Scottish Blog

1772-1850

Robert Stevenson was a famous Scottish civil engineer, most famous for his work on the Bell Rock Lighthouse.

In the present day, Robert Stevenson s best known for his efforts in erecting the Bell Rock Lighthouse, which many consider a true symbol of Scottish engineering and certainly a national heirloom.

Robert Stevenson was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on the 8th of June 1772. His father died when Robert Stevenson was an infant, as did his uncle. This left the remnants of the family in a poor financial situation, as a result Robert Stevenson was sent to a charity for his studies. His mother intended for Robert Stevenson to study theology and join the clergy, but whether because of lack of interest or as a matter of circumstance, Robert Stevenson left his studies after 15 years and joined his mother’s new husband, Thomas Smith, as his assistant in the field of lamp making. This lead Robert Stevenson down his future career path of engineering, as it was said that Thomas Smith was a very talented mechanic and engineer.

At the age of 19, Robert Stevenson was entrusted with overseeing the construction of a lighthouse on Little Cumbrae. It was said that after this project, Robert Stevenson became devoted to the idea of becoming a civil engineer. He attended many lecturers on relevant subjects but his lack of skill in Latin and no knowledge of Greek prevented him from attaining a degree.

Robert Stevenson’s lack of degree was outweighed by his experience and knowledge. AS a testament to this, Robert Stevenson was appointed as an engineer of the Lighthouse Board. This led him to his most important project, the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse. He stayed on the Lighthouse Board position until 1843. He is credited with designing and improving numerous lighthouses in that time period.

His main attributions consist of fifteen lighthouses, five bridges and one commemorative Column. These are the:

• Bell Rock Lighthouse
• Isle of May
• Corsewall
• Point of Ayre
• Calf of Man
• Sumburgh Head
• Rinns of Islay
• Buchan Ness
• Cape Wrath
• Tarbat Ness
• Mull of Galloway
• Dunnet Head
• Girdle Ness
• Barra Head
• Lismore
• Annan Bridge
• Hutcheson Bridge
• Marykirk Bridge
• The Melville Column
• Regent Bridge
• Stirling New Bridge

See also: Famous Scots.

The Bell Rock Lighthouse is the oldest sea based lighthouse in the world.

Located near the coast of Angus, near Dundee and Fife, in Scotland, Bell Rock was one of the most dangerous and least visible reefs at the time. It was because of this reef and its danger to mariners that he Bell Rock Lighthouse was erected.

The Bell Rock Lighthouse stands at 36 meters in height. Although the base and surrounding rock of the Bell Rock Lighthouse is submerged at high tide, leaving the total elevation of the lighthouse at 28 meters in height. The light is currently intended to be seen in an eighteen mile radius of the lighthouse. It is said that in the 14th century Bell Rock was adorned with a bell which was operated by the motion of the sea and wind. This bell was later cut down by a pirate, tales tell of his later death after his ship succumbed to the reef.

Construction on the Bell Rock Lighthouse began in 1807. It was carried out by Robert Stevenson and a crew of construction workers. Much of the initial work on the Bell rock Lighthouse consisted of excavating the rock at the site and preparing the foundations. A raised chamber was later constructed for the workers. The tower was completed and officially finished in 1811. The light source at this time consisted of a number of silver lined parabolas with a candle at its focal point. It was said that this was one of the most powerful lights of its time. Later, this system was replaced by paraffin lamps and finally it was switched to electric lights in the 1960s.

Danny Bhoy is an internationally acclaimed Scottish comedian.

Scotland has had a long line of talented international entertainers representing themselves and Scotland across the world. Danny Bhoy is one of the most recent and highly celebrated amongst these, being preceded by talented individuals like Billy Connolly and Harry Lauder. Although not specifically attempting to promote it, entertainers like Danny Bhoy are great ambassadors of Scottish heritage, to the world.
Danny Bhoy was born in 1976, in Moffat, Scotland and was educated at the local Merchiston Castle School.

