1869 Edinburgh University first admitted women to the study of medicine. Sophia Jex-Blake and her friend Edith Pechy were the first to attend the prestigious medical school. Though Jex-Blake passed her exams, she was not allowed to graduate as regulations prevented women from actually serving on the wards. Petitions to the management failed to convince them to change the rules. Jex-Blake eventually managed to obtain her licence from the Dublin College of Physicians, and devoted her life to promoting the cause of female medicine, together with an active role in the women's suffrage movement.
13th nov
Today in 1850 saw the birth of Robert Louis Stevenson, author and poet, in Edinburgh's New Town. He is perhaps best loved for creating the lastingly popular adventure stories "Kidnapped" and "Treasure Island," though he also wrote the darkly complex novel "Jekyll and Hyde." The archetypal tale of conflicting alter egos was inspired by the well-known story of Edinburgh figure Deacon Brodie, who was a respectable citizen by day and a thief and murderer at night. Stevenson was plagued by tuberculosis for most of his life, and he travelled extensively to seek respite in warmer climes, making many of the observations which informed his writing. He died in Samoa, aged only 44.
On this day in 1968 Joe Corrie, playwright, novelist and poet, died in Edinburgh. A former Fife miner, he turned to full-time writing and his 3-act play "In Time of Strife", set in the extreme hardship of a mining strike in the 1930s, toured Scotland with great success.
Battle of Sherrifmuir 13th Nov 1715
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Post by neil6147 on Nov 18, 2006 0:12:16 GMT 10
17th Nov
On this day in 1823 Lord Erskine, the Lord Chancellor, died. During his lifetime he became Britain's foremost advocate through his defence of people accused of treason and corruption. His defence of Thomas Paine, accused of high treason for his Republican treatise 'The Rights of Man', cost him his position as Attorney General to the Prince of Wales. Later, Erskine totally alientated George IV by defending Queen Caroline against her husband's attempt to deprive her of her rights and title
On November 17 1292 John Balliol acceded to Scottish throne. Following the premature death of Margaret, "the Maid of Norway" and heiress to the Scottish crown, thirteen claimants to the throne had appealed to Edward I to choose which of them should be the next Scottish king. On this date, Edward awarded the crown to John Balliol, as he seemed the easiest man to manipulate. Edward's price for adjudicating was recognition of his overlordship of Scotland. Balliol and the other claimants had agreed to this, but it soon began to cause problems when the scale of the demands became clear. John rebelled and Edward forced him to abdicate. War ensued. Scotland remained without a true king until Robert the Bruce, the grandson of one of Balliol's rival claimants, took the crown in 1306.
18th Nov
Today in 1785 Sir David Wilkie, the Scottish painter, was born. Son of the minister in the parish of Cults in Fife, Wilkie's talent was precocious: the self-portrait opposite was painted when he was only 20, and indeed by the early age of 19 he had produced one of his most famous works, 'Pitlessie Fair'. He sketched the faces of his Fife neighbours during church services to use in this work, and the accuracy of detail of real-life characters was a trait for which Wilkie was renowned. He became one of the most sought-after society portrait painters of his day. His detailed paintings of events mean that his pictures are often used for historic illustrations, most notably his painting of John Knox preaching in the pulpit
On 18 November 1998 Robin Hall, the Scottish folk singer and musician, died. Hall achieved national fame in the sixties along with fellow Scot, Jimmie Macgregor, on the BBC TV show, 'Tonight'. Hits included 'The Mingulay Boat Song' and schoolboy favourite, 'Ye Cannae Shove Yer Grannie Aff a Bus'.
19th Nov
On this day in 1976 Sir Basil Spence, Scottish architect, died. Basil Spence is arguably the most internationally renowned 20th-century British architect, known principally for his breathtaking work rebuilding Coventry Cathedral. Born in India, he was the son of an Orcadian and was sent home to have his schooling at George Watson's College in Edinburgh. Spence was an eclectic architect whose work ranged from vernacular-styled fisherman's dwellings in Dunbar to opulent traditional country houses to ultra-modern pieces like the Edinburgh University library. He has been compared to Robert Adam by some for his detailed attention to interiors.
20th Nov
On 20 November 1863 James Bruce, 8th Lord Elgin, the Scottish Liberal statesman and diplomat, died. During his career he served as Governor-General of Canada, 1847-54, and India, 1862-63 and was special envoy to China and Japan. During a visit to China he burnt down the emperor's famous Summer Palace in Beijing, destroying thousands of priceless works of art, in order to intimidate the emperor and force him to sign an unratified treaty.
