Events from the year 1970 in Scotland.
Incumbents
Secretary of State for Scotland and Keeper of the Great Seal – Willie Ross until 20 June; then Gordon Campbell
Law officers Lord Advocate – Henry Wilson; then Norman Wylie Solicitor General for Scotland – Ewan Stewart until June; then David Brand
Judiciary Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General – Lord Clyde Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Grant Chairman of the Scottish Land Court – Lord Birsay
Events 21 January – Fraserburgh lifeboat Duchess of Kent, on service to the Danish fishing vessel Opal, capsizes with the loss of five of the six crew members. 19 March – The South Ayrshire by-election is held. Jim Sillars retains the seat for the Labour Party. 24 May – The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Luke in Glasgow is raised to this status. 18 June – The 1970 general election is held. Labour wins a majority in Scotland with 48 out of the 71 seats available, but the Conservative Party wins a majority across the UK, and Edward Heath replaces Harold Wilson as Prime Minister. The Scottish National Party wins its first MP elected at a general election (Donald Stewart in the Western Isles) but Winnie Ewing loses the Hamilton seat; leaving the SNP with only a single seat. 26 June – The Kingston Bridge, Glasgow opens. 16 – 25 July: the 1970 British Commonwealth Games are held in Edinburgh. 26 July – 1 August – the 1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games are held in Edinburgh. 7 October – BP announces the discovery of the massive Forties Oil Field in Scottish waters. Hepatitis B outbreak in Edinburgh. Blair Drummond Safari Park opens.
Births
14 February – Paul Rutherford, powerlifter 16 April – James Watson, actor 10 May – David Weir, international footballer 4 July Lewis MacLeod, voice actor Doddie Weir, rugby union player (died 2022) 19 July – Nicola Sturgeon, SNP politician, First Minister of Scotland (2014– ; Deputy from 2007) 21 July – Angus MacNeil, SNP politician 12 August – Alan Brown, SNP politician 21 August – David Hopkin, footballer 22 July – Doug Johnstone, crime fiction writer, rock musician and physicist 17 September – Dallas Campbell, television presenter 17 December – Stella Tennant, model (died 2020) 23 December – Karine Polwart, singer-songwriter
Deaths 25 May – Tom Patey, mountaineer (born 1932), died in climbing accident 13 June – John Nicholson, footballer (born 1888)
See also 1970 in Northern Ireland 1970 in Wales
References