August

Events in Scottish History

1st August 1545: Andrew Melville born Baldovie. Scholar, theologian and religious reformer, his reputation brought scholars from the Europe to study at Glasgow and St Andrews.

1st August 1714: Death of Queen Anne; George I, Elector of Hanover becomes King.

1st August 1747: Act of Proscription of Tartan that followed the 1745 Rising.

2nd August 1747: Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, who had taken part in the Massacre of Glencoe, died in poverty in Bruges.

2nd August 1922: Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, died in Nova Scotia.

3rd August 1460: James II killed by an exploding cannon at the siege of Roxburgh Castle.

3rd August 1573: Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange executed, after defending Edinburgh Castle on behalf of Mary Queen of Scots from May 1568 to May 1573.

4th August 1900: Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the future Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, born.

4th August 1914: Britain declared war on Germany. His Majesty’s Government informed the German Government on August 4th, 1914, that, unless a satisfactory reply to the request of His Majesty’s Government for an assurance that Germany would respect the neutrality of Belgium was received by midnight of that day, His Majesty’s Government would feel bound to take all steps in their power to uphold that neutrality and the observance of a treaty to which Germany was as much a party as Great Britain. The result of this communication having been that His Majesty’s Ambassador at Berlin had to ask for his passports, His Majesty’s Government have accordingly formally notified the German Government that a state of war exists between the two countries, as from 11 p.m. to-day. The First World War had begun on 28th July 1914 with Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war with Serbia.

5th August 1305: Sir William Wallace betrayed and handed over to the English.

5th August 1388: Battle of Otterburn in which Scots defeat Henry Percy, (Hotspur) but James, Earl Douglas, died out of sight of his army. “A dead man won the field”. Sir John Sinclair, Sir Walter Sinclair and Sir James Lindsay took up the dying Douglas’s banner and went back into the battle crying “Douglas”.
Tom Steel, Scotland’s Story ISBN 0006370039 p 57
(English sources say the battle was on 19th August: John Sadler, Border Fury, England and Scotland at War 1296-1568 ISBN 1405840226 p 275.

6th August 1881: Sir Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin, born.

7th August 1548: The young Mary Queen of Scots sailed from Dumbarton Castle to Roscoff, France, following the Treaty of Haddington, which betrothed her to Francis, the Dauphin of France.

8th August 1503: James IV married Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England. The marriage was known as the Union of the Thistle and the Rose.

9th August 1747: Thomas Telford, the civil engineer born in Westerkirk, near Dumfries

10th August 1747: James III crowned at Kelso Abbey.

11th August 1306: Battle of Dalry. Robert the Bruce defeated by John MacDougall of Lorne, kinsman of John Comyn.

11th August 1862: General Sir David Y Henderson, the first Officer Commanding (OC) the Royal Flying Corps, born in Glasgow.

11th August 1892: Hugh MacDiarmid (Christopher Murray Grieve) born in Langholm in Dumfriesshire.

12th August 1332: Battle of Dupplin Moor near Perth in which Edward Balliol defeated the Regent, Earl of Mar.

12th August 1990: Roy Williamson, Scottish folk musician and songwriter, died. A founder member of the folk group, “The Corries”, for whom he wrote the song which has since become Scotland’s unofficial National Anthem, “Flower of Scotland”. The Corries

13th August 1888: John Logie Baird, inventor of the first television, born in Helensburgh.

13th August 1907: Sir Basil Spence, architect of Edinburgh University Library, born.

14th August 1863: Sir Colin Campbell died. Born Colin MacIver, he adopted the surname of his uncle who sponsored his military education. At the Battle of Balaclava in 1854 as Commander of the Highland Brigade of the 1st Division he lead the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders as the “Thin Red Line” repulsing the Russian Cavalry. He sought and obtained permission to wear the Highland Bonnet instead of the Cocked Hat that went with his appointment.

15th August 1057: Macbeth killed in battle with Malcolm Canmore at Lumphanan.

15th August 1645: The Battle of Kilsyth. James Graham, the Marquis of Montrose, defeated General Baillie’s Covenanter Army at Colzium, Kilsyth.

