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20th February 2024 - Robert Wilson James Tytler, The Original Flying Scotsman. Biggar Probus Club met for their third meeting of 2024 on 20 February. Our speaker was Robert Wison from Carluke Probus Club, whose subject was James Tytler, The Original Flying Scotsman. He introduced us to a remarkable man who was born in Angus in 1745. After schooling at home, he became an apprentice surgeon in Forfar, going on to study medicine in Edinburgh in 1764. By 1766 he had become an apothecary in Leith, but his business failed and he fled to England with his new wife to avoid his creditors. By 1772 he had begun a literary career, writing reviews and editing magazines. After more failures his wife left him, and he became an Abbey Laird at Holyrood to avoid his creditors. But by 1776 his fortunes had improved and he became the second editor of the Encyclopedia Britannica, expanding it to 10 volumes. His most famous act came in 1784 when he became the first person in Britain to fly in a hot air balloon. He studied the designs of the Montgolfier brothers, and displayed his own design of balloon at Register House in Edinburgh. On the 27th August in Edinburgh it flew half a mile at 350 feet, but his fame was short-lived as the Italian adventurer Lunardi flew his balloon from Glasgow to Hawick via Hamilton and Lanark in the following year. After more setbacks Tytler was arrested for sedition in 1792 after publishing works by Thomas Paine. He fled to Belfast, and went to America the following year. He settled in Salem Massachusetts but died there in an accident in 1804, a tragic end to a varied life. The vote of thanks was given by the President, Neil Ingram. The next meeting is on Tuesday 5 March in Biggar Municipal Hall at 10.00, when we will welcome back Bruce Keith whose talk is entitled “Are we there yet? A history of Scottish Milestones” . All are welcome to attend. |