This Day in Scottish History

Welcome back to "This Day in Scottish History." I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we're delving into the life of a remarkable Glaswegian figure who left an indelible mark on the social, cultural, and industrial fabric of Scotland's largest city. On December 9, 1903, the Glasgow East End Industrial Exhibition opened its doors, an event shaped by the energy and vision of one David Fortune. Whil...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History . I’m your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we journey back to December 8, 1972, when Wendy Wood, one of Scotland's most colorful and passionate advocates for independence, began her hunger strike for Scottish Home Rule. Wood’s bold action was yet another chapter in a lifetime of tireless campaigning for Scotland’s self-governance. Born Gwendoline Emily Me...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History! I’m your host, Colin MacDonald, and today we journey back to December 7, 1593, to the Battle of Dryfe Sands, one of the bloodiest clan conflicts in Scottish history. This fierce encounter near Lockerbie saw the Clan Johnstone and Clan Maxwell clash after more than a century of bitter rivalry. It was a day that would leave a lasting mark on the Scottish...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History . I'm your host, Colin MacDonald, and today we journey back to December 6, 1214, a date that marked the coronation of one of Scotland's most impactful monarchs, Alexander II, at Scone. A red-haired king of vision and determination, Alexander’s reign laid foundations that still resonate in Scotland’s history today. Born on August 24, 1198, in Haddington,...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we look back at a key moment in Scotland's social and political history, as the country voted on the question of alcohol prohibition on December 5th, 1920. Though the majority of Scotland rejected the idea of banning alcohol in their communities, about 40 districts voted in favor, marking a significant chapter in...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History . I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we're turning the spotlight on an extraordinary moment in both animal conservation and international relations—an event that took place on December 4, 2011. On this day, two giant pandas, Yang Guang and Tian Tian, arrived in Edinburgh, marking the beginning of a special chapter for Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland, and th...

Today, we turn our attention to a story that is equal parts incredible and tragic—the life and schemes of Gregor MacGregor, a man whose audacity and imagination brought financial ruin and death to hundreds but earned him a place in the annals of history. On December 3, 1845, MacGregor died in Venezuela, far from his Scottish homeland. Yet his legacy as the creator of the fictional Principality of...

Welcome back to "This Day in Scottish History." I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we explore the poignant and fascinating story of Scarp, a once-thriving island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. On this day, December 2nd, 1971, the island’s last resident families departed, leaving behind a landscape steeped in history, resilience, and tales of extraordinary innovation. Scarp, known in Gaelic...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I’m your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we delve into an extraordinary discovery that connects the rugged beauty of the Isle of Skye to a distant, prehistoric world. It was on December 1, 2015, that researchers uncovered a site that would forever change our understanding of Scotland’s ancient past—a massive collection of fossilized dinosaur footprints....

Welcome back to "This Day in Scottish History." I'm your host, Colin MacDonald, and today, we’re turning back the clock to November 30, 1872 , a momentous day in the history of football. On this date, the first-ever official international football match took place between Scotland and England at Hamilton Crescent , Partick, in Glasgow. This groundbreaking encounter, which ended in a 0–0 draw , is...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History ! I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we’re exploring a fiery and contentious moment from Scotland’s post-war past. On November 29, 1952, a humble post box in Edinburgh’s Inch district became the epicenter of a constitutional debate, an act of vandalism, and ultimately, an enduring legacy of Scotland’s distinct identity within the United Kingdom. Thi...

Welcome back to "This Day in Scottish History." I’m your host, Colin MacDonald, and today, we delve into the grand opening of a Glasgow landmark that has stood the test of time, evolving and thriving through the decades. On this day in 1867, Baylis’s Royal Colosseum Theatre and Opera House first opened its doors, becoming a cornerstone of Glasgow’s vibrant cultural scene. Over time, this magnifice...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we journey back to November 27, 1882, to examine one of the most tragic and impactful events in Scotland's railway history: the Inverythan rail accident. This disaster, which occurred on the Great North of Scotland Railway line between Auchterless and Fyvie in Aberdeenshire, serves as a grim reminder of the vulner...