15th August 1771: Sir Walter Scott born to a Walter Scott , a Writer to the Signet, and Anne (née Rutherford).

15th August 1822: George IV arrived at Leith on board “The Royal George” at the start of his visit to Edinburgh. His visit to Scotland was organised by Sir Walter Scott, and led to a revival of interest in Scotland.

15th August 1916: Wing Commander Gordon Sinclair, who commander “A” Flight No 310 Squadron, the first Czech Unit formed in the UK, during the Battle of Britain, born. He died in 2005.

15th August 1945: VJ Day. Victory over Japan. 2025 marks the 80th Anniversary,

16th August 1445: Margaret Stewart, daughter of James I and Lady Joan Beaufort, died in Châlons. She had married Louis XI son of Charles VII and Maria d’Anjou on 24 June 1436 in Tours Cathedral.

16th August 1766: Carolina Oliphant, Baroness Nairne, born. Writing as Mrs Bogan of Bogan she adapted Scottish airs, many with Jacobite themes, and amongst her most popular are “Charlie is my darling” and “Will ye no come back again?”.

17th August 1424: Battle of Verneuil sur Avre during the Hundred Years War. French and Scottish forces were defeated by the English with losses of around 9,000 and John Stewart, Earl of Buchan and Sir Archibald Douglas were killed along with many French nobles. In France this is considered by some as important as Agincourt. Les Valois directs Multimap.com Verneuil sur Avre

17th August 1560: The Scottish Parliament ratifies the 25 Articles of the Scots Confession, leading the way to the Scottish Reformation. 2010 was the 450th Anniversary.

17th August 1876: James Eric Drummond, 7th Earl of Perth, born. He was a diplomat and the first General Secretary of the League of Nations.

17th August 2010: Bill Millin, piper to Lord Lovat at D Day, died, aged 88.

17th August 1746: Arthur Elphinstone, Lord Balmerino, was beheaded at Tower Hill for his part in the ’45 Rising. On the scaffold he said “I am afraid there are some who may think my behaviour bold;” and, speaking to a gentleman near him, added, “Remember, sir, what I tell you; it arises from a confidence in God, and a clear conscience.”.

18th August 1846: Elsie Inglis, Scottish Suffragette, born

19th August 1560: James Crichton “The Admirable Crichton”, scholar, soldier and adventurer, born.

19th August 1646: Alexander Henderson, Presbyterian theologian, died. He was instrumental in establishing Presbyterianism as the Church of Scotland and the adoption of the National Covenant.

19th August 1745: Prince Charles Edward Stuart “The Young Pretender” raised his Standard at Glenfinnan at the start of the ’45 Rising.

19th August 1808: James Nasmyth, engineer and inventor and builder of the first steam hammer, born.

20th August 1560: Mary Queen of Scots lands at Leith.

21st August 1689: Battle of Dunkeld. The Jacobite Highlanders victory at Killiecrankie was shortlived as they were defeated by the newly formed Cameronians at Dunkeld.

21st August 1754: William Murdoch (aka Murdock), inventor of coal-gas lighting, born at New Cumnock, Ayr.

21st August 1930: Princess Margaret, daughter of the future George VI and Queen Elizabeth, born at Glamis Castle.

22nd August 1138: The Battle of the Standard was fought near Northallerton, Yorkshire. The battle was fought as part of David I’s support for Matilda, a claimant of the English throne.

22nd August 1642: Charles I raised his Standard at Nottingham at the start of the Civil War.

23rd August 1305: The execution of Sir William Wallace, hanged, drawn and quartered at Smithfield, London. The site is marked by a memorial on the wall of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, West Smithfield.

23rd August 1582: The Ruthven Raid. James VI was abducted by dissident nobles including the Earls of Gowrie, Mar and Glencairn who wished to remove the king and government from the influence of theDuke of Lennox and James Stuart, the Earl of Arran, by imprisoning him in Ruthven Castle.
A Short History of Scotland, by Andrew Lang on Undiscovered Scotland: XXII: Reign of James VI

24th August 1198: Alexander II born in Haddington, Lothian.

