Quick Scottish History - 17. 14 June - 20 June

1. Quick
Scottish
History
A weekly guide to
Scotland’s past with
@mrmarrhistory
To suggest topics get in touch via Twitter: @mrmarrhistory #quickscottishhistory
#quickscottishhistory Issue 17 14 June – 20 June
Scotland’s Parliament
Scotland and England united to form Great Britain
in 1707; before that, Scotland had its own
independent parliament.
After Great Britain was created, the Scottish
Parliament ceased to exist. However it reopened
again in 1999.
In 1997, the Labour Party took over the British
government and arranged a referendum
that year on whether there
should be a Scottish Parliament.
The referendum gave a decisive
Yes vote. Then in July 1999 the
Scottish Parliament reopened.
As before 1707, the parliament
was based in Edinburgh, and is
now in a new building.
This week in
Scottish history
The life of…
Chrystal Macmillan
Chrystal Macmillan was a Scottish suffragist,
lawyer, peace campaigner and scientist.
Macmillan was born in Edinburgh in 1872. She
attended Edinburgh University and graduated with
a degree in Mathematics and natural Philosophy.
Macmillan was a suffragist, involved in campaigns
to try to win the vote for women.
This included attending
international campaign events.
During World War One she was a
peace activist and took part in
campaigns to end the war.
Macmillan later worked as a
lawyer, and also stood for election
to Parliament. She died in 1937.
Weekly quiz
The Gaelic for whisky is Uisge Beatha. What does
this literally translate as in English?
Last week’s answer: Wealthy business owner
Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline
14 June 1933 – the first aircraft lands on the beach
at Barra, at what is now Barra airport
15 June 1567 – the last time Mary, Queen of Scots
ever saw her husband, the Earl of Bothwell
16 June 1971 – death of Lord Reith, known as the
‘father of the BBC’
17 June 1823 – Charles Macintosh patents the
materials used to make the famous raincoats
18 June 1970 – the SNP win their first ever general
election seat at Westminster
19 June 1566 – Mary, Queen of Scots gives birth to
a son, James. He will go on to be king of Scotland
before becoming the king of Scotland and England
20 June 1887 – opening of the Tay Rail Bridge, then
the longest rail bridge in Britain
Bullet point History:
Ben Nevis
• Scotland Britain’s highest mountain, standing at
1345 metres ()4413 feet)
• It is believed that there around 100,000 ascents
(climbs) every year of the mountain
• The mountain’s closest town is Fort William
• An annual hill climb race takes place called the
Ben Nevis Run. In total, competitors run 8.7
miles, including climbing the mountain.