1840 in Scotland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Events from the year 1840 in Scotland.
See also:List of years in Scotland
Timeline of Scottish history
1840 in: The UK ⢠Wales ⢠Elsewhere
Timeline of Scottish history
1840 in: The UK ⢠Wales ⢠Elsewhere
Incumbents
Law officers
Judiciary
Events
- 10 January â Uniform Penny Post introduced throughout the United Kingdom, replacing the Uniform Fourpenny Post of 1839. From 6 May, the Penny Black, the world's first postage stamp, becomes valid for prepayment of postage. Advocates of the scheme include Robert Wallace (MP for Greenock) and James Chalmers.
- 14 January â the first known baptisms by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Scotland take place in the River Clyde at Bishopton when Samuel Mulliner, a Scot who joined the church in Canada, baptizes Alexander and Jessie Hay. In May, Orson Pratt preaches from Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.[1]
- July â last known great auk in the British Isles caught and later killed on the islet of Stac an Armin, St Kilda, Scotland.[2][3][4]
- 4 July â the Cunard Line's 700-ton wooden paddle steamer RMS Britannia, launched by Robert Duncan & Company at Greenock on 5 February, departs from Liverpool bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the first steam transatlantic passenger mail service. Scottish marine engineer Robert Napier is a major partner in the venture and has supplied the ship's engine.[5]
- 21 July â first burial at the Southern Necropolis in Glasgow.
- 12 August â the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway is opened throughout between Glasgow Bridge Street railway station and Ayr,[6] the first inter-urban railway in Scotland.
- 15 August â foundation stone of the Scott Monument in Edinburgh is laid.[7]
- 31 August â the Slamannan Railway is opened.
- Approximate date â Forglen House, designed by John Smith, is completed.[8]
Births
- 1 January â Dugald Drummond, steam locomotive engineer (died 1912 in England)
- 24 January â George Smith, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles (Catholic) (died 1918)
- 5 February
- Charlotte Carmichael, pioneer of higher education for women (died 1929 in England)
- John Boyd Dunlop, inventor (died 1921 in Ireland)
- 3 March â Hugh Smellie, steam locomotive engineer (died 1891)
- 22 April â Thomas Clouston, psychiatrist (died 1915)
- 15 July â William Wilson Hunter, official of the Indian Civil Service (British India) (died 1900 in England)
- 29 November â James Crichton-Browne, psychiatrist (died 1938)
- J. M. Brydon, architect (died 1901 in England)
Deaths
- 9 March â George Gleig, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church (born 1753)
- 10 April â Alexander Nasmyth, painter (born 1758)
