On this day in 1954 the writer Iain Banks was born in Dunfermline, Fife.
His first novel, The Wasp Factory, established him as one of the most distinctive voices in Scottish literature. His 1996 novel, The Crow Road, spawned a very successful television adaptation. Banks is also a highly regarded science fiction writer under the name Iain M. Banks. _________________ FOA BOB -
19 February 1972 saw the death of John Grierson, the film director and producer.
He was a pioneer of documentary film making, and founder of the British documentary film movement. In 1926, he is credited with being the first person to use the word "documentary", in an article he wrote about Robert Flaherty's film, Moana, adapting it from the French word, "documentaire", which was used to describe travelogues.
In 1928, he founded the Empire Marketing Board, the first British film company devoted to documentaries. In 1933, he began working for the GPO's film unit, during which time he produced two of British cinema's most famous documentary films, Song of Ceylon and Night Mail.
In 1939, he left Britain for Canada, setting up the National Film Board of Canada. Grierson later produced the Oscar winning film Seawards the Great Ships. _________________ FOA BOB -
King James I was murdered in Perth, by a group led by Sir Robert Graham, today in 1437.
Had it not been for his love of tennis James would have escaped his assassins. Fleeing his killers, he hid in the drain under his tennis court, however this offered no means of escape for the monarch, as he had only recently ordered it to be blocked after losing balls in it.
Sorry I was having a wee nap _________________ FOA BOB -
On this day in 1945 Eric Liddell, winner of the 400 metres at the 1924 Olympics, died.
Liddell was born to missionary parents in China and became a noted sportsman while studying at Edinburgh University. He was not only a top sprinter but a noted rugby player as well, representing Scotland on seven occasions. Liddell is most well known for his refusal to run in the heats of the 100 metres, his favoured distance, at the Paris Olympics, as they were being held on a Sunday, then going on to win in the 400 metres. After his retiral from athletics Liddell returned to the Far East as a missionary and died in a Japanese internment camp in China. _________________ FOA BOB -
On February 24 1923, the world famous steam train, the Flying Scotsman, went into service with LNER.
It was the first train to run non-stop between London and Edinburgh, and also the first steam train to reach the speed of 100mph. _________________ FOA BOB -
On this date in 1888 a conference advocated the adoption of leaving certificates in Scottish schools.
The conference was held in Edinburgh and attended by officials of the Scottish Education Dept and Secondary School Rectors, although representatives of universities declined the invitation to attend. The first Leaving Certificate exam was sat by pupils on Monday 18 June 1888 and the certificate remained a fixture of Scottish education until 1962. _________________ FOA BOB -
Today in 1935, Robert Watson-Watt demonstrated radar for the first time.
Watson-Watt was first approached by the Air Ministry regarding the possibility of building a "death ray". The chain of radar stations subsequently built along the coast of England, known as Chain Home, were to go on to play an important part in winning the Battle of Britain. _________________ FOA BOB -
On this day in 1735, John Arbuthnot, Scottish mathematician, physicist and author died.
He was a close friend of Johnathan Swift and Alexander Pope. His work, History of John Bull, popularised Bull as the proto-typical Englishman, although he probably did not invent the character. Arbuthnot was also co-founder, along with Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, John Gay and Thomas Parnell, of the satirical Scriblerus Club, founded "to ridicule false learning and bad teaching". _________________ FOA BOB -
Today in 1638, the Second Covenant was signed in Greyfriars Churchyard.
The Covenant was signed and inaugurated by Scottish Protestant churchmen in Edinburgh. The document was a direct response to Charles I's attempts to introduce a Book of Common Prayer across the whole of Britain, as presbyterians were incensed that the General Assembly had not been consulted. Copies of the document were sent to churches around the country and soon over 300,000 Scots had signed the Covenant. _________________ FOA BOB -
On March 2 1316, Robert II, the first monarch of the House of Stewart, was born at Renfrew.
He was the son of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert the Bruce, and Walter, High Steward of Scotland. Robert acted as regent three times during the reign of his uncle, David II, and acceded to the throne in 1371. He died in 1390 and was succeeded by his son Robert III. _________________ FOA BOB -
On 3 March 1792, Robert Adam, the Scottish architect, furniture and interior designer, died.
Born in Kirkcaldy, Adam is regarded as one of Europe's great architects. Inspired by the Roman ruins he had studied whilst on a tour of France and Italy, Adam became one of the leading lights of the neo-classical movement. One of his many masterworks is Culzean Castle in Ayrshire.
The 3 March 1847 saw the birth of Alexander Graham Bell in Edinburgh. As well as inventing the telephone, Bell was passionate in his work with the deaf, setting up the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf. He was also keen to spread knowledge of geography to the masses and became president of the National Geographic Society. _________________ FOA BOB -
Today in 1756, the artist Sir Henry Raeburn was born in Edinburgh.
Raeburn painted many notables, including Sir Walter Scott and David Hume, but he is most well-known today for his portrait of The Reverend Robert Walker skating, painted in 1784, which hangs in the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh. _________________ FOA BOB -
On this day in 1790, Flora MacDonald, the Jacobite heroine, died.
Flora is famous for helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from Scotland after the defeat at the Battle of Culloden, disguising him as her maid, Betty Burke. She died in Kingsburgh, Skye, in the same bed in which Bonnie Prince Charlie had slept during his escape. Her funeral was said to have been attended by over three thouasnd mourners, and three hundred gallons of whisky were drunk at it. _________________ FOA BOB -
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