The career of Danny Bhoy as a comedian began in 1998 after he attended the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and saw a comedy performance. He spent three years performing in various bars and small performance venues, leading to his debut appearance in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2001.

His solo performance in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Danny Bhoy impressed the crowd and critics so much that within days of his first performance all the tickets for the next three weeks worth of performances were sold out. One critic even described him as “the young Scot is simply the hottest ticket in town.”

In following years the popularity of Danny Bhoy continued to grow as he began touring outside of the United Kingdom. Some of his most notable appearance includes a performance at the Melbourne Comedy Festival and appearances on various Australian television shows. His third appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was held in a four hundred seat venue and was sold out at each performance. It was the highest earning act of the festival.

See also: Famous Scots.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest art festival.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is most commonly referred to as “Edinburgh Fringe” or plainly as “The Fringe”. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe first appeared in 1947, although it was not in its current official capacity. During the Edinburgh International Festival eight uninvited festival acts appeared in Edinburgh, it is said that the performed on the fringes of the existing festival and benefiting from the gathered crowds and revelers. After their success, these performers along with others, decided to make an appearance the following years. In the second year, a reviewer for the Edinburgh International Festival claimed that the surrounding fringe festival was even more entertaining. In 1951 students provided places to sleep and eat for the fringe performers, creating the first facilities for them. In 1959 an organization was formed to cater for the fringe festival performers and organize events. This was the earliest establishment of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. By 1971, the organization was employing administrators for the festival.

To this day the origins of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe are felt, as it is still a fringe of the main Edinburgh Festival. Although now it is an equal part of the overall festival, as opposed to a smaller “fringe” aspect. It is also now accompanied by a number of other festivals occurring at the same time, like the International Film festival and the International Jazz Festival.

Along with being one of the most popular arts festival in the world, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is also one of the most technologically advanced. It was the first festival of its kind to implement a real-time online ticket ordering system, podcasts and a text rating system which allowed spectators to rate show from their mobile.

- Organizers of a duathlon in Scotland have taken out a one-million-pound (1.46 million Euro, 1.97 million, US dollar) insurance policy against attack by or sighting of the fabled Loch Ness monster...

- Alcoholic "shooters" and "slammers" are set to be banned under industry plans to crack down on Scotland's growing binge drinking crisis. The cheap tots of alcohol designed to be downed quickly in a round are becoming increasingly popular. Bars often discount them to around £1 a shot to entice young drinkers into the premises...

- A court ruling banning a warning message on phone calls from prisoners has been overturned by appeal judges in Scotland...

Harry Lauder was a well known and renowned Scottish entertainer.

During his lifetime, Harry lauder was a shinning bastion and symbol of patriotism and Scottish pride. Sir Winston Churchill at one point pronounced Harry Lauder to be “Scotland’s Greatest ever ambassador!”

Harry Lauder was born in the Edinburgh region of Portobello Beach, on the 4th of August 1870. He was the son of John Currie Lauder, a descendant of the Lauder family of Bass Rock, and his mother Isabella Urquhart MacLeod McLennan.

Although his father died in 1882 and Harry Lauder was left with his mother and six siblings, he continued his schooling until the age of sixteen. This in itself was unusual at the time, but the situation of Harry Lauder was made even more so by the fact that he took a job at a local flax mill, so as to be able to support his family while he was in school.

After leaving school Harry lauder made his fame as a performer and a stage comedian. Throughout his forty year career Harry Lauder toured the United States, Australia and various locations. In total, tours of outside the United Kingdom numbered over 22. Throughout his United Kingdom tours Harry Lauder acted as a strong patriot and put on a number of concerts as recruiting efforts for England in World War I. For his efforts he was knighted in the January of 1919 by King George V. At the time it was also believed that Harry lauder was the world’s highest paid performer, earning close to thirteen thousand pounds for a single night’s performance.

See also: Famous Scots.

