Category Archives: Scotland

Victorian Celebrities: Thomas Henderson, First Person to Measure the Distance to Alpha Centauri

A Scottish astronomer and mathematician, Thomas James Alan Henderson (28 December 1798 – 23 November 1844) was the first person to measure the distance to Alpha Centauri, the major component of the nearest stellar system to Earth, and for being … Continue reading →

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November 30 – Saint Andrew’s Day

Who was Saint Andrew ? Despite what many may think, St. Andrew, who is the patron saint of Scotland, did not live and work in that country. In fact, his legendary connections to Scotland appeared centuries after his death. Andrew, … Continue reading →

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Regency Happenings: Henry Bell and the PS Comet, the First Commercially Successful Steamboat Service in Europe

The paddle steamer PS Comet was built for Henry Bell, hotel and baths owner in Helensburgh. With the steamer, Bell began a passenger service on 15 August 1812 on the River Clyde between Glasgow and Greenock; it was the first … Continue reading →

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Regency Celebrities: Henry Bell, Pioneer in the Development of the Steamship

Henry Bell (7 April, 1767 – 14 March, 1830) was a Scottish engineer who is famed for introducing the first successful passenger steamboat service in Europe. Early Career Bell was born at Torphichen, near Bathgate, West Lothian in 1767 and … Continue reading →

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Regency Celebrity: William John Napier, 9th Lord Napier, Royal Navy Officer

William John Napier, 9th Lord Napier (Chinese: 律勞卑; 1786 – 11 October 1834) was a Royal Navy officer, politician and diplomat. Early Life He was the son of Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier (1758–1823) and the father of Francis Napier, … Continue reading →

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Regency Celebrity: Edmund Cartwright, English Clergyman and Inventor of the Power Loom

Edward (Edmund) Cartwright (24 April 1743 – 30 October 1823) was an English clergyman and inventor of the power loom. Life and Work He was the brother of Major John Cartwright, a political reformer and radical, and George Cartwright, explorer … Continue reading →

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Regency Celebrity: John Cartwright, Parliamentary Reformer

John Cartwright (17 September 1740 – 23 September 1824) was an English naval officer, Nottinghamshire militia major and prominent campaigner for parliamentary reform. He subsequently became known as the Father of Reform. His younger brother Edmund Cartwright became famous as … Continue reading →

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Regency Happenings: The 1820 Scottish Insurrection

The Radical War, also known as the Scottish Insurrection of 1820, was a week of strikes and unrest, a culmination of Radical demands for reform in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, which had become prominent in the … Continue reading →

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Regency Happenings: The Hampden Clubs, Political Reform Stimuli

The Hampden Clubs were political campaigning and debating societies formed in England in the early 19th century. They were particularly concentrated in the Midlands and the northern counties, and were closely associated with the popular movements for social and political … Continue reading →

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The Scotsman, a Regency Era Newspaper, Which Has Survived to Modern Times

The Scotsman is a Scottish compact newspaper published from Edinburgh. It was a broadsheet until 16 August 2004. Its sister publication, the Sunday newspaper Scotland on Sunday, remains a broadsheet. The Scotsman Publications Ltd also issues the Edinburgh Evening News … Continue reading →

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