This weekly Scottish history newsletter covers several important events from Scottish history that took place each day from May 10th to 16th, including: - Robert the Bruce's army winning the Battle of Loudon Hill on May 10th, 1307 - John Knox's sermon in Perth helping start the Scottish Reformation on May 11th, 1559 - The first session of the new Scottish Parliament being held on May 12th, 1999 - Mary, Queen of Scots' army losing the Battle of Langside on May 13th, 1568 - The founding of the St Andrews Golf society on May 14th, 1754 (later the Royal & Ancient)

1. Quick
Scottish
History
Issue 12 10 May – 16 May
This week in Scottish history…
10 May 1307 – Robert the Bruce’s army win the Battle of Loudon Hill
11 May 1559 – John Knox sermon in Perth helps start Scottish Reformation
12 May 1999 – first session held of the new Scottish Parliament
13 May 1568 – Mary, Queen of Scots’ army loses the Battle of Langside
14 May 1754 – St Andrews Golf society founded (later the Royal & Ancient)
15 May 1567 – Mary, Queen of Scots marries the Earl of Bothwell
16 May 1990 – announcement of plans to close Ravenscraig steel works
A weekly guide to
Scotland’s past with
@mrmarrhistory
Weekly quiz
In which Scottish castle did US President Dwight
Eisenhower once have a holiday home?
Last week’s answer: Dundee’s Three Js were Jute, Jam and
Journalism, for the city’s main economic trades.
The life of …
Andrew Carnegie
In the early 1900s, Andrew Carnegie was
one of the richest men in the world.
Carnegie was born in Dunfermline in
1835 and his family moved to the USA
when he was still a boy.
In the USA he worked in various jobs,
including as a telegraph messenger boy
on the railroads. During the US civil war
he worked to ensure that railways
remained open.
Carnegie invested in different
companies, including an oil firm and
then in the steel industry. This was
where he made most of his money.
He was at times a controversial figure
and some people criticised him for his
lack of concern for workers’ rights, or
those of trade unions.
Carnegie is best remembered today as a
philanthropist as he gave away his
money. This included setting up libraries
across Scotland and the USA.
He also funded medical and scientific
developments, as well as music venues
such as Carnegie Hall in New York City.,
He died in 1919 and is buried at the
Sleepy Hollow cemetery in New York.
Scottish Suffragettes
The Suffragettes are famously remembered for their often
violent campaigns to win women the right to vote. Scottish
suffragettes were heavily involved in these efforts.
The Women’s Social and Political Union (the Suffragettes’
actual name) was formed in 1903, and an official Scottish
branch started in Glasgow in 1906.
Many Suffragette campaigns were peaceful, involving marches
and the publication of leaflets and other materials. But many
women tired of waiting and took more extreme actions.
One famous example involved an attempt to blow up the
Robert Burns Cottage at Alloway in Ayrshire. Frances Parker
and Ethel Moorhead both cycled from Glasgow with the
intention of planting a bomb but were stopped by a night
watchman and later arrested.
There were other instances too. Attempts were made to burn
down the main grandstand at both Ayr and Perth racecourses.
There was also damage caused to communication systems,
such as cutting telegraph wires or burning post boxes.
There is still a debate about whether such actions helped or
hurt women’s campaign. However in 1918 some women
finally gained the right to vote in UK elections.
To suggest topics get in touch via Twitter: @mrmarrhistory #quickscottishhistory