The Kelvin Grove Art Gallery is Scotland’s most visited tourist attraction.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery, besides being Scotland’s premier tourist attraction is also the greatest art gallery in the United Kingdom outside of London and definitely the most visited. Along with being an Art gallery, Kelvingrove Art gallery is also a museum, housing a number of Scottish historic items, including amour and jewelry.

The Kelvingrove art gallery is located in Glasgow, Scotland. It sits between Argyle Street, Kelvingrove Park, near the banks of the River Kelvin and underneath the Glasgow university campus on Gilmore hill, in the western side of Glasgow city.

The Kelvingrove Art gallery building was designed by Sir John W. Simpson and E.J. Milner Allen. Its design resembles that of the Spanish baroque style, although with a twist of incorporating the Glasgow tradition of using red sandstones as its material. As part of the design parameter of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, it was built as a main exhibition building for an art exhibition taking place in nearby Kelvingrove Park. As the most impressive front of the building would need to be facing the exhibition, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery is said to look like it was constructed “back to front”. In fact, the majority of visitors to the building actually enter through the more impressive rear entrance, without realizing it.

The art exhibition for which the Kelvingrove Art gallery was opened took place in 1901, the same year as the opening of the building. The original building designs were partially paid for by the previous one of these exhibitions in 1888.

The Act of Security was an act passed by the Scottish parliament in an attempt to secure a Protestant successor to their crown.

The full title of the Act of Security is Act for the Security of the Kingdom. It was passed through the Scottish parliament in 1704. As the name might suggest, the Act of Security was devised so as to protect Scotland. In this case, the Act of Security was devised as protection, by making sure that the Scotland’s next monarch was a protestant of Scottish decent.

The origin of the Act of Security came from the death of the last heir of Queen Anne, in 1700. Leaving no viable successor to the throne, both the Scottish and English parliament was in need of security in a future protestant monarch. The English parliament chose Sophia of Hanover as their next monarch, although this decision was done with no consultation or consideration for the Scottish parliament. As an act of retaliation the Scottish parliament, the Act of Security was created which mandated that if Queen Anne were to die without providing another royal heir than the Scottish parliament would appoint a protestant with decent from previous Scotttish Kings as the ward for the three Scottish estates of the Parliament.

Until 1704 the Security Act was opposed by the Lord High Commissioner to the Scottish Parliament. This changed when the Scottish parliament refused several requests of the High Commissioner, including a raise in taxes and also threatened to withdraw some military forces from the War of Spanish succession.

Three years after the passing of the Act of Security the issue was made null by the newly formed and passed Act of Union between Scotland and England. Although in essence it was unnecessary, the newly created Parliament of Great Britain passed a further act which nullified the Act of Security.

Edinburgh Castle is a main fortress of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Castle is located atop of Castle Rock in Edinburgh. The location is a basalt plug of an extinct volcano and it stands almost 122 meters above sea level. The height and angle of this basalt plug made the modern day Edinburgh Castle location an ideal place for fortifications and military presence. It is believed that this was one of the contributing factors to the origin of the city of Edinburgh. Archaeological digs have shown definite evidence of settlement on the Edinburgh Castle site as early as the first century AD, while other records point to occupation in much earlier periods.

Edinburgh Castle is currently the second most visited tourist attraction in all of Scotland. Making it, for many, their strongest reminder of their visit. With imposing height and dominance of the Edinburgh city skyline, it is easy to say that to many the Edinburgh Castle is a very prominent symbol of Scotland.

The earliest reliable mention of the Edinburgh Castle is in 600AD in the writings of Ptolemy, who mentions the warriors of Gadoddin dining at the site before going to battle in the modern day Yorkshire area.

By the 11th century there can be no doubt that there are records directly referring to an early incarnation of the modern day Edinburgh castle. Although from this early build of the Edinburgh Castle only St Margaret’s church remains.

The site of the Edinburgh Castle plays host to the great Scottish event, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Johnnie Walker is the world’s most distributed brand of Scotch whiskey.

