1885 in Scotland

Events from the year 1885 in Scotland.

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18 April â Scottish Catholic Observer first published as The Glasgow Observer.
1 June â the Glasgow and South Western Railway's Largs Branch is completed throughout to Largs.^[1]
10 June â breed standard for Highland cattle first defined (in Inverness) and herd book first produced.^[2]
27 June â The Shetland News first published in Lerwick.
1 July â the Glasgow and South Western Railway's Paisley Canal Line is opened on the course of the abandoned Glasgow, Paisley and Johnstone Canal.
6 August â the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway is officially formed, in the joint ownership of the Caledonian, Glasgow and South Western, London and North Western and Midland Railways.
17 August â the post of Secretary for Scotland is revived to be in charge of the Scottish Office, Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, being the first appointee.
1 October â the Alloa Railway's Alloa swing bridge over the River Forth is opened.
24 November â 18 December: 1885 United Kingdom general election: five MPs from or allied with the Crofters Party are elected.
General Accident and Employers' Liability Assurance Association Ltd., a predecessor of Aviva, established in Perth.
Ailsa Shipbuilding Company established at Troon.
North British Distillery established in Edinburgh.
Scapa distillery established on Mainland, Orkney.
Hugh Tennent first brews lager at the Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow.
Experimental hydroelectricity scheme for public supply at Greenock initiated.
Fidra lighthouse built.

21 January â Duncan Grant, painter (died 1978 in England)
16 February â Will Fyffe, music hall entertainer (died 1947)
23 March â John Fraser, surgeon and academic (died 1947)
8 April â John Kerr, cricketer (died 1972)
29 April â Andrew Young, poet and clergyman (died 1971 in England)
22 June â James Maxton, socialist and leader of the Independent Labour Party (died 1946)
8 September â Douglas Guthrie, otolaryngologist and medical historian (died 1975)
13 September â John Beazley, Classical archaeologist (died 1970)
1 October â William Miller Macmillan, colonial historian (died 1974 in England)
F. Marian McNeill, folklorist (died 1973)
Winifred Rushforth, nÃ©e Bartholomew, psychoanalyst (died 1983)

2 April â James Edward Alexander, soldier, traveller and author (born 1803)
16 July â William Graham, wine merchant, art patron and Liberal politician (born 1817)

"Glasgow Boys" first exhibit collectively, at the Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts.
Aberdeen Art Gallery opens.
English painter Fra Newbery is appointed Principal of Glasgow School of Art, where he will serve until 1917.

May â Clydesdale Harriers established in Glasgow as Scotland's first open amateur athletics club.
12 September â Arbroath 36â0 Bon Accord is the world's highest scoring unrigged professional Association football match. An official score of Dundee Harp 35â0 Aberdeen Rovers is recorded in a separate match on the same day.