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In the autumn of 1783 a few well-connected Scottish gentlemen met near the current City Chambers in Edinburgh to discuss the idea of a society to improve the Highlands.
The grand plan of 50 of the great and the good of Scotland was to improve communication, advance agriculture and establish towns and villages in the far-flung corners of the country. The Highland Society of Scotland was officially formed with a Royal Charter of Incorporation in Edinburgh in 1787, with the Duke of Argyll appointed as their first president.
In the early years the Society involved itself in all areas of Highland life not just agriculture. Their efforts included the compilation of a Gaelic dictionary that took an astounding 14 years to complete. The finished result was a dictionary of Gaelic translated into English and Latin. One proud member described the project as, ‘the Highland Society has seized the happy moment for treasuring up in its archives the words, which though still spoken, may soon cease to be heard.’ This momentous work was dedicated to the King and copies were sent to institutions across Europe and beyond.
From the early days, the society involved itself in competitions, and regularly awarded prizes for everything from dancing to bonnet making. The first mention of prizes for agriculture was in 1785 when Dr Gregory Grant, a physician, suggested the society should offer prizes for the improvement of the Highlands. His suggestion led to medals being offered for essays on the management of cattle and cultivation of grasses and green crops.
THE EARLY DAYS OF THE SHOW
The first mention of a formal show is in a letter from Mr George Rennie, Younger of Phantassie, Prestonkirk, East Lothian, in which he proposed the committee consider ‘the propriety of establishing an annual Show at Edinburgh for the exhibition of fat stock, on something of the same principle as that of the Smithfied Club.’ Despite earlier rejecting the possibility of a show, Mr Rennie’s proposal was approved by the committee and they concluded, ‘A show such as has been suggested…promises to create considerable interest among agriculturalists of all classes; to excite emulation among proprietors and tenants over the country, and consequently must conduce to the improvement of the breed of stock.’
The first ‘Highland show’ was held in December 1822 on a one-and-a-quarter acre site in the back garden of Queensberry House, then a barracks, in the Canongate, Edinburgh. According to The Scotsman: ‘The weather was most favourable and the yard continued crowded
In this month's issue Alan Cochrane writes about new penalties for wildlife crimes. Do you think it would be fair to ban keepers for life for certain wildlife crimes?
