Events from the year 1858 in Scotland.
Incumbents
Law officers Lord Advocate – James Moncreiff until March; then John Inglis until July; then Charles Baillie Solicitor General for Scotland – Edward Maitland; then Charles Baillie; then David Mure
Judiciary Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General – Lord Colonsay Lord Justice Clerk – Lord Glencorse, then Lord Glenalmond
Events 1 January – the permanent North Unst Lighthouse on Muckle Flugga (Shetland), designed by brothers Thomas and David Stevenson, is first illuminated. 16 April – the Wernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh is wound up. 31 August – Bressay Lighthouse in Shetland is first illuminated. 26 October – launch of Fraserburgh life-boat, the first in Scotland under the auspices of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Completion of Hamilton Mausoleum. Reconstruction of Paisley Abbey begins. Temperate Palm House at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh built. The West of Scotland Grand National, predecessor of the Scottish Grand National, is first run, at a course near Houston, Renfrewshire.
Births 14 March – George Henry, painter (died 1943) 10 April – Arthur Melville, painter of Oriental subjects (died 1904) 11 May – Richard Archer Prince, born Richard Millar Archer, actor and murderer (died 1937 in Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum) 7 December – Ned Haig, butcher and rugby union player notable for founding the sport of rugby sevens (died 1939)
Deaths 15 February – John Gray, owner of Greyfriars Bobby 19 February – Alexander Black, architect (born c.1790) 24 February – Thomas Hamilton, architect (born 1784) 10 June – Robert Brown, botanist and palaeobotanist (born 1773) 20 June – James Jardine, hydraulic engineer (born 1776) 16 September – John Macgregor, shipbuilder (born 1802)
The arts 24 March – the Scottish National Gallery on The Mound in Edinburgh opens.History of the National Galleries of Scotland 1850-1900 www.nationalgalleries.org, accessed 23 June 2013. Archived 2013-06-29. August – German writer Theodor Fontane tours Scotland.Jenseit des Tweed, Bilder und Briefe aus Schottland (1860). E. B. Ramsay's Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character is published.
See also Timeline of Scottish history 1858 in Ireland
References