The North British Society (also known as "The Scots" and "Scots Club") was founded in

Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...

in 1768, the oldest Scottish heritage society outside

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

. North British is an adjective used as an alternative to "Scottish".

History

The Society was established "for the benefit of ourselves and assistance of each other, who may be afflicted with disease or any other casualty or misfortune." Since 1768, the Society has continued to support the Scottish community in Nova Scotia. The Society met regularly at the

Great Pontack (Halifax) The Great Pontack (also known as Great Pontac, Pontack Inn, Pontiac Inn, Pontack Hotel, Pontack House, Pontac Tavern) was a large three-story building, erected by the Hon. John Butler (and run by John Willis ), previous to 1754, at the corner of D ...

. The Society likely commissioned the portrait of Prince Edward by

William J. Weaver William Joseph Weaver (1759-1817) was an artist born in London who came to prominence in North America. He is perhaps most famous for his portrait of Alexander Hamilton which hangs in the United States State Department, and his full-length portrai ...

which now is in

Province House (Nova Scotia) Province House ( gd, Taigh na Roinne) in Halifax is where the Nova Scotia legislative assembly, known officially as the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, has met every year since 1819, making it the longest serving legislative building in Canada. T ...

(1797). The Society raffled the portrait on the eve of the North British Society's local celebration of the

St. Andrew's Day Saint Andrew's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Andrew or Andermas, is the feast day of Andrew the Apostle. It is celebrated on 30 November (according to Gregorian calendar) and on 13 December (according to Julian calendar). Saint Andrew is ...

, when the patriotic sentiment was roused by the stunning news of Admiral Nelson's glorious naval victory over Napoleon in the

Battle of the Nile The Battle of the Nile (also known as the Battle of Aboukir Bay; french: Bataille d'Aboukir) was a major naval battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the Navy of the French Republic at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast off the ...

. The Society public activities include commissioning three works for

Victoria Park, Halifax Victoria Park is an urban park on Spring Garden Road in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, across from the Halifax Public Gardens. The North British Society erected various monuments and statues: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and William Alexander, ...

: the

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

statue (1919), the Sir

Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'', ''Rob Roy (n ...

bust (1932), and the Sir William Alexander cairn (1957).

Work commissioned

File:RobbieBurnsVictoriaParkHalifaxNovaScotia.jpg, Robbie Burns by George A. Lawson (1919) File:WalterScottVictoriaParkHalifaxNovaScotia.jpg, Sir

by Sir

Francis Chantrey Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey (7 April 1781 – 25 November 1841) was an English sculptor. He became the leading portrait sculptor in Regency era Britain, producing busts and statues of many notable figures of the time. Chantrey's most notable w ...

(1932) File:WilliamAlexanderMonumentVictoriaParkHalifaxNovaScotia.jpg, William Alexander Monument, built of stones from his

Menstrie Castle Menstrie Castle is a three-storey manor house in the town of Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, near Stirling, central Scotland. From the early 17th century, it was home to Sir William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling, who was instrumental in founding th ...

(1957) File:Prince Edward By William J Weaver.png,

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, (Edward Augustus; 2 November 1767 – 23 January 1820) was the fourth son and fifth child of King George III. His only legitimate child became Queen Victoria. Prince Edward was created Duke of Kent an ...

Notable members

Political figure

William Annand William Annand (April 10, 1808 – October 12, 1887) was a Nova Scotia publisher and politician. He was a member of the North British Society. Annand was born in Halifax. He was educated in Scotland and returned to Nova Scotia in the 1820 ...

* Sir

William Young (Nova Scotia politician) Sir William Young, (8 September 1799 – 8 May 1887) was a Nova Scotia politician and jurist. Born in Falkirk, the son of John Young and Agnes Renny, Young was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in 1836 as a Reformer (or Libe ...

George Henry Murray George Henry Murray (June 7, 1861 – January 6, 1929) was a Nova Scotia politician who served as the eighth premier of Nova Scotia for 26 years and 188 days, the longest unbroken tenure for a head of government in Canadian history. Early life ...

, longest serving Premier of Nova Scotia *

Charles James MacDonald Charles John MacDonald (April 4, 1841, Halifax, Nova Scotia – October 12, 1903, Halifax, Nova Scotia) was a lawyer and political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented Halifax County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1878 t ...

Doctor

John Halliburton (surgeon) John Halliburton (1725–1808) was a surgeon and a Loyalist who settled in Nova Scotia. He was a member of the North British Society. He is the father of Chief Justice Brenton Halliburton and, in turn, the grandfather of John C. Halliburton (who ...

Duncan Clark (surgeon) Duncan Clark (1759-1808) was a Loyalist who became an influential figure in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Duncan Clarke, first and one of the longest serving head of Royal Naval Hospital Halifax (1795-1803). He served in the 82nd Regiment of Foot a ...

