This Day in June
Here is a snapshot of historical events which took place in the month of June, with links to pages with further information, where available on the Web.
June 1 1679
Covenanters defeated John Graham of Claverhouse at Drumclog.June 1 1841
Poet and songwriter Robert Allan (born in Kilbarchan in 1774) died in New York, six days after sailing there from Scotland to join his son. He had believed that his poetry would be better appreciated in North America.June 1 1843
Dr Henry Faulds, who established the uniqueness of fingerprints, born in Beith, Ayrshire.June 1 1878
First Tay rail bridge opens. It was to collapse 18 months later in the Tay Bridge Disaster.June 1 1946
First TV licences issued in Britain, costing £2.June 1 1957
First Premium Bond prizes were drawn by the computer "Ernie" (Electronic random number indicator equipment).June 1 1982
Pope John Paul II in Glasgow.June 2 1398
it is claimed that Prince Henry St Clair (Sinclair) landed in Nova Scotia, having sailed from Orkney.June 2 1581
James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, beheaded in Edinburgh Grassmarket, accused of the murder of Lord Darnley.June 2 1941
Clothes rationing introduced as a war-time measure. It was not lifted until 1949.June 2 1953
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Objectors who said that Scotland had never had a "Queen Elizabeth I" were told that in future the "highest number will be used" where there is such a conflict.June 2 1994
25 top intelligence officers and the crew of four were killed when a Chinook helicopter in which they were travelling from Northern Ireland crashed into a hillside on the Mull of Kintyre.June 3 1726
James Hutton, founder of modern geology, born.June 3 1774
Poet Robert Tannahill born in Paisley.June 3 1863
Writer Neil Munro born Inveraray.June 3 1931
The company formed by John Logie Baird televised the Epsom Derby which was then transmitted by the BBC.June 3 1978
Peru defeated Scotland 3-1 in the football World Cup in Argentina.June 4 1694
The Merchant Maiden Hospital, later known as The Mary Erskine School, was founded by Mary Erskine in the Cowgate, Edinburgh.June 4 1818
First recorded inter-club golf match - between Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society and Bruntsfield Links Golf Club.June 4 1832
Great Reform Bill, which disenfranchised rotten burghs, came into force.June 4 1940
Evacuation of Dunkirk (which began on May 27) was completed. 338,226 soldiers were brought back to the UK by the "little ships."June 4 1940
Winston Churchill made his speech to the nation saying: "We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."June 4 1977
Damage estimated to cost £15,000 caused by fans who dug up the pitch at Wembley after Scotland defeated England 2-1.June 5 1592
An Act of the Scottish Parliament came into force "concerning the Office of Lyoun King of Armes and his brether Heraldis" creating the best regulated system of armorial bearings in Europe.June 5 1723
Adam Smith, author of "The Wealth of Nations" born Kirkcaldy.June 5 1868
James Connolly, Irish revolutionary, born in Edinburgh.June 5 1916
HMS Hampshire sank off Orkney after striking a mine. Lord Kitchener, conqueror of Sudan, was drowned.June 5 1975
Referendum held on British Membership of the European Community. In Scotland the vote was "Yes" 1,332,286; "No" 948,039. Turnout was 61%. Only Shetland and Western Isles had majorities against.June 6 1560
Treaty of Edinburgh between France and England, recognising sovereignty of Mary Queen of Scots and her first husband Francis II.June 6 1838
Thomas Blake Glover, founding father of Japan's industrialisation (including Mitsubishi) and Japanese Navy, born Fraserburgh.June 7 1329
Robert the Bruce died, Cardross Castle.June 7 1690
The Scots Parliament ratified the establishment of a Presbyterian religious system, rejecting Episcopacy.June 7 1811
Sir James Young Simpson, pioneer of anaesthetics and chloroform, born.June 8 1333
King Edward III orders the capture of the Isle of Man from the Scots.June 8 1724
Birth of John Smeaton, civil engineer and lighthouse builder.June 8 1772
Robert Stevenson, engineer, who constructed 18 lighthouses around Scotland, born Glasgow.June 9 597
St Columba died.June 9 1942
First US troops (over 10,000 men) disembark from Queen Mary on the River Clyde.June 9 1982
The 20p coin came into circulation.June 10 1688
James Francis Stuart born. In honour of the "Old Pretender", this is known as "White Rose Day" in Jacobite circles.June 10 1719
Battle of Glenshiel, Jacobites with Spanish assistance, and government forces clashed.June 10 1727
Death of King George I and accession of George II.June 10 1768
Construction of the Forth and Clyde canal started. It was to take 22 years to complete.June 10 1903
The floral clock in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, began operation - driven by clockwork and with only an hour hand. But it was the first of its kind in the world.June 10 1939
Sir Jackie Stewart, three-times world motor racing champion, born in Dunbartonshire.June 11 1560
Marie of Guise, widow of King James V and Queen Regent of Scotland, died.June 11 1488
Battle of Sauchieburn during which King James III died attempting to subdue a group of rebel barons.June 11 1930
Liner "Empress of Britain" launched from Clydebank by the Prince of Wales.June 11 1975
First oil pumped ashore from British oilfields in the North Sea.June 13 1819
The Strathnaver Clearances began on the Sutherland estates - families were given 30 minutes to remove their belongings before their cottages were set on fire.June 13 1831
