Described as the most advanced prophet of the new theatre of his day, William Archer was born in Perth in 23 September 1856. Archer attended Perth Academy where he was a classmate of the biologist, sociologist, geographer, philanthropist and pioneering town planner, Patrick Geddes, and the medical pioneer, James Mackenzie. By […]
General James Wolfe who led the forces that captured Quebec from the French Army in 1759 was once billeted at the Town Guard Barracks in Guard Vennel. The following is an instruction issued at that time: “If any woman in the regiment has a venereal disease, and does not immediately […]
Born in the ‘auld hoose’ of Gask, Perthshire on 16 August 1766, Caroline (also Carolina) Oliphant (her first name is the female form of Charles; she was named for Prince Charles Edward Stuart) became a poet and song writer of note. She met Niel Gow and wrote several songs to […]
Born into a well-off middle class family in Auchterarder 5 June 1928. His father a lawyer died when James Kennaway was only 12 years of age – his father had served in the Black Watch in 1914. Brought up by his mother a doctor, James Kennawayattended Cargifield School in Edinburgh until the age […]
Poets are difficult to compare. Time, culture, context and ideology defy objective comparison. The views of the reader in relation to the role of poetry and its form equally make it impossible to decide which of several poets is the greater. Despite this truth it can be said without fear […]
Between either AD 26-36 or AD 27-37 Pontius Pilate was the 5th Governor of Judaea, Samaria and Idumaea. During his tenure as Roman procurator(1) (long by Roman standards – governors usually served for about 18 months) Pilate held his office along with 3,000 troops at the palace of Herod at Casarea on the coast, […]
In April 1847 the newly married poets Elizabeth and Robert Browning came to join the substantial group of English people living in Florence, Italy. It was whilst in Italy that they both wrote some of the greatest poetry of the Victorian age. They would stay in Florence for 14 years […]
During the 1830s and 1840s a number of popular radical movements known collectively as Chartism became a revolutionary force in British society. Meetings, demonstrations, petitions and other political actions took place under its name across the British Isles and involved millions of workers and members of the petty-bourgeoisie. The Chartist […]
In November 1948 a 25th anniversary commemoration for John Maclean was held in Glasgow, One of the organisers of this event, James Scott (Hamish) Henderson had written a song especially for the proceedings – ‘The John Maclean March’. The song was sang that night by a William Noble and one […]
Patrick Geddes although born in Balater, West Aberdeenshire (2 October 1854) spent his formative and school years in Perth and Kinnoull. The range of his work and achievements were so wide that amongst the descriptions of Geddes to be found are, biologist, economist, sociologist, geographer, city planner, art critic, academic […]