24th August 1482: Berwick-upon-Tweed was officially declared part of England after changing hands on numerous occasions in the past. It
received special mention in government documents along with England and Scotland. In 1856 Britain signed a peace treaty with
Russia after the Crimean War but Berwick-on-Tweed was omitted. The town was technically at war with Russia for the next 113
years until peace was declared in 1966.

24th August 1560: The Scottish Parliament passed a law establishing the Scottish Reformation and the Church of Scotland, presbyterian in government. 2010 was the 450th Anniversary.

24th August 1682: John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale, Scottish politician, died. He was Charles II’s deputy in Scotland.

24th August 1947: First Edinburgh International Festival.

25th August 1330: Battle of Teba This is the origin of the real “Braveheart” story. When Robert the Bruce died in 1329 his heart was removed and embalmed. According to many accounts, starting with 14th Century John Barbour’s “The Bruce”, and including that of the Lockhart family, whose name derives from the subsequent adventure, as The Bruce requested, his heart was to be taken to Jerusalem by Sir James Douglas, known as “The Black Douglas” , accompanied by Sir William St Clair of Roslin, Sir Robert and Sir Walter Logan, Sir William Keith, Sir Alan Cathcart and Sir Symon Loccard of Lee, and one other knight unnamed. A monument in Teba reads “Sir James Douglas most loyal comrade in arms of Robert the Bruce King of Scots while on his way to present the Heart of Bruce at the church of the Most Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem the good Sir James turned aside to support King Alfonso XI capture the strategic Castle of the Stars Teba & was slain in battle August 25 1330“

25th August 1819: James Watt, developer of the steam engine, died.“

25th August 1930: The actor, Sir Sean Connery, was born in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh.

25th August 1942: The Duke of Kent and all but the rear gunner Flt/Sgt Andrew Jack were killed when his Sunderland Flying Boat W4026 crashed into the Eagle’s Rock, near Berriedale, Caithness.

25th August 1612: 300 Scottish Mercenaries, in 3 companies of 100 each led by acting Lieutenant Colonel (substantive Captain) Alexander Ramsay were ambushed and defeated by Norwegian Militia at Kringen. For a long time the Norwegian’s believed one of the company commanders from Caithness, George Sinclair, killed there, had been the leader and the battle has long been associated with Sinclair. Of the 134 who survived the battle, only 18 were taken to Oslo, and 4 officers sent to Copenhagen, 4 repatriated, and 1 junior officer was later sent home. Initial Norwegian reports said there were 550 Scots and 450 Norwegians present. By the 19th century the Scots number had inflated to 900. 2012 marked the 400th Anniversary.

26th August 1875: John Buchan, novelist and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada born.

27th August 1472: Pope Sixtus IV’s Bull erected the See of St. Andrews into an archbishopric, and its cathedral into the metropolitan church for the whole of Scotland.

27th August 1748: James Thomson, Poet and author of “Rule Britannia” died.

27th August 1784: James Tytler made the first hot air balloon flight in Britain, ascending some 300 feet from Comely Garden and landing in Restalrig Road.

28th August 1296: Edward I of England held a “parliament” at Berwick and required all prominent Scots to swear allegiance to him. Their names were recorded in the “Ragman Roll”, so called, it is believed, from the tangle of seals attached thereto. (There was an earlier “Ragman Roll” in 1291.)

28th August 1640: The Battle of Newburn on Tyne. An experienced Scots Army under Alexander Leslie, the Earl of Leven defeated a smaller and less experienced English force, during the Second Bishops’ War, as a result of Charles I’s attempt to impose the Anglican Prayer Book in Scotland.

29th August 1797: 12 demonstrators against Militia recruitment are killed by the Cinque Ports Dragoons at Tranent. .

29th August 1930: The last 36 inhabitants leave St Kilda.

30th August 1856: Sir John Ross, Scots Arctic Explorer died.

31st August 1805: Dr James Currie, biographer of Robert Burns, died.