Birth of James Clerk Maxwell, first Professor of Experimental Physics at Cambridge University, he created electromagnetic theory of light.June 13 1975
Rate of price inflation reached 25% in the UK.June 14 1789
Whisky distilled from maize was first produced - by a clergyman, the Rev Elijah Craig. He called the new liquor "bourbon" because he lived in Bourbon County, Kentucky.June 14 1940
Queen Mary, Aquitania, Empress of Canada, and Empress of Britain arrive in the River Clyde with the first contingent of Australian and New Zealand troops.June 14 1946
John Logie Baird, inventor of the first television, died.June 14 1966
Walter McGowan wins World Fly-weight Championship.June 15 1567
Mary Queen of Scots' last night in Edinburgh, at the house of Sir Simon Preston, the Lord Provost, on the Royal Mile, prior to her imprisonment at Loch Leven castle two days later.June 15 1945
Queen Mary leaves Greenock, taking nearly 15,000 GIs home to US.June 16 1338
Siege of Dunbar Castle by the English was raised.June 16 1586
Mary, Queen of Scots recognised Philip II of Spain as her heir.June 16 1971
Lord Reith, "father" of the BBC, died.June 17 1390
Wolf of Badenoch burns Elgin Cathedral.June 17 1617
Articles of religion, introducing Anglican principles into Scottish worship, endorsed by Scottish parliament.June 17 1823
Charles Macintosh patented the waterproof cloth he was using to make raincoats.June 17 1943
Annie S Swan, novelist, died.June 18 1639
Pacification of Berwick, Charles I forced to withdraw from Scotland and recognise an independent Scottish Parliament.June 18 1746
Flora MacDonald met Prince Charles Edward Stuart and persuaded him to wear women's clothes as part of the escape plan from the Outer Hebrides to Skye.June 18 1815
Ensign Ewart captured the French Ensign at the Battle of Waterloo.June 19 1306
Army of Robert the Bruce routed at Methven.June 19 1566
Mary Queen of Scots gives birth to the future King James VI of Scotland and I of England.June 19 1633
Coronation of King Charles I at Holyrood.June 19 1660
"Day of Public Thanksgiving" on Restoration of Charles II as king.June 19 1861
Earl Haig, Commander in Chief of British forces 1915-18, founder of British Legion, born.June 19 1917
Parliament voted by a majority of 330 to give votes to women over 30 for the first time.June 19 1937
Sir J M Barrie, author of "Peter Pan" died.June 20 1723
Adam Ferguson, philosopher, historian, "Father of Sociology" born Logierait, Perthshire.June 20 1887
New Tay rail bridge opened, the longest in Britain.June 20 1969
First announcement of the discovery of high-grade crude oil in the North Sea.June 21 1098
Priory at Coldingham founded.June 21 1791
Robert Napier, regarded as the "father of Clyde shipbuilding" was born. He died on 23 June, 1876.June 21 1796
Scottish explorer Mungo Park reached the source of the river Niger in Africa.June 21 1919
German fleet scuttled in Scapa Flow.June 22 1679
Duke of Monmouth subdued Covenanters at Bothwell Bridge.June 22 1725
Malt Riots, Glasgow - against higher taxes imposed on Scottish malt.June 23 1650
Charles II sailed into the estuary of the river Spey and signed the Covenant before going ashore.June 23 1823
George and Robert Stephenson open their locomotive foundry in Newcastle upon Tyne.June 23 1927
Singer Kenneth McKellar born.June 23 1952
Salvador Dali's painting "Christ of St John of the Cross" went on display in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery. There was a public outcry when Dr Tom Honeyman, the then director of Glasgow's museums and art galleries, spent the city's entire annual purchasing budget (all £8,200 or US$13,000) to obtain the painting.June 23 1971
Mass protest in West of Scotland against closure of John Brown's shipyard.June 24 1314
Robert the Bruce defeated Edward II at Battle of Bannockburn.June 24 1886
Crofters' Holding Act passed providing limited security of tenure.June 25 1799
David Douglas, explorer and botanist, born at Scone, Perthshire. In addition to the Douglas Fir, he brought back to Europe lupins, phlox, penstemmon, sunflowers, clarkia, Californian poppy, mimulus, flowering currant, rose of sharon and mahonia.June 25 1887
Wallace statue unveiled at the Wallace National Monument, Stirling.June 25 1971
Lord Boyd Orr, biologist and Nobel Prize Winner, died.June 25 1876
Seven Scots, including John Stuart Forbes, were in the US 7th Cavalry with General Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.June 25 1891
The first Sherlock Holmes story by Edinburgh-born author Arthur Conan Doyle was published in the "Strand" magazine, triggering the success of the stories - earlier publication of "A Study in Scarlet" in Beeton's Christmas Annual in 1887 had attracted little public interest.June 26 1488
James IV crowned king at the age of 15 at Scone. He reigned until 1513 when he fell with the flower of Scotland's nobility at the Battle of Flodden Field.June 26 1695
Darien Company formed to set up a Scottish colony in Panama.June 26 1830
King George IV died, aged 67 (and William IV ascended the throne). George IV is reckoned to be Britain's fattest king. His favourite breakfast was two roast pigeons, three beefsteaks, a bottle of white wine, a glass of champagne, two of port and one brandy.June 27 1583
James VI (aged 17) escaped from Castle Ruthven.June 28 1838
Queen Victoria crowned at Westminster Abbey.June 30 1857
Start of trial for murder of Madeleine Smith who was eventually found "Not Proven"
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