Events from the year 1749 in Scotland.

Incumbents

Law officers

* Lord Advocate – William Grant of Prestongrange * Solicitor General for Scotland – Patrick Haldane of Gleneagles, jointly with Alexander Hume

Judges

* Lord President of the Court of Session – Lord Arniston the Elder * Lord Justice General – Lord Ilay * Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Tinwald

Events

* 5 January – James Wolfe is promoted to major in Peyton's Regiment of Foot, at this time stationed in Glasgow. * 6 March – A "corpse riot" breaks out in Glasgow after a body disappears from a churchyard in the Gorbals district. It is suspected that anatomy students at the Glasgow Infirmary "had raised a dead body from the grave and carried it to the college" for dissection. The city guard intervenes after a mob of protesters begin breaking windows at random buildings, and groups of citizens begin to make regular patrols of church graveyards. * 4 June – A fire in Glasgow leaves 200 families homeless. * A

stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are draw ...

service opens between Edinburgh and Glasgow. * The Treason Outlawries (Scotland) Act is passed.

Births

* 1 June –

James Cunningham, 14th Earl of Glencairn James Cunningham, 14th Earl of Glencairn (1 June 174930 January 1791) was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and patron of Robert Burns. Biography James the second son of William, 13th Earl, was born in Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire. On the death ''vida pa ...

, nobleman, soldier and patron (died 1791 in England) * 18 June –

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

, miniature painter (died

1787 Events January–March * January 9 – The North Carolina General Assembly authorizes nine commissioners to purchase of land for the seat of Chatham County. The town is named Pittsborough (later shortened to Pittsboro), for ...

) * 29 August –

Gilbert Blane Sir Gilbert Blane of Blanefield, 1st Baronet FRSE FRS MRCP (29 August 174926 June 1834) was a Scottish physician who instituted health reform in the Royal Navy. He saw action against both the French and Spanish fleets, and later served as a Co ...

, naval physician (died 1834 in England) * 6 September – Benjamin Bell, surgeon (died

1806 Events January–March * January 1 ** The French Republican Calendar is abolished. ** The Kingdom of Bavaria is established by Napoleon. * January 5 – The body of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, lies in state in the Painted Hall ...

) * October –

Archibald Skirving Archibald Skirving (1749 – 19 May 1819) was a Scottish portrait painter. He was born at Athelstaneford near Haddington. Life Archibald was born in Athelstaneford near Haddington the son of Adam Skirving. His younger brother Robert joined t ...

, portrait painter (died

1819 Events January–March * January 2 – The Panic of 1819, the first major peacetime financial crisis in the United States, begins. * January 25 – Thomas Jefferson founds the University of Virginia. * January 29 – Si ...

) * 3 November – Daniel Rutherford, physician, chemist and botanist noted for the isolation of nitrogen (died 1819) * 7 November – Charles Smith, portrait painter (died

1824 May 7: The almost completely deaf Beethoven premieres his Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven) , Ninth Symphony Events January–March * January 8 – After much controversy, Michael Faraday is finally elected as a member of the Royal Society, ...

) * 8 December –

Hugo Arnot Hugo Arnot of Balcormo (8 December 1749 – 20 November 1786) was a Scottish advocate, writer, and campaigner. Life Arnot was born Hugo Pollock on 8 December 1749 in Leith, where his father was a merchant. He adopted his mother's maiden name, A ...

, né Pollock, lawyer and campaigner (died

1786 Events January–March * January 3 – The third Treaty of Hopewell is signed, between the United States and the Choctaw. * January 6 – The outward bound East Indiaman '' Halsewell'' is wrecked on the south coast of Englan ...

) * 15 December –

James Graeme James Graeme is a British actor and singer who trained at the Royal Manchester College of Music.1772 Events January–March * January 10 – Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor of India, makes a triumphant return to Delhi 15 years after having been forced to flee. * January 17 – Johann Friedrich Struensee and Queen Carolin ...

) *

John Cunningham, 15th Earl of Glencairn John Cunningham, 15th Earl of Glencairn (1749 – 24 September 1796) was a Scottish nobleman, cavalry officer, and finally a priest. The younger son of William Cunningham, 13th Earl of Glencairn (d. 1775) he succeeded his elder brother James, on ...

, nobleman, cavalry officer and priest (died

1796 Events January–March * January 16 – The first Dutch (and general) elections are held for the National Assembly of the Batavian Republic. (The next Dutch general elections are held in 1888.) * February 1 – The capital ...

) * Ralph Walker, civil engineer (died 1824 in England)

Deaths

* 18 April –

Alexander Robertson of Struan Alexander Robertson of Struan (c.1670 – 28 April 1749), 13th Chief of Clan Robertson, was a Scottish Jacobite soldier and poet, notable for being the only person to participate in three Jacobite risings. Biography Roberstson was the son of anot ...

, chief of Clan Donnachaidh, Jacobite leader and poet (born c. 1668/70) * 19 October –

William Ged William Ged (169919 October 1749) was a Scottish goldsmith who has been credited with the invention of stereotyping. However, he was not the first to use the process. Ged was born in Edinburgh, where he carried on business as a goldsmith. In 1725 ...

, goldsmith and inventor of stereotyping (born

1699 Events January–March * January 5 – A violent Java earthquake damages the city of Batavia on the Indonesian island of Java, killing at least 28 people * January 20 – The Parliament of England (under Tory dominance) limits the size ...

) * 19 December –

George Seton, 5th Earl of Winton George Seton, 5th Earl of Winton (c. 1678–1749) was a Scottish nobleman who took part in the Jacobite rising of 1715 supporting "The Old Pretender" James Stuart. Captured by the English, Seton was tried and sentenced to death, but escaped and ...

, exiled Jacobite (born c. 1678; died in Italy) * 25 December –

John Lindsay, 20th Earl of Crawford Lieutenant-General John Lindsay, 20th Earl of Crawford (4 October 1702 – 25 December 1749) was a Scottish peer and the first colonel of the Black Watch on its formation in 1739. Biography Lindsay was the son of Lieutenant-General John Linds ...

, 1st colonel of the Black Watch (born

1702 In the Swedish calendar it was a common year starting on Wednesday, one day ahead of the Julian and ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. Events January–March * January 2 – A total solar eclipse is visible from the southe ...

) * John Munro, 4th of Newmore, soldier and politician

References

{{Years in Scotland , state=collapsed Years of the 18th century in Scotland Scotland 1740s in Scotland