On 20 November 1776 William Blackwood, the noted Scottish publisher and bookseller was born. He was the founder of the firm of 'William Blackwood & Sons Ltd', and also published the conservative satirical periodical, 'Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine'.
21st Nov
On this day in 1880 Sir Alexander Cockburn, the celebrated Scottish jurist, died. Cockburn served as Lord Chancellor of England & Wales between 1874 and 1880. Although he had filled the position since 1859, he was the first person to be legally defined so. His definition of obscenity was used by the British and American legal systems until 1933, when it was rejected in America in a case involving the James Joyce' novel, 'Ulysses'. He also gave a landmark ruling on the definition of criminal insanity.
On November 21 1835 James Hogg, the poet known as the Ettrick shepherd, died in Ettrick. Hogg is primarily known today not only as the author of a series of pastoral poems, but also as the writer of the novel, 'Confessions of a Justified Sinner', widely regarded as the first piece of modern Scottish fiction. A contrary figure in real life, Hogg almost bankrupted himself in attempts to be a successful shepherd - leading to his literary friends dubbing him "the Ettrick Shepherd".
22nd Nov
22 November 1926 saw the publication of "A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle" by Hugh MacDiarmid, Scotland's Greatest Twentieth Century poet. MacDiarmid was the principal character in the forming of the Scottish Renaissance of the inter-war years and a founder member of the National Party of Scotland.
On November 22 1515 Mary of Guise, the French Queen Consort of James V, was born. She was an astute and capable stateswoman who was regent of Scotland during the minority reign of her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots. However, in spite of being a member of the de Guise family, the champions of Roman Catholicism in France during the French wars of religion, she was unable to stop the Scottish Protestant Reformation, which began during her reign.
23rd Nov
On this day in 1909 the historical novelist, Nigel Tranter, was born in Glasgow. Tranter is known as the most prolific Scottish writer of all time, leaving five books written but not yet published at his death. His novels were all based around Scottish history, and many Scots felt that their first introduction to their own history came through these books
On November 23 1844 Thomas Henderson, the famous Scottish astronomer, died. Henderson was the first person to measure the parallax, or distance, of a star (alpha centauri), from the Earth, and from the Sun. Henderson went on to become the first Astronomer Royal of Scotland
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Post by LLady on Jan 11, 2007 7:49:57 GMT 10
November 24 1996 Death of the poet Sorley MacLean.
November 25 1681 General Tam Dalyell raises a regiment to suppress Covenanters which later became the Royal Scots Greys.
November 25 1853 John Gibson Lockhart, biographer and critic, editor Blackwood's magazine, died. He married Sir Walter Scott's daughter and wrote a 7 volume biography of Scott. Buried Dryburgh Abbey, at the feet of Sir Walter Scott.
November 25 1835 Steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie born in Dunfermline.
November 26 1836 John McAdam, inventor of "tar macadam" road surface, died.
November 27 1703 The greatest storm on record hit Britain with the loss of 8,000 people in 24 hours.
November 27 1996 First deaths from E-coli outbreak in Lanarkshire, Scotland.
November 28 1666 Battle of Rullion Green on the Pentland Hills, south-west of Edinburgh, in which the King's army led by Sir Tam Dalyell defeated the Covenanters.
November 29 1489 Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England was born. She later married King James IV of Scotland in the "Union of the Thistle and the Rose". It was due to her bloodline that King James VI of Scotland was able to inherit the crown of England in 1603, after the death of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
November 29 1599 Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons granted its charter by King James VI.
November 29 1681 Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, granted its charter by King Charles II.
November 30 St Andrew's Day - patron saint of Scotland.
November 30 1292 John Balliol ("Toom Tabard" or "Turncoat") crowned.
November 30 1872 World's first international football (soccer) match, Scotland V England at West of Scotland Cricket Ground. Result was 0-0.
November 30 1923 John Maclean, political activist, Marxist, appointed Bolshevik consul for Scotland by Lenin, died.
November 30 1944 HMS Vanguard, Britain's biggest and last battleship, was launched at Clydebank.
November 30 1996 Stone of Destiny, stolen from Scone by King Edward I of England in 1296, returned to Scotland and installed in Edinburgh Castle.
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