Undoubtedly to many, Johnnie Walker and its “striding man” logo is as recognizable a symbol of Scotland as that found on their own Scottish heirloom jewelry. And just like a Scottish Clan history, the origins of modern day Johnnie Walker points of pride to those close to them.

Johnnie Walker was originally created by a grocer in Ayrshire, Scotland by the name of John ‘Johnnie’ Walker in 1820. The product became popular with the locals and became and well known brand. Shortly after its inception as a product in the store, the Scotch whisky made by Johnnie Walker (at the time known as Walker's Kilmarnock Whisky) made up an average figure of 8% of his annual sales. In 1857, John Walker passed away, but his store and whisky making techniques were passed onto his son Alexander Walker.

Alexander Walker made expansions to the line of Whiskeys which would come to be known under the Johnnie Walker brand name. The most notable change to the line of whiskies sold came with an amendment to the law which prohibited the sale of blended whiskies. In 1865, Alexander Walker began production of a blended whisky, under the name of Walker’s Old Highland. Unlike this blend, there was another change, the effects of which can be seen to this day. Alexander Walker introduced the distinctive Johnnie Walker square bottle and its 24 degree slanted label.

Johnnie Walker officially came to be known by that name in 1908, after the business passed from the sons of Alexander Walker to James Stevenson (as managing director of the company). By this point the Johnnie Walker brand of whiskies had already taken on its current naming method (different blends are labeled by different colors). There are currently six different blends of Johnnie Walker in production, with only one variant being different than the original lineup, as Johnnie Walker White was discontinued in World War I and was replaced by Johnny Walker Swing in 1932. To this day Johnnie Walker is blended in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock.

Portencross Castle is a castle, located on the West Coast of Scotland. It was also the last mainland resting place for many Scottish kings before burial in Iona.

Portencross Castle stands three kilometres to the west of the village of West Kilbride in the North Ayrshire region. The site has been fortified since the 13th century. The castle was originally built as a fortified position on Auld Hill, within the vicinity of its current location. It was rebuilt sometime in the 14th century on it s current location. It was at this point that the castle was used to house the remains of Scottish kings before they were transported to the Island of Iona for their royal burial. It is believed that the first Scottish king to be handled in this manner was Cinaed Mac Alpin, this custom lasted until its last Scottish king, Máel Coluim mac Donnchada.

The site at which the current Portencross Castle stands originally belonged to the Ross family, it was confiscated by Robert the Bruce and rewarded to the Boyd family in 1315.

Once the Portencross Castle was built it was used a number of times by the Scottish monarchs, especially Robert II and Robert III. It is known for a fact that these two monarchs signed a number of their first Royal Charters at the Castle. This also led a number of researchers to believe that Portencross Castle was utilised as a retreat or even a residence by the Kings of Scotland. Because of this, Portencross Castle is currently an A Graded historic site.

In its current condition Portencross Castle consists of complete walls with no major damage. Although it does not have a roof, as it was blown off in a strong storm in 1793.

Scone Palace is a historic Scottish building, it is also considered a prime example of the Georgian Gothic style of architecture.

The Scone Palace (pronounced skoon) was originally constructed in 1808 for use by the Earls of Mansfield, who primarily consist of Clan Murray members. It stands in the Scone area, near the Scottish town of Perth. The site of the Scone Palace sits near the River Tay and has views of the Grampian Mountains.

The site of the Scone Palace was originally used as a gathering pace for the Pictish people, it was also believed to be a site of an early Christian, most likely of the Augustinian denomination. At the time the site went by the name of Caislean Credi, 'Hill of Credulity'. Until 1559, this church was one of the biggest churches in Scotland. In the current day the exact site is marked and known as Moot Hill.

Besides Moot Hill, Scone was known for another important aspect of Scottish history, the Stone of Scone. For a more in depth look at the stone you should follow the link. As a brief explanation though, the Stone of Scone was the site at which man Scottish kings were crowned.