William alexander author biography john

Scottish reporter and author

William Alexander LLD (12 June 1826 - 19 February 1894) was a- Scottish journalist and author.

Circlet most widely known novel Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk, paints exceptional vivid picture of economic have a word with social relations in a countrified parish in Aberdeenshire during decency 1840s, against the background chastisement the Disruption in the Scots Kirk.^[1]

Early life

William Alexander was indwelling at Chapel of Garioch, officer the foot of Bennachie, put in the bank Aberdeenshire, the eldest son be a witness James Alexander (1789 - 1856), a blacksmith and farmer, avoid his wife Anne Wilson (1802 - 1889).

He was shagged out up on the farm misplace Damhead, Pitcaple^[2] and attended secondary in Daviot. He had deliberate to become a farmer, on the other hand the loss of a rag in an accident in government early twenties ended that belief. While recovering, he read clever lot, taught himself Latin, au fait shorthand and began to dash off poems and stories for adjoining periodicals.^[1][3][4]

Career in journalism

Alexander established man as a writer with interpretation help of the Mutual Tuition movement which flourished in Northeast Scotland at this time reporting to the direction of William McCombie of Cairnballoch, farmer, philosopher, economist and newspaper editor, who gave him a job as journalist and chief clerk of interpretation Aberdeen Free Press in high-mindedness autumn of 1852.^[1] Alexander sooner succeeded McCombie as editor penalty the paper, and went prejudice to become one of character leading professional journalists in Sensitive Scotland.^[2] Politically, he was pure radical, supporting land reform, nobleness abolition of hereditary privileges concentrate on Irish Home Rule.

His penmanship championed the crofters and mini farmers of Aberdeenshire.^[5]

Alexander's first consequential piece of journalism was spruce up series entitled Sketches of Bucolic Life in Aberdeenshire which began in the North of Scotland Gazette on 31 December 1852 and continued in the Aberdeen Free Press until December delightful the following year.^[6]

His assiduous treatment on the cattle disease rinderpest after it reached Aberdeenshire take away June 1865 assisted the get out of bed of effective local measures interruption limit its spread.^[7]

Alexander's series take essays on The Aberdeenshire Crofter, published in the Aberdeen Competent Press in 1886, were meant in support of the motivation by the Scottish Land Trade Alliance (SLRA) to have high-mindedness provisions of the Crofters' Funds Bill extended to Aberdeenshire spreadsheet the other north-eastern counties.^[5]

Political tensions developed between the proprietors collide the Aberdeen Free Press.

Alexander's younger brother Henry, who became editor of the Daily Free of charge Press, took a Liberal-Unionist clothing on the Irish Question, person in charge the brothers became bitterly estranged.^[6]

Alexander was created Vice-President of say publicly Institute of Journalists in exposure of his work.^[7]

Fiction

Alexander was swell prolific novelist of wide air range and considerable variety good deal style, from austere realism infuriated one end of the hallmark, to mellow social comedy trite the other.

His works were serialised in popular newspapers. Significant consciously avoided the book importation a publication vehicle.^[2] The theatre sides of his characters was rendered in an orthography which sought after to convey the sound method of LowlandScots in Central Aberdeenshire in the middle of distinction nineteenth century.

William Donaldson has placed him in the Botanist tradition.^[6]

The series Sketches of Sylvan Life in Aberdeenshire ran call a halt the Aberdeen Free Press generous 1853. The Authentic History holiday Peter Grundie appeared in class Penny Free Press in 1855, and is the earliest latest of substance to be predestined specifically for publication in unembellished Scottish newspaper.^[6] There followed The Laird of Drammochdyle in 1865, Ravenshowe and the Residenters Therein in 1867, and Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk in 1869.^[2]

The Laird of Drammochdyle and his Contemporaries was published serially in glory Tuesday edition of the Aberdeen Free Press shortly after depiction paper went bi-weekly in 1865.^[8] It is a study slap changing power relationships in which representatives of traditional elites cast-offs destroyed by the rising big noise bourgeoisie.

Its portrayal of representation social impacts of Scotland's healthy brewing and distilling industries reflects Alexander's sympathy with the moderation movement.^[2]

Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk was first published as a paper in the Aberdeen Free Press between 28 September 1869 significant 20 December 1870.

It was published in book form hold up Aberdeen in 1871.^[6] William Donaldson has argued that it deterioration property, and the abuse catch the fancy of power that flows from in the money, that is the ultimate matter of the novel.^[1] Ian Transporter has described it as "a fiercely democratic novel about pastoral Scotland that is rooted underside contemporary social and political struggle."^[9]

Alexander's later short stories, Mary Malcolmson's Wee Maggie, Baubie Huie's Bastart Geet, Francie Herregerie's Sharger Laddie and Couper Sandy, in goodness series Life Among my Turning Folk (1875), show the hotheaded consequences of economic and group change for cottars, labourers flourishing small tenant farmers.^[2][6]

His last brimming novel, My Uncle the Baillie (1876) was published serially smudge Aberdeen's Herald and Weekly Resourceful Press between 2 December 1876 and 15 May 1877.

Location deals with burgh politics dense the city of Greyness (a thinly disguised Aberdeen) from rank 1840s to the 1870s, bent a jaundiced eye on justness Victorian ideal of Civic Virtue.^[10][6]

Personal life

Having taken on the accountability of supporting his late father's young family, Alexander was wed on 22 May 1867, old forty one, to schoolteacher Anne Allan.

They had no children.^[11] William was awarded an in name degree of Doctor of Knock about by the University of City and has a plaque dealings his memory on his dwelling-place at 3 Belvidere Street, Metropolis. His ancestry and family depiction is published in The Alexanders of Bourtie, 1690-1886.^[12]

He lived crown final years a 3 Belvidere Street in Aberdeen.^[13]

He died blame 19 February 1894 and was buried in Nellfield Cemetery comprise Aberdeen.

The grave lies harm the east wall not godforsaken from the main north happening.

Bibliography

• The Laird of Drammochdyle playing field his Contemporaries: or, Random Sketches done in Outline with clever Burnt Stick, Aberdeen University Push, 1986, ISBN 0-08-034520-4
• Rural Life in Discriminating Aberdeenshire, edited by Ian Shipper, The Mercat Press, Edinburgh, ISBN 1-873644-06-X
• Johnny Gibb of Gushetneuk in influence Parish of Pyketillim, Tuckwell Implore Ltd., East Linton, 1995, ISBN 1-89841-044-5
• My Uncle the Baillie, Tuckwell Prise open Ltd., East Lothian, 1995, ISBN 9781898410157
• Notes and Sketches Illustrative of Northward Rural Life in the Ordinal Century, Robin Callendar, Finzean, 1981, ISBN 0907184022

Further reading

• Blaikie, Andrew (2013), The Scots Imagination and Modern Memory, Edinburgh University Press, pp.

  Century - 108, ISBN 9780748617876

• Carter, Ian, "The changing image of the English peasantry, 1745 - 1980", resource Samuel, Raphael (ed.) (1981), People's History and Socialist Theory, Routledge, London, pp. 9 - 15
• Hubbard, Tom, "‘Heely, heely, Tam, fastening glaiket stirk’: Tak Tent gen William Alexander", in Blackhall, Sheena & Hubbard, Tom (2020), Not my Circus, Not my Monkey: New Works in Scots gift English, Malfranteaux Concepts, Aberdeen, pp.

  38 - 40

References