Born in 1780 in London he was the second son of the artist Robert Smirke. In 1796 he entered the office of Sir John Soane. He gained Silver and Gold Medals at the Royal Academy. He travelled and continued his studies in Greece and Italy. Sir Robert Smirke designed Sir […]
In the 15th Century, the knowledge of medicine and diseases was at the best rudimentary. Holy wells abounded and were credited with the power of curing everything from barrenness to whooping cough, madness to lumbago. There were ceremonies involved too and if the cure was unsuccessful it could be blamed […]
Christie Cleek (or -Cleek or of-the-Cleek), is a legendary Scottish cannibal, somewhat in the vein of the better-known Sawney Bean. According to folklore, his real name was Andrew Christie, a Perth butcher. During a severe famine in the mid-fourteenth century (Hector Boece records floods, morrain and plagues of ‘myce and […]
Robert Graham (born c. 1660 and died 1719 in Perthshire). Owner of Drumsad and also acquired other lands: Damside, Kirklands of Aberuthven, Woodside of Kincardine, Wester Lands and Baillie lands of Abe Ruthven (this land he sold to David Haldane (married to Mary Graeme) of Aberuthven). Writer (Solicitor) in Perth. […]
Born in 1757, the son of a simple Dumfriesshire shepherd, Thomas Telford became one of the foremost civil engineers of the 18th and early 19th century. He was responsible for the Menai Suspension Bridge (at its time the longest spanning bridge in the world) and the Caledonian Canal. He built […]
The first ever dissection of an elephant was undertaken by Patrick Blair in 1706. Blair was born around 1680 at Lethendy in Perthshire, the third son of George Blair, a farmer and Euphame. Blair was apprenticed to a surgeon-apothecary from the late 1680s, probably in Coupar Angus. He spent the […]
Located on the memorial in the Grassmarket to the Covenanters executed in Edinburgh is the name of Isabel Allison, a woman of Perth. “ISABEL ALISON was an unmarried woman who lived at Perth, and probably did not exceed twenty-seven years of age. Among her religious acquaintances she maintained a high […]
Patrick Moore of Buxtehude was born in Perth the son of John Moore and Christian Ruthven. He joined the Swedish military services in 1629; he rose up the ranks from adjutant up to general. He joined the Swedish Army at the time of the Thirty Years War which pitched the […]
Born in 1806, Charles Wordsworth was the second son of Christopher Wordsworth (1774-1846) – an English clergyman, educator and writer – and a nephew of the poet William Wordsworth. Charles Wordsworth became prelate in Scotland; was warden of Trinity College, Glenalmond (1847-54); and, consecrated bishop of St. Andrews, Dunkeld and […]
Hugh Cameron (1705?-1817) – miller – invented a machine for scutching flax and travelled across the Highlands (including Gaidhealtachd, Perthshire, Caithness, Ross, Sutherland and Inverness) constructing some eighty mills, including one at Inverar at Glenlyon – almost every lint mill in the Highlands of Scotland. He also designed spinning-wheels and […]