Events from the year 1861 in Scotland.

Incumbents

Law officers

* Lord Advocate – James Moncreiff, 1st Baron Moncreiff, James Moncreiff * Solicitor General for Scotland – Edward Maitland, Lord Barcaple, Edward Maitland

Judiciary

* Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General – Duncan McNeill, 1st Baron Colonsay, Lord Colonsay * Lord Justice Clerk – George Patton, Lord Glenalmond, Lord Glenalmond

Events

* 27 February – ironclad warship HMS Black Prince (1861), HMS ''Black Prince'' is launched from Robert Napier (engineer), Robert Napier's yard at Govan on the River Clyde. * 11 March – the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway, Portpatrick Railway opens to Stranraer Town railway station, providing a connection from Dumfries. * June – first modern excavation of the Neolithic chambered cairn and passage grave of Maeshowe on Orkney. * 26 September – golfer Tom Morris, Sr. wins the 1861 Open Championship, second Open Championship. * 23 October – foundation stone of the Royal Museum laid by Albert, Prince Consort, Prince Albert. * 25 November – a tenement collapses in the Old Town, Edinburgh killing 35 with 15 survivors. * Edinburgh Co-operative Building Company begin construction of Stockbridge Colonies, pioneering low-cost flats for artisans. * One O'Clock Gun first fired from Edinburgh Castle. * Edinburgh and Glasgow Bible Societies merged to form the Scottish Bible Society, National Bible Society of Scotland. * White Horse (whisky), White Horse whisky first produced by James Logan Mackie of Edinburgh.

Births

* 11 April – Thomas Jaffrey, actuary (died 1953 in Scotland, 1953) * 17 June – Robina Nicol, New Zealand photographer and suffragist (died 1942 in New Zealand, 1942) * 19 June – Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, Douglas Haig, soldier and Field Marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal during World War I (died 1928 in Scotland, 1928) * 9 July – William Burrell, shipowner and art collector (died 1958 in Scotland, 1958) * 12 October – Agnes Jekyll, née Graham, artist, writer on domestic matters and philanthropist (died 1937 in England) * 24 December – John Macdonald (sportsman), John Macdonald, sportsman and physician (died 1938 in Scotland, 1938)

Deaths

* 8 April – John Bartholomew, Sr., cartographer (born 1805 in Scotland, 1805) * 4 October – Archibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton (born 1812 in Sicily) * 13 November – John Forbes (physician), John Forbes, physician to Queen Victoria (1841–1861) (born 1787 in Scotland, 1787)

References

{{Years in Scotland 1861 in Scotland, Years of the 19th century in Scotland 1861 in the United Kingdom, Scotland 1860s in Scotland