Welcome to "This Day in Scottish History." I’m your host, Colin MacDonald, and today we’re delving into a pivotal moment in the world of craft brewing. On November 26, 2009, BrewDog, a then-upstart Scottish brewery based in Fraserburgh, launched a beer that would go on to redefine the possibilities of brewing: Tactical Nuclear Penguin. This wasn’t just a beer—it was a declaration of intent from a...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History . I’m your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we delve into a story that combines the worlds of sport and sacrifice—an extraordinary moment in history when the players of Heart of Midlothian Football Club, or Hearts, set aside their boots and took up arms. On this day, November 25, 1914, sixteen players enlisted en masse to serve in World War I. Their decisi...

Welcome back to "This Day in Scottish History." I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we delve into one of the most notorious events in Scotland’s medieval history: the chilling Black Dinner of November 24, 1440. A tale of betrayal, political ambition, and murder that has left a dark stain on the annals of Scotland’s past. In the tumultuous year of 1440, Scotland was still reeling from the assass...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History . I’m your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we’re traveling back to November 23, 1987, when Scotland welcomed the golden arches for the very first time. This day marked the opening of the first McDonald’s restaurant in the country, right in the heart of Dundee on Reform Street. The arrival of McDonald’s in Scotland wasn’t just about introducing fast food;...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History ! I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we turn our attention to a dramatic chapter in Scotland’s past: the siege of Broughty Castle on November 22, 1547, during the War of the Rough Wooing. Broughty Castle, located on the banks of the River Tay in Dundee, was a critical stronghold. Built around 1495 by Andrew, 2nd Lord Gray, it guarded the river’s mou...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History . I’m your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we reflect on the remarkable life of Alfred Anderson, a man whose story bridges generations and reminds us of humanity’s enduring hope for peace, even in the depths of war. On this day, November 21, 2005, Scotland’s oldest man and the last known survivor of the 1914 Christmas Truce, Alfred Anderson, passed away a...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History . I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we revisit a defining moment of resistance during the contentious passage of the Treaty of Union. On November 20, 1706, in Dumfries, a copy of the treaty was publicly burned—a fiery symbol of protest against the union of Scotland and England. The Treaty of Union, signed in 1706, outlined the terms that would merg...

Welcome back to "This Day in Scottish History." I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we turn our focus to a pivotal figure in British history, born on this day, November 19, 1600, in the grandeur of Dunfermline Palace in Fife—Charles Stuart, the future King Charles I. His life, reign, and downfall would cast a long shadow over Scotland, England, and Ireland. Born as the second son of King James...

Welcome to "This Day in Scottish History." I’m your host, Colin MacDonald, and today, we journey back to an event that shaped not only Scotland but the broader movement for women’s equality in education. It’s November 18, 1870, and the Surgeons’ Hall Riot is about to take place. This dramatic moment in Edinburgh was a turning point in the fight for women to study and practice medicine—a struggle l...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History . I’m your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we delve into a defining moment in Scotland’s past. On November 17, 1292, the fate of the Scottish throne was decided in a landmark ruling by a panel of auditors led by Edward I of England. Their decision declared John Balliol the rightful King of Scots, ending years of uncertainty but setting the stage for turmo...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I’m your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we delve into the tale of an outlaw whose life ended on this day, November 16, in the year 1700. The story of James Macpherson, or Jamie Macpherson as he is often remembered, is one of defiance, music, and legend—a tale immortalized in song and folklore. Macpherson was born around 1675, the illegitimate son of a H...

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History . I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we're stepping back to the night of November 15, 1824, when one of the most destructive events in Edinburgh’s history—the Great Fire of Edinburgh—erupted. Over the next five days, flames ravaged the heart of the city, destroying hundreds of homes, businesses, and historic landmarks. This catastrophic fire not onl...