Legal Profession

* Judge

Brenton Halliburton Sir Brenton Halliburton (December 27, 1774 – July 16, 1860) was the eighth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. He was the son of John Halliburton. He married the daughter of Bishop Charles Inglis, Margaret Inglis, in 1799. ...

* Robert Sedgewick (judge) * Chief Justice

Thomas Andrew Lumisden Strange Sir Thomas Andrew Lumisden Strange (30 November 1756 – 16 July 1841) was a chief justice in Nova Scotia, known for waging "judicial war" to free Black Nova Scotian slaves from their owners. From 1789 to 1797, he was the sixth Chief Justice ...

Merchant

John Black (New Brunswick merchant) John Black (c. 1765 – 4 September 1823) was a Scottish merchant and politician in New Brunswick. He represented Northumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1793 to 1795. He was born in Aberdeen and came to Sai ...

Alexander Keith (Canadian politician) Alexander Keith (5 October 1795 – 14 December 1873) was the founder of Alexander Keith's Brewery, a businessman, politician and Freemason. Business After learning the brewing trade from his uncle in Northern England, Keith emigrated to Hal ...

and brewer *

James Fraser (businessman) James Fraser JP ( – 14 October 1822) was a Scottish-born businessman, judge and political figure in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. He represented Northumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1795 to 1818. Ea ...

* John Esson *

Alexander Brymer Alexander Brymer (1745–27 August 1822) was a Scottish-born merchant who was influential in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was a member of the North British Society and a mentor to fellow merchant, William Bowie. He was appointed to the Nova S ...

William Bowie (merchant) William Bowie (1762-1819) was a prominent merchant of Halifax, Nova Scotia who was killed in the last fatal duel on record in Nova Scotia. At age 20, William Bowie arrived in Nova Scotia in 1782 from Stirling, Scotland, the son of Alexander Bowie ...

* William Murdoch (merchant)Image of Murdoch
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Military officer

James J. Bremner James J. Bremner (b. 1832) was a prominent military figure in Nova Scotia. He was active in repelling the Fenian Raids (1866–1871). He later led Halifax Provisional Battalion to the North-West Rebellion (1886). He was also a member of the Nort ...

* Andrew MacDonald (military officer),

Rogart Rogart ( , , meaning "great enclosed field") is a small village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. The village was the home of Major Andrew MacDonald, who fought in the French and Indian War. It was originally a scattered crofting village, u ...

Henry Duncan (Royal Navy officer, born 1735) Henry Duncan (24 November 1735 – 7 October 1814) was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service in the American War of Independence. Duncan was born in Dundee, Scotland to Alexander Duncan, Town Clerk of Dundee, and Isobel Crawford. Career ...

Patrick Leonard MacDougall General Sir Patrick Leonard MacDougall, (10 August 1819 – 28 November 1894) was a British Army officer who became Commander of the British Troops in Canada. Military career MacDougall was born the only son of Lieutenant Colonel Sir Dunca ...

Other

Archibald Gray Reverend Archibald Gray (died 1831) was an influential Presbyterian minister in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He served in the St. Matthew's United Church (Halifax) for 30 years (1795–1826). Gray was a native of Morayshire and a graduate of King's Co ...

Sandford Fleming Sir Sandford Fleming (January 7, 1827 – July 22, 1915) was a Scottish Canadian engineer and inventor. Born and raised in Scotland, he emigrated to colonial Canada at the age of 18. He promoted worldwide standard time zones, a prime meridian, ...

* Alexander Forrester (educationist) * Sir Charles Frederick Fraser *

George Lang (builder) George Lang may refer to: * George C. Lang (1947–2005), United States Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient * George Dunmore Lang (1832–1875), Australian politician * George H. Lang (1874–1958), British Bible teacher and writer * George L ...

Andrew Brown (minister) Andrew Brown (22 August 1763 – 19 February 1834) was Professor of Rhetoric at Edinburgh University and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1813. He was also a historian and author, closely connected to the history of ...

Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

(1804) *

John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll, (6 August 1845 – 2 May 1914), usually better known by the courtesy title Marquess of Lorne, by which he was known between 1847 and 1900, was a British nobleman who wa ...

References

The Scots (North British Society) Annals, North British Society, Halifax, Nova Scotia : with portraits and biographical notes, 1768-1903 (1905)"Discourse delivered before the North-British Society: in Halifax, Nova Scotia, at their anniversary meeting on the 30th of November 1790 (1791)" by Andrew Brown"Annals of the North British Society of Halifax, Nova Scotia: from its foundation in 1768, to its centenary celebration March 26th, 1865 (1868)" "Celebration of Burns' centenary: Halifax, Nova Scotia, 25th Januaay [sic
/nowiki> 1859 (1859)"">ic"> "Celebration of Burns' centenary: Halifax, Nova Scotia, 25th Januaay [sic
/nowiki> 1859 (1859)"Endnotes {{Authority control Culture of Halifax, Nova Scotia 1768 establishments in Nova Scotia Organizations established in 1768 